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.