Kato is taking a break from watch duty.
I’m one of “those” people. Kato’s favorite spot is sitting at the window, barking at passersby.
I let him do it too. Why?
Because I like people knowing that I have a dog and he has his territory.
Get near the house? Kato is going to bark at you. Ring the doorbell? He is going to bark at you.
When I first got Kato I was a single woman living in an apartment alone (with two cats). Part of the reason I got him was a little bit of security for me. It wasn’t the best part of town and I was suspicious of a few of my neighbors. He did a good job keeping my apartment safe. He is a little guy with a big bark!
He wouldn’t be a good guard dog if someone did make it through the door. He does let everyone know that this is HIS house while they are at the door. My hope is that this will change the mind of any potential intruder (or annoying salesperson).
I like having an “early warning” system. I know when my neighbors are coming and going, if there are any loose dogs on the street, when the mail has come, if I have any packages, and when there are squirrels in the yard. I don’t really care about the squirrels in the yard, but Kato thinks it is important to let me know.
Does he go overboard with the barking? Yes. There are times when he sees something extra interesting he gets going and going and going. Then I put a stop to it. But honestly, he is a dog. Barking is what he does!
I hear ya. We have three dogs. Sydney and Blue have really scary barks – the Princess and the Puppy. Rodrigo is happy to see everyone and although he can have a big bark, it’s less scary. I love that people know that we have dogs. When people come to our door unexpectedly, they get the joy of hearing a chorus of scary dogs before I usher them to the living room or garage.
It’s a great back up to our alarm system 🙂
I’m with ya! Titan will bark at passerby’s and get’s really freaked when ppl come to the house. Sometimes it is a tad inconvenient when we have someone come do work on the house, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love knowing my boy is super protective of our house and he makes sure to tell everyone. 🙂
When I first rescued my boy, and I continue to do so, I walked him around the neighborhood so folks would know we have a dog… STAY AWAY! Now, twice a day (a.m. and p.m.) we are out walking, especially the perimeter of our house and yard so my boy knows it’s HIS to protect and for passerby’s to know, BEWARE. He’s quick to bark when someone walks by the house, goes to the neighbors, and such. Awesome alert system he is!
Great post Lisa!
Samus barks at people selectively. I believe that animals have a “sixth sense” about people and things. If she barks at someone, then I need to be more aware of that person. Guard dog? Well at 8 lbs I don’t think she’s going to guard anything! But she does protect me as best she can. If we are outside and she starts barking, she will come beside me as opposed to going to the “threat”.
Barking is how dogs talk. Samus has different types of barks – attention, warning, playing, begging. When she doesn’t bark at all is when I start to get worried.
Squirrels are very important to us dogs and we never want them in the house due to they are squirrely!
I only bark when a dog comes near my home…I like to howl out and tell them I’m here. People… please come in, my pleasure! I do not have an ounce of guard-dogness in me! I’d let anyone in, and in the past I have!
It’s all about lifestyle training, in my opinion. It’s like how some people don’t want their dogs on the couch and others enjoy it. There is no right answer, it just depends on what works for you!
Certainly less of a problem when you own your home. 🙂
But I agree that dogs are expressing themselves and we don’t have to correct every bark.
As for the safety factory, I know someone who trained her dog to start barking on the cue “No, Killer, no bite” when she felt uncomfortable walking him alone at night. Clever, huh?
Each dog is so different. Our dog Becca (deceased) was a barker…she loved to bark. Early warning system for things I didn’t even know I needed to be warned of (wind noise, bunnies). Slimdoggy Jack is the occasional barker…although Becca used to get him wound up. Now, he only barks when there is really something to bark at, although one of those things is loud jets flying overhead. Maggie May never makes a sound…except snoring. We’ve had her for almost 8 months and never a bark out of her. She does dream bark..little ruffs, but no full throated bark yet. We’ve gone from one end of the spectrum to the other.