Glad you weren't hurt Jonna! Sounds scary!

Well, it wasn't that scary. We were downstairs and could have left when we heard him upstairs. I don't think he knew we were at home. We have 3 dogs, one a doberman, and most crooks anywhere in the world are afraid of big dogs. We kept the dobie quiet and waited for the cops to show up. He never tried to come downstairs, probably because he was afraid the dogs were down there. In fact, he got very little. About $10us that was in the bedside stand, a small crystal (no idea why he took that) and that's about it. He had packed up the TV but when the cops came he took off over the rooftops. They caught him at the corner. The biggest hassle was the bureaucracy of trying to have him prosecuted. The cops kind of suggested that we say he got more money than he did but we didn't want to do that. Because it was so little, it was the equivalent of a misdemeanor. He ended up staying in jail for about 2 weeks and then was released. That's ok, we had a new door to the roof that night that is still a screen door but made of decorative iron with a long deadbolt. This all happened 2 years ago and we've had no problems before or since. I think it was a bit stupid of us to not have a good door to the roof when we know that roofs are the general access for crooks. No harm, no foul. I'm very happy that no one was hurt (mainly my dogs) and that nothing serious was taken.

Yes good! (and also, I always think that someone who bungles a theft or whatever, probably doesn't want to be doing what they're doing...but I only get to that perspective after the anger, and knowing I'm secure!!) Dogs are a great defense, even if they don't do anything, people see them and know they're there! Another reason to love dogs!

" The cops kind of suggested that we say he got more money than he did but we didn't want to do that". Poor cops, how will they earn if the citizens are so uncooperative. Bribes are involved. Bigger the case, bigger the bribe.
Regards,
Arif.

Greg, he is talking about Doberman Pinschers. They are a very unforgiving and vicious breed. Not good around children and if only one person has fed or interacted with them, bye bye other side. Yup but not in the house.
Regards,
Arif.

Arif - they get a bad reputation! These dogs are protective yes, but not mean if they've not been treated meanly! If they're a family pet, they're ok! I've known several! When I was growing up in Detroit, the neighbor got one to protect his house and give him a sense of being tough, he was afraid of his own dog and kept it chained in the yard. Us kids noticed he didn't have enough water so we went over with a dog treat, and gave him water and let him off the chain and played with him in his yard...when the owner came home he was furious because here was his "vicious" dog playing with neighborhood children, and he couldn't get close to the poor thing! However, definitely agree that they're protective especially at night!

There are two lines, one line that has been breed in the US is a companion dog. The true breed in the rest of the world is a different story. Read up on it and you will come across the American Kennel Club standards but then look at the other standards. I have found this and Rottweiler to be quite vicious here.
Regards
Arif.

I've had several Dobies and they are pussycats when they know you. Most of them just want to lean against you or sit in your lap, they don't ever seem to realize how large they are. Our current Dobie is like that but she is not fond of strangers. Once we introduce her to someone she is ok if they call her by name and aren't scared of her. We don't introduce her to casual workers that come in the house, we shut her in another room. She will not let them come back in the house if she is out. With our friends she mostly bugs them for pets by leaning against their leg non stop. She can push you over if you're not paying attention and she gets just the right spot on the back of your knees, it's not aggression though it is a demand for scratches. She's serious about guarding though, she once bit a concrete worker that I thought had left but he came back for a tool bag he'd forgotten. He opened the door and she went for him, got him on the leg as he got the door shut again. After that, her reputation among the construction guys was enormous. Not a bad thing, I was not unhappy with her. She was doing her job. She's a rescue, we found her when she was about 6 months old fending for herself by catching iguanas and charming a gardener into sharing his tortillas at an RV park on the outskirts of the city. She was really skinny and had some intestinal problems but she's really healthy now.

Here's a pic of our girl, she is laying on the floor because the cat took her bed. Did I mention she lives with 6 cats and lets them run her life?

I suppose depends upon the region. Here, not good. Then its a dangerous area and maybe the traits have been fixed over the generations. They have been known to attack their owners and one I witnessed. This one used to be kept in isolation and only opened at night. Also only one person interacted with it feeding and all, the owner.
Regards,
Arif.

Aw how sweet Jonna!
Arif, I know what you're saying and I do think its partly how they're raised, little human contact and demanded to be as aggressive as possible! Another dog you should add to your list are Bouviers and German shepherds - as long as people want to use these dogs for defensive/protective purposes they will remain hyper aggressive, but I think as soon as we begin to raise them as pets they'll mellow out - still innately protective, but not dangerously so - I don't blame you for being afraid of the dogs you're describing, they're intended to be that! (its just sad to me...again, in Detroit in the '70s it was a big thing for people to feed these breeds hot sauce to help make them mean...same thing is being done today with pit bulls - so yes, coming across a dog that's been treated like this, won't be a pretty or fun interaction!

cross posted! but yes Arif, we're in agreement!
Jonna How sweet! And nice to know you have Costco down there!! (Seattle based company!)
I love both your dog and the cat!

Oh yes, Costco, Sam's, Walmart, Home Depot, Sears, and dozens of fast food joints that would sound familiar. The global economy, eh? Costco is the most useful of them for me, good dog beds and huge bags of kitty litter are my staples! The pronunciation of them is sometimes amusing for an American, Sears is Say-Ars and Walmart is Gwal-mar and who can resist Booger-keen

Yes I have a friend who's nephew's and niece's love Boogar-keen!

Jonna, your dog looks embarassed that you snapped the photo before she could tell the cat that she needed the cushions just for ONE photo... and also the mandatory:

I knew there was something else funny about the photo! The fact that the cat is loving "being the boss!" and stretching waaaay out on that cushion, no room to share!

I have kept those dogs and never had any complaints. We keep indoor dogs, then we have outdoor companion dogs. Both types are not aggressive but these long range attack/killer dogs are kept isolated and only opened at night. Fed raw meat. Normal to come across them in rural/farming areas some nuts keep them in cities also, but then what is a person doing in the middle of the night on someones farm? These big vicious dogs are inherently lazy so they have a small side kick as company. They are the gun fodder and the ones who alert the big lazy silent killers. To make them more vicious some farmers cross breed them with wild wolves on purpose.
regards,
Arif.
Blustery weather and power, both playing hide and seek. Will post when the power comes back. Wow, gale force winds, non stop rain for 48hrs, super saturated soil, lets see how many trees get ripped out.

Oh that's too good, Jonna. Booger keen it is! Now I will think of that every time I see the BKs here.

Arif, I'm shaking in my boots (OK, my slippers) when I read your post. I don't think I need to watch any TV today. I think I will just tune into the Propagating Echeveria forum (less intrigue)...

Arif good luck weather wise!! I hope you don't loose any trees!