Introduction
People all over the world have different pets because their preferences, needs, and conditions are not the same. However, everyone knows the saying that “dogs are man’s best friend” (Bababusuyi par. 1). Dogs are the animals that tend to become members of the family. Their devotion and will to protect their owners lead to a long-lasting relationship, similar to relationships that can be observed between relatives.
Moreover, when they are properly trained, dogs serve as a substitute for alarm and security home systems as well. Unfortunately, some people tend to be afraid of dogs or just do not realize how much benefit they can provide. This paper will discuss the main advantages of protection dogs—including psychological, physical, and security-related benefits—to ensure that guard dogs are not scary even though they may attack people to keep their owners and property safe.
Main Point
Regardless of the fact that protection dogs are animals that can hurt people, they are loving and supportive family members that provide their owners with a wide range of benefits.
Psychological Benefits
Just like all other dogs, protection dogs help people cope with depression and loneliness. They improve individuals’ self-esteem and make them happier (McConnell et al. 1241). Dogs are very sympathetic animals, so they are always near whenever their owners feel upset or sad. They try to please people and interact with them. Because they are submissive and dependent on their owners, dogs make people believe in their own strength. They also make vulnerable people feel protected.
Physical Benefits
Dogs require much attention; they need to be trained and walked at least twice a day, and they enjoy playing active games, which helps their owners stay fit and healthy (McConnell et al. 1239). Additionally, protection dogs often have lots of energy, a trait that is peculiar to their breeds. As a result, they turn out to be more active and are always ready to “ask” people to interact. Very often, owners take their dogs with them whenever they go somewhere, which also prevents them from being passive all day long.
Security Benefits
Guard dogs can protect people and their property. They not only bark to inform their owners if something strange occurs, but they also frighten or attack the offender. Dogs’ superhuman senses allow them to see more than people do and to differentiate various smells as well as sounds at a distance (Bababusuyi par. 21). As a result, these animals not only identify their owner and their owner’s friends and relatives but also a stranger who is trespassing on private property. While a regular alarm system would just notify the owner or agency of the situation, a dog is more likely to actually attack the offender and thus prevent a crime.
Additional Benefits
Protection dogs can also help people cope with livestock. They can be trained to gather all animals together and to attack wild animals that threaten both herds and owners (Urbigkit and Urbigkit 1). Of course, the breed plays a crucial role in this situation because the size and strength of the dog matters. However, people can select the most appropriate breed beforehand depending on their unique needs.
Conclusion
Guard dogs are not scary animals that attack people; they are loving, helping, and protective members of the family. Being properly trained, they can provide their owners with numerous advantages, giving them the opportunity to feel better both physically and emotionally. Depending on their breed, protection dogs can cope with tasks of different levels of difficulty to keep people and their property safe, but their general characteristics are the same.
Works Cited
Bababusuyi, Kemi. Why It’s Very RISKY Not To Own A Dog In Your Home! 2012. Web.
McConnell, Allen, Christina Brown, Tonya Shoda, Laura Stayton and Colleen Martin. “Friends with Benefits: On the Positive Consequences of Pet Ownership.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 101.6 (2011): 1239-1252. Print.
Urbigkit, Cat, and John Urbigkit. “A Review: The Use of Livestock Protection Dogs in Association with Large Carnivores in the Rocky Mountains.” Sheep & Goat Research Journal 25.1 (2010): 1-8. Print.