Report filed by Maria Durant, ABC 6 News, Columbus, Ohio.
With the number of burglaries hitting every community, many people are turning to the family pet to protect their home. But would man's best friend actually chase away a thief?
Aggressive and vicious, the dogs that are part of Franklin County, Ohio’s K-9 unit aren’t your typical house dogs.
The dogs went through training, so they can learn how to protect their handlers, and their home. Would your dog stand up to the challenge?
We put six dogs to the test. 9-year-old Lucy is a Black Labrador Retriever mix. And Rudy, the 11-year-old ruler of the home. The two dogs are part of the Reymann family.
“They will from the inside looking out appear ferocious.” The dogs' owner Lynn Reymann said.
The four other dogs, Mele, Barney, Roxy and Megan, belong to the Radkes. “We hope they're a deterrent since we have four. Earn their keep and help out when youre not home. Roxy would probably go after someone coming and I think Megan would also.”
With the help of the K-9 unit, Deputies Bob McKee and Sean Brady suited up and acted as our burglars. The families left, and inside the homes we placed five cameras to capture the dogs' reactions.
As soon as the would be thieves get close to the Reymann's home, you can hear the dogs. They sound like attack dogs. But watch what happens as soon as the door opens. “They don't seem so vicious anymore.” Reymann said.
The burglars roamed through the house. They even got comfortable in the family room with the dogs by their side. “So, basically we could pretty much clear this out. We might get licked to death.” One of the Deputies said.
It's a troubling site for Lynn and her kids to watch. “I was expecting a little more. I thought the one who is licking his face. I thought he would be the one to show some aggression.”
Now it's the Radkes pack’s turn. The Radkes left the home and our burglar made his way up the back deck and through the back door. Only one pooch sounds the alarm, but quickly stops. He seems freightened when the burglar walks in.
The burglar is in the home for about ten minutes and the terrier mix, known as a warrior dog, isn't putting up any fight to keep his owners home protected.
The experiment was eye opening for these families, and the Franklin County sheriff says it should be eye opening for everyone. "When it comes to protecting your home, I would not rely on a pet solely to protect you."
