For a minute there I thought I had to get off my couch, when all the while the fact is we don't have to do anything much but keep things afloat for just a few decades more! In fact, we'd best shut up about PO, because if our offspring finds out we knew about it all along, they'll turn and wring our necks come 2036!
Joined: Aug 03, 2006 Posts: 4069 Location: Graceland
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
Remember, the best security is an open vault with nothing inside.
Figure out a way to do without the things people like to steal and you will have a lot fewer problems with thieves.
Almost everything I have I wouldn't mind too much if someone stole. Therefore, I feel like I am in a better position than if I had elaborate protective measures to prevent the theft.
Most of the stuff we buy today doesn't have a lot of value after we get it home anyway, so that's actually helpful from the theft protection perspective.
For those things you do want to protect, don't advertise that you have them, and take measures designed to simply make stealing yours harder than stealing something similar from someone else.
Thieves are for the most part lazy and they don't like having to go over obstacle courses to get to your stuff. Just make it hard for them and most will just give up. _________________
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
Ludi wrote:
Standard electric fencing won't keep anyone out. It won't even keep sheep in.
To each one its own, Ludi, but i respectfully disagree, this is an opinion that cames from personal experience, I have a friend that has a little piece of land (about 20 ha) and about 1 year ago a slum city was built nearby (around 30 min walking distance). As as one would expect, theft went up, till he surrunded his house by an electric fence, which he leaves on at night, since then, he has had no problems whatsoever. His electric fence is an standard one for cattle. _________________ Stocking up on popcorn
Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 1205 Location: Burgundy, France
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 1:36 pm Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
GeoJAP wrote:
Wow, that sounds like a great dog, Buzzard. I'll have to read up on them.
Maremmas, Anatolians, Pyrenean Mountain Dogs and a Polish dog I can't remember all apparently come from the same roots (an eastern livestock guardian dog). Read up on each and take your pick. They're all very good dogs.
A maremma will protect you without caring for its own life, but get one young if possible so that it can form a bond with you and/or your livestock. You can get one older and it will protect you, but will not form the same bond with the livestock. Maremmas have even been known to jealously guard their sheep from the neighbours... sheep _________________ All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become. - Buddha
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 3:59 pm Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
Pops wrote:
eXpat wrote:
His electric fence is an standard one for cattle.
The problem is when you live in an area where every place is fenced with barbed and/or hot wire.
I was thinking the same thing about electric fences. They are so ubiquitous around here that I don't think it would slow anyone down.
Has anyone on here actually installed a perimeter security system that they are generally satisfied with? _________________ "I've been dazed and confused for so long it's not true."
Led Zeppelin
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
Intelligent dogs tend to be independent, in my experience. All the German Shepherds we've had were, our current Rottweiller, and even most Collies. A dog trainer taught us about pack behavior, and how to establish your dominance as leader of your dog's "pack", with simple methods involving feeding him LAST, which tells him he is low on the totem pole. Maintain discipline, don't ever let him ignore you. These things are simple really, and no problem to do, but consistency is vital.
I truly know little of this, but my daughter, who trains our dogs, is quite accomplished at it. Her results with animals are impressive, producing an animal who is very reliable and easy to live with, yet there is no real force involved of any kind. I'd suggest that if you get a dog, do the obedience training, and apply yourself to it. Very worthwhile. _________________ Local fix-it guy..
Joined: Apr 03, 2004 Posts: 6375 Location: My Grandkids' Farm
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 7:36 pm Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
Good advice I think Patience.
I used to go out at night (after a beer) and take the old shepherd into the orchard and sit down. Any noise I heard, from whatever direction, I'd get her to pay attention to: "What Alley" and eventually "Get 'em".
Today, 5 years later, she looks, sniffs and listens mostly where I'm not.
She taught me good dogs are smarter than most owners. _________________ Make a plan and work it:
Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 5138 Location: Oklahoma
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
Thanks for the appreciation, buzzard. I do know of a few posters who have taken security to a higher level, but as you might expect they are not usually forthcoming with details in public.
If any of you find threads you think should be added to the index thread feel free to PM me or other staff with your suggestions.
