OK, so I found a local breeder, looks good, interesting info, oh a price....
...$1,900!!!!
Is that about what can be expected to get a "breed"?
I had three dogs as a kid. One puppy was given to my dad as cab fare (my dad was a cab driver at the time). One was a Golden Retriever/ Irish Setter mix, forget where we got him exactly, but he didn't cost much. The third was an actual purebred Golden Retriever who cost "a lot" -- I think it was about $250.
That price is sending me back towards getting a shelter dog...
I really like the non-shedding and non-allergenic aspects, though. (Can you see why I was hopeless as a Humane Society volunteer? I imprint, and imprint, and imprint again...)
Meanwhile, to get back to the info I was trying to gather again:
Quote:A Solid Alarm System: The Canine
One fairly reliable alarm system, if allowed in your building, can be picked up at your local animal shelter. A family dog can be a powerful deterrent to criminals of all kinds. And it doesn't have to be a mighty Great Dane in order to intimidate. Stories of toy poodles and Schnauzers who barked enough to make intruders flee fearing detection abound, making them ideal for apartment dwellers.
Dogs have a keen sense of hearing and smell, and can detect changes in your home long before any human would. Yes, an abductor is determined, but he also doesn't want to be caught. Sometimes, all that stands between their success and your heartbreak is a small dog (or a large one).
If allergies are a problem in your home, know that poodles, from the Tea Cup through the Standard sizes have "wool" rather than fur, making them one of the few dogs available to the dog-allergic.
http://www.safety.com/articles/home-invasion-abduction.html
Quote:
How Your Dog Can Prevent Home Invasion
By: Anjie Coates
Do you need to own a Doberman or Rottweiler to protect you home from being broken into? No, says Dr. Stanley Coren, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Canada. While either dog is a great addition to a home if well trained a dog of any size if vocal is a great deterrent to those looking for a house to break into. Dealing with a dog of any size is more than a thief wants to deal with. Breaking and entering must be done quietly and quickly to be efficient, otherwise the risk of being caught is far too great. If a dog continues to bark loudly, the neighbors will be alerted that something is wrong.
"My dog is a Labrador, and he would help the burglar carry out the television and then close his car door!" I hear this often from dog owners. While it is true your dog is very social, the dog itself is a deterrent to breaking into your house. The dog is even more of a deterrent if the dog is in the house. A barking dog is now aware something is wrong, and is alerting all around of the situation. The person breaking in is unaware if the dog is Snoopy or Cujo and the chance is just too great to take.
Small dogs are great alert dogs. They will gladly bark loudly to let everyone know that someone strange is at the door. A bite from any dog is not something that a burglar is looking for. If a dog bites someone, the burglar leaves behind far too much evidence. It was only a few months ago in Florida that a Miniature Poodle weighing five pounds scared off a burglar. His owner, a single woman, was in bed reading. The dog heard a noise in the kitchen on the first floor and went down to investigate. The dog began barking frantically and the owner called 911. When the police arrived a few minutes later, they found blood on the floor and on the dog's mouth. Further investigation found the screen over the kitchen sink had been cut away, and this was the point of entry of the burglar. The burglar had tried to climb in through the window and the dog had bitten him as he was climbing in. The police alerted local hospitals and the next day a man with a bite wound consistent with the dog's mouth imprint entered the hospital for stitches. This is one example that shows the dog does not have to be big to make his point. When the burglar was arrested, the police found he illegally possessed a handgun. It is unknown if he carried the gun that night, but if it were not for the little dog, things could have gone much differently that night. The burglar is now in a Florida jail.
There are many different breeds of dogs and all of them can make a burglar decide that maybe this house is not worth his time. While may have the personality of Snoopy, a Beware of Dog sign always gives the impression that maybe Cujo lives there instead. An intruder is not going to take the chance that perhaps that sign is there just for him. He may never know what lays beyond that door is no more than a sleeping dog who will do no more than bring the intruder over to the cookie jar for a snack. Keeping this in mind you may want to give your furry friend a few extra snacks now and again because by simply being there he is helping to keep your home safe.
http://berda.com/gdsk/security_products_dog_link_1.shtml
Quote:A. Ask the experts about home security. Jack MacLean (Secrets of a Superthief) reports the results of a survey of over 300 prison inmates who'd been convicted of burglary or other residential crimes. Three of the questions were about dogs and home security:
Would dogs scare you away?
65% said that dogs of good size and unfriendly persuasion would scare them away
35% said no dog would scare them away.
Based on reassessment of responses, MacLean concludes that over 95% would indeed be scared away.[5]
What kinds of dogs scare you away the most?
35% Dobermans
30% "pit bull dogs"[6]
25% all dogs
10% German Shepherd Dogs
What would scare you away from a residence more than anything?
59% people in the house
32% almost any dog[7]
9% replies from night-time only burglars, who'd be deterred by spot or flood lights lighting up a yard
In another study, the following question was asked of 589 convicted property offenders:
How effective is each of the following likely to be in preventing burglary, breaking and entering and grand theft?
0 - not effective 1 - somewhat effective 2 - very effective
Monitored burglar alarms[8] 1.51
Electronic sensors in windows 1.35
Closed circuit TV cameras in stores 1.31
Private security patrols 1.14
DOG IN HOUSE 1.11
Weapons in home 1.10
Guardhouses protecting homes 1.07
Random police foot patrols 1.05
Better exterior lighting 1.02
"Neighborhood Watch" programs 0.98
Safes/strong boxes 0.83
Local burglar alarms 0.83
Deadbolt lock 0.79
Timed interior lights 0.78[9]
And a police officer wrote:
...you are concerned for your family's safety, and you want a nice pet, too. Fortunately..., you can have the best of both worlds. I speak as a dog enthusiast, and as a police officer who specializes in Crime Prevention. ...Professional criminals dislike: 1. time 2. noise 3. light. [TIME:] Most thieves like to be into a house in less than 15 seconds; if a criminal needs more than that he probably won't break into your house. This tells us that good quality, re-enforced doors [and windows] with heavy duty locks are an answer. LIGHT: if you keep the area around your house lighted (sensor lights are good and inexpensive, too) this will help greatly. NOISE: ... [a small, alert dog], while not intimidating to most people, is a problem to a burglar - he does not want to hear that barking! So, you can improve your home security without adding a... [larger] dog.... BUT, like a lot of things, sometimes more is better, and in this case, having more physical security, more light or more noise is going to be in your favor.... Also, having a big dog on the property lets the pros know when they are looking for an easy mark that perhaps your house is not an easy mark.
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~n51ls801/securitydogs.html
