Man's best friend makes superb guard

Man's best friend makes superb guard

By Joko Sarwono

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Dogs can make effective security
guards, but breeding and raising them requires patience, care and
money, a building management expert says.

Yulianto M, the manager of the Wisma Indocement building from
1987 to 1994, said on Saturday that from his experience, adding
guard dogs to a building's security system can often be more
effective than hiring more security personnel.

"However, it requires a strong commitment because they are
expensive. You need the commitment of a management that loves
dogs," Yulianto said in a one-day seminar called "Dogs as
Partners in Security and Other Police tasks."

At Wisma Indocement, guard dogs supplement security personnel
and electronic surveillance systems, he said. "Dogs are not only
used as guards, but also for monitoring security," he added.

Dogs have many advantages over human beings, including better
hearing, smell and vision -- so strong that they remain alert
when they are asleep. They have more resistance and they run
faster, he said.

At the 25-story Wisma Indocement, dogs are used for nightly
checks of every floor, the yard and parking lot. They are posted
in certain sensitive areas and take part in investigations after
incidents, Yulianto said. "They can trace people who steal
wallets from offices and track down drivers who litter or urinate
in the basement," he said, recalling several cases.

The Mutiara Carita Cottage in Carita Beach, West Java, uses
dogs to keep out wild dogs that often scare patrons, he said.

Yulianto said every dog has its own character. Some are
obedient to only one person, some more intellectual than others,
some physically more superior, and some meaner than others.

"All I can suggest is that you choose short-haired dogs," he
said.

"A Doberman pinscher is vicious, fast and is a one-man dog. A
German shepherd is intelligent, clever, handsome and needs
attention. A Rottweiler is solid and vicious.

"These three breeds are large and they are quite mean-
looking," he said.

Yulianto said it is difficult to find people willing to become
dog trainers in the West Java area.

Touching a dog's nose or its saliva is frowned upon in Islam
and most people prefer cows or goats and birds to dogs. "Being a
dog trainer is not regarded as a prestigious job," he said.

Raising guard dogs means giving love and attention as if one
was caring for human beings, from the food they eat to their dens
and health care, he said.

Head of the National Police's animal unit, Col. Oedijono, said
that the police have nearly 200 trained dogs, used mostly as
sniffer dogs in drug operations.

Police are unable to employ more dogs because of budget
constraints.

"A German shepherd costs Rp 10 million to Rp 15 million," he
said, adding that feeding and caring for a dog can cost Rp 15,000
a day.