Have you got a (guard) dog?

[MaryN]

When we returned to the UK a couple of years ago I was rather surprised at the situation concerning general safety and the uneasiness reported by so many people. We had returned with an elderly dog - a lovely old chap but so laid back that under no circumstances would he be a help in any "situation". When he died we decided to adopt another dog, and we now have a rather bossy Collie.

I was quite interested to be told by a friendly neighbour that there had been a few problems regarding theft from property, and it was implied that a lot of the problems were caused by travellers or local immigrants. Now, I have nothing against travellers as such - we are all entitled to live by our own lights - but they do have a bit of a reputation.

I do now realise the benefits of owning a really territorial dog. Not only does our Collie do the perimeter patrol thing, but he is also distinctly unwelcoming to strangers. He sleeps beside our bed at night and will get up growling to investigate if he hears any strange noises. We were told by the rehoming people that he had "problems" and had bitten people in the past, but I now regard this as a distinct plus.

We live in a fairly rural area and on dark nights going out to check on the livestock can be a bit scary - not now we have the Guardian Collie! My OH is confident at leaving me alone at home if he is away, and to be honest I put a lot of trust in our dog.

So, do you have a dog, and do you use him as a guardian?