Home defense vs. the new breed of criminal

[HighVelocity]

Every day, when I sit down and read the paper, I see more and more brazen and violent acts against people while in their homes. Multiple criminal actors, armed and hell bent on destruction.

I used to think a handgun nearby while in the house would be sufficient for whatever may happen. Now, not so much.

A large barking dog and a rifle or shotgun would seem to be the more realistic approach. It's a darn shame.

[CainA]

At least you are aware. A lot of folks aren't.

-Cain

[longtooth]

You are correct HV. I have loaded the shotgun again due to a week end incident that raised threat level to orange (bright at that) & am thinking about leaving it that way.

[pt145ss]

Home security is all about layers. I have a monitored house alarm, a German shepherd pup, a pistol in my pocket at all times, several pistols strategically hidden in the house, and a loaded shotgun in our room of retreat. I have also been toying with the idea of motion detector video cameras to monitor what is going on outside as well.

[fickman]

Every day, when I sit down and read the paper, I see more and more brazen and violent acts against people while in their homes. Multiple criminal actors, armed and heck bent on destruction.

Like this one?
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/w ... a9957.html

At the time of the invasion, five children were inside the apartment, and authorities said a gun was put to a baby's head as the men demanded money.

After their demands were met, the men then headed upstairs to commit a second home invasion, police said. A struggle broke out between the suspects and three men, all brothers, who were inside the apartment. The suspects shot the three brothers, killing one.

I work from home and have a handgun in my office (upstairs). The shotgun is in my bedroom ready to go alongside another handgun.

. . . may I never have to use them.

[PArrow]

Home security is all about layers. I have a monitored house alarm, a German shepherd pup, a pistol in my pocket at all times, several pistols strategically hidden in the house, and a loaded shotgun in our room of retreat. I have also been toying with the idea of motion detector video cameras to monitor what is going on outside as well.

Add a bar to your front and read doors, I have a simple bar stop that hooks up under the door handle and rests on the floor, quick to place and remove and will give me a minute or 2 to get a weapon. For your motion activated cameras look at http://www.attrm.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I have the system with several cameras inside and outside the house. Can be viewed from any computer and a web enabled phone. And they work in conjuntion with other sensors and controllers. I have mine set up so that I get a page on my phone if a door (garage door too) is opened at the wrong time.

[MrsFosforos]

Years ago, I'd dropped my daughter off at school and came back home and started working on the flower bed on the side of the house. That time of the day, most all of the neighbors were gone to work and it was a quiet in the neighborhood.

I remember what I was thinking about -- but I was deep enough in thought that I didn't hear a man approaching. There is a hedge that borders the lawn, so I was in a channel between the hedge, the house & chain link fence behind me with the man standing at the corner of the house. He took a step forward and asked if I needed help in the yard. I said "NO, I didn't need help", but he took another step forward.

He didn't know it but the gate to the back yard was locked and I really didn't have an escape route unless I would be able to get over the fence before he closed the gap.

He asked again if there was anything he could do for me and again, I said "NO", while I reached for the gate as if I were going to open it and rattled it. My great big German Shepard hit the fence barking and raising cain. She was huge, grey with a black saddle and boy, she could inspire fear. I hoped he would think I was going to let her out. In the split second that passed between me alerting her, by the time I turned back toward where the man had been - he was gone.

I was furious that someone would come INTO MY YARD to attempt to accost me in BROAD DAYLIGHT ... and realizing no one was home in the neighborhood I was going to be on my own to protect myself.

Thank God, my dog Shea was there. She made the difference that day. And, from that day forward, whenever I was in the yard working = she was there right beside me. I didn't doubt she would eat someone alive if they came into my yard; but just having her there with me would have been deterrent enough. She liked it too, gave her a job to do.

I have told that story to a co-worker who is a single woman without any means of protecting herself at her home. I keep trying to convince her to at least get a dog. Even if it's a little yappy lap dog, it might bark to help warn her and let her know if there were prowlers around her home! She has cats and doesn't want to upset them by bringing a dog into the house.

[CainA]

Hey, I resemble that remark:

...barking and raising cain.

Dogs are great!!!

-Cain

[bryang]

I live in an apartment and have three guns handy at all times and I wear one constantly, as for a dog...yep, I have one but she is one of those small yappy kind, however, no one comes around without her sounding the alarm. I am look at getting a shot gun. It looks like home invasion is becoming worse all the time.

-geo

[BigRon]

Dogs are definitely an asset. Whatever firearm you have and can proficiently use should be safe, but accessable. A Raven .25 in your hand is more valuable than a Les Baer .45 locked in the safe when sudden violence comes. Most people do not realize the "right now" timing in sudden violence. Never forget the first rule of gunfighting: Have a gun. Violations of this rule can result in rapid loss of blood pressure due to excessive leaks.

[Quick6]

Dogs are definitely an asset. Whatever firearm you have and can proficiently use should be safe, but accessable. A Raven .25 in your hand is more valuable than a Les Baer .45 locked in the safe when sudden violence comes. Most people do not realize the "right now" timing in sudden violence. Never forget the first rule of gunfighting: Have a gun. Violations of this rule can result in rapid loss of blood pressure due to excessive leaks.

[LaserTex]

I've got a 95 lbs Staffordshire Terrier that THINKS he is a small, yappy lap dog...does that count :-) And he loves possum for some strange reason... LOL

Doug

[bdickens]

I have told that story to a co-worker who is a single woman without any means of protecting herself at her home. I keep trying to convince her to at least get a dog. Even if it's a little yappy lap dog, it might bark to help warn her and let her know if there were prowlers around her home! She has cats and doesn't want to upset them by bringing a dog into the house.

We have both cats and dogs and they love each other.

[barres]

I have told that story to a co-worker who is a single woman without any means of protecting herself at her home. I keep trying to convince her to at least get a dog. Even if it's a little yappy lap dog, it might bark to help warn her and let her know if there were prowlers around her home! She has cats and doesn't want to upset them by bringing a dog into the house.

We have both cats and dogs and they love each other.

So do we. We kennel our dogs while we are at work during the day, but let them out to run around as much as we can when we are home. We came home from work one evening to find that we had locked the cat in the kennel with one of the dogs when we came home for lunch. The cat was glad to get out to go to her litter box, but that was the only "issue" from having the cat and dog trapped together for the afternoon. Our animals love each other.

[Purplehood]

So true... my son has two dogs and a cat. The dogs ALWAYS defer to the cat, as she has seniority in the household.