Holly scared away an intruder last night....

[Richard Crowe]

After dark, someone started began pounding on my front door.  I live in a semi rural area and know all of my neighbors.  I also live at towards the end of a road with no egress so there is no one just passing by my house.

 

As the person pounded on my door, I had Judy call the Sheriff and then Holly ran up to the door and let out her "I'll rip your head off!" bark.  That apparently made the intruder decide that he didn't want to intrude - which I am very happy about.

 

He should also be happy because beginning with the time my area was pretty well filled with coyoyes, I have kept a twelve gauge double barrel shotgun in the rear of our coat closet - unloaded but with five rounds of buckshot in a holder on the gunstock.

 

The Sheriff  Deputies took a half hour to get to my house. By the time they arrived,  Holly with her big bark had solved the problem for both me and for the intruder who would have been a very unhappy fellow had he broken in...

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

Hooray for Holly!!!!

Fortunately you did not have to use the shotgun!!!

 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Well done Holly. Riley did the same thing two weeks ago.  We live in a terraced cottage with a long back walled yard that has houses on either side and behind, so no access from the back.  We were all in the front lounge and Riley suddenly lifted his head and raced to the back of the house going mad to get out quick.  I followed him and opened the back door , he started barking madly and I looked up to see a man on top of our back wall climbing into our garden.  When he saw Riley who hurled down the garden he scrambled back up the wall and climbed into the next door garden.  He was definitely up to no good, looking for back doors that may be unlocked. I got a fright as it was so unexpected and happened so quickly. My partner came out and called the Police and then alerted the neighbors. There are a lot more robberies since the economic downturn here.  Holly and Riley are heroes.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I couldn't imagine Riley being protective either and this was a huge surprise to us.  When people call and knock at the door he does bark but once they come in all he wants to do is meet and greet them.  He loves everyone (everyone except it turns out no- goods!!)

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

OMD Nicky, I am so thankful Riley alerted you.

Isn't it amazing how scary their barks are? When Daisy was a wee little one she didn't bark much, then day she did and DH and I looked at each other in amazement at how ferocious it sounded.

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Wow, that's really scary, Nicky. These days I'm so worried that somebody might hurt the dogs. We had a police shoot two dogs recently (both of the shootings were totally unappropriate), which brought up a huge uproar by people.

[Camilla and Darwin]

That is so scary! How awesome of Riley. :-)

[Christine & Shelby]

Good Girl Holly.....  

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

These doods are heroes!  Way to go Holly (and RIley!)

[Richard Crowe]

Nancie, Lisa is correct, I did not let Holly out, she barked from my side of the door.  I don't have a wndow in my front door because in all actuality, a window in a door defeats the purpose of a door.

 

I am also thankful that the intruder decided to leave.  After the Sheriff's Deputies arrived; they looked over my property and said that a loud dog bark is one of the things that will keep an intruder at bay.  The reason that a dog will likely be more of a deterrent to an intrusion than an armed homeowner is that most homeowners will try to threaten the intruder with the gun and will not shoot.  Many dogs will not threaten, they will bite.  I sincerely doubt if Holly would ever bite anyone, although she has kept strangers who have entered our yard away from the house by barking and circling them.  However, an intruder certainly doesn't know, after hearing her enraged bark (her bark is loud and aggressive sounding) how gentle our Holly actually is...

 

Unfortunately, we are living in hard times. My area has always been exceptonally safe. Sheriff's Deputies usually have had nothing to do but respond to trash cans being knocked over by teen agers as a prank or the occasional fender dent. However, over the past year, there have been home intrusions and attenpted home intrusions. The intruders have probably taken advantage of how complacent the people in my community have been.

 

It would be nice to think that our law enforcement agencies can keep us safe from the bad guys.  However, that is just not realistic.  They do not have the resources to protect the citizens under their jurisdiction. The half hour response time is indicative of how thin the law enforcement resources are stretched. The truth of the matter is that every person has the responsibility to ensure their safety and the safety of their family, one way or another...

 

Before this incident, I was not careful about locking my doors, except when we were going to sleep.  Luckily, my front door was locked during this incident.  We are going to ensure that our doors are regularly locked from now on and Holly gets an extra treat for her contribution to our safety.

 

 

[Camilla and Darwin]

I have never heard of an intruder banging on the door before. Is the idea that they bang on the door and force their way inside once you open it?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Wow. Good girl, Holly.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Good girl Holly!  What a scary situation.

Luna has a special "scary" bark when it's nighttime and she's unsure of something.  I've only heard it twice - once when a scary garbage bag floated its way into HER back yard... and once when a HUGE raccoon decided to walk through our yard at the wrong time.  (Smart coon immediately climbed a tiny tree and waited for Luna and her scary bark to go away)