My Maremma did not work out (I'm still grieving over that), but I would get another one - younger - in the future, and concur with others' reasons for recommending them and similar breeds. Just remember dogs can be poisoned or shot. _________________ "Every junkie's like a setting sun..." - Neil Young
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
Pops,
Yeah, my old shepherd had his own ideas about whether people were acceptable, or not, to be on HIS farm. He'd listen if I told him to chill out, but he'd sit there and make ugly noises. Never failed that eventually I'd come to agree with him about the people in question!
He was rude, crude, and socially unacceptable, but one hell of a guard dog. I left the door to my workshop propped open so he could go in and out at will. A friend of ours, who had played games with the dog for 3 or 4 years, had a car breakdown near us. He walked to our place to borrow tools, and the dog was cool while he selected what he needed. We were not home, but he knew he was welcome to whatever he wanted. Not so with the dog. As he started out with the tools, the dog put him on top of the workbench, where he stayed until we got home in a couple hours!
Once had a gas thief there, but only once. We found a dented gas can in the driveway, and a light blood trail away from it, but no gas was missing. Dog was sitting in the driveway grinning when I got up and investigated. GOOD DOG!! _________________ Local fix-it guy..
Joined: Apr 12, 2007 Posts: 1162 Location: Central NC
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 9:09 pm Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
Shannymara wrote:
Thanks for the appreciation, buzzard. I do know of a few posters who have taken security to a higher level, but as you might expect they are not usually forthcoming with details in public.
If any of you find threads you think should be added to the index thread feel free to PM me or other staff with your suggestions.
My Maremma did not work out (I'm still grieving over that), but I would get another one - younger - in the future, and concur with others' reasons for recommending them and similar breeds. Just remember dogs can be poisoned or shot.
Shanny,
If you don't mind saying, what happened? If you do mind never mind.
Wish we were closer. We are moving out of the country in August and need to find a home for our 18 month old Pyrenees female. She has been born and raised with goats and sheep.
Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 6:17 am Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
LOL Hawkcreek! I hear ya. It doesn't have to be old guys though... one good family member with insomnia will take care of the night watch - I guess that would be me most days.
As for security around here, we live on a county road, so anyone driving by can see the house. But, we have good neighbors that I've known all my life, and we watch each other's places. We also have 3 very large (and loud) dogs (an Akita, a Blackmouth Cur, and a Boxer mix) and two smaller yappy dogs (the littlest one is the meanest ) . While our dogs are friendly, they do raise a ruckus when someone who is not supposed to be in "their yard" shows up.
My nephew was supposed to come feed critters one weekend while we were out of town. I gave him the key to the back door to come in. Now the dogs love Joel, but when he came in that back door, he said he had to talk to the dogs for quite some time before they'd let him in the house. Fancy, the Akita, who's known Joel her entire life, still knew he wasn't supposed to be there because we weren't home.
More than one egg customer has backed up from the front door at seeing my akita's face in the window barking. Intimidation is a good thing when it comes to security. We have a sign that someone gave us once - "Home protected by Akita security"
Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 1205 Location: Burgundy, France
Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 8:08 am Post subject: Re: Homestead Security
patience wrote:
I truly know little of this, but my daughter, who trains our dogs, is quite accomplished at it. Her results with animals are impressive, producing an animal who is very reliable and easy to live with, yet there is no real force involved of any kind. I'd suggest that if you get a dog, do the obedience training, and apply yourself to it. Very worthwhile.
We got our Maremma in Italy (where they're from) and took her to obedience training. The first thing the professional dog trainer said was "Good luck, you'll need it". It didn't instil me with too much confidence for the training. He was right. Once the dog understood how to do something, she just wouldn't bother unless she felt like it.
We have since bought her a training collar, and use it sparingly. She's getting better as she gets older. These dogs can take up to two years to grow up, so you can be in for a rough time for quite a while.
On the other hand, my sister-in-law got a fully grown Anatolian sheepdog who was out of control. They employed a dog psychologist (hey, she has more money than sense) and they basically destroyed the dog's independence in order to control it. It responded eventually to the training (which involved a lot of physical reprimanding), but I don't think these dogs should be bought if you're going to try to bend them to your will. They would end up cutting a rather pathetic figure. _________________ All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become. - Buddha
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