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We feel a dog is an important part of your overall personal security system,
perhaps even the most important part but they are not a complete system. Crime
is going to happen, we can not stop that, mankind has tried for millennia and
not been successful yet. Owning dogs deters crimes, owning Dobermans deters even
more crime, and owning a dog that is trained to bark and give an aggressive
alert on command is nearly enough. I don't ever intend to use my dogs to "catch
bad guys" that is what law enforcement is for, my dogs are only to buy me time
to get to safety, they deter crime, and they buy me time if I am in trouble.
That is it. We teach a dog a long attack so it can meet the confrontation while
we go get help and get to safety. What we are doing with our personal security
plan, is really making someone else the victim. I know that sounds harsh but
crime will happen, and we don't want it to happen to us or our loved ones. So
the things below are things we want all of you to do to stay a little bit safer.
Bad guy philosophy- Interviews and research show that bad guys are not afraid
of getting hurt, it isn't the dog bite that scares them the most. What they fear
the most is getting caught. Barking dogs draw attention to a situation and
increase the chance that they will be caught. That is why even little fufu dogs
help deter some crime. Another great thing is bad guys seem to be inherently
afraid of dogs, big Dobermans especially. Thank you Hollywood for helping to
create this phenomenon! So we want to increase chances someone would get caught
hurting you or your property and they will move on to an easy victim.
Lights- This is so important and so overlooked. I want you to leave your
porch lights on all night, front and back end of story. No exceptions. Also get
some random timers installed that randomly turn lights on and off throughout the
house 24/7. This makes it always appear like someone is home and awake. You also
need to have motion lights and working on all four sides of your home, bright
flood light types. I don't care how much it annoys the neighbors, explain all of
this to them and encourage them to do the same thing. Tell them that by leaving
their yards dark when yours is lit makes them look more vulnerable. It is
possible for a whole neighborhood to be safe when people cooperate.
Window coverings- Take a look from your front and back yard in at your home
in the dark. Amazing what you can se isn't it? All windows will have working
blinds that are down from dusk until dawn, no exceptions. You also need to trim
bushes and trees away from windows and doors, and otherwise remove any "hiding
spots" near your windows and doors.
Fences- It is often said good fences make good neighbors, but they also
reduce the ease of access to your home. I prefer a fenced front yard as well. It
may make your home look less inviting to company, but it does make it less
accessible to unwanted company as well. Fences are only as good as the gates
though, an open gate does nothing for you.
Electronic security system- You need a home electronic security system with
at the minimum door and window sensors. It needs to be installed and working,
there needs to be signs in the front yard and on windows.
Signs- Besides your alarm company signs, you need to have beware of dog signs
posted all over the house and yard. My favorites are the ones from four paws
company that show a Doberman with teeth barred and blood dripping from the teeth
:) It sounds morbid but communicates the right message.
Neighborhood Watch- Start or join a neighborhood watch and even take your dog
with you when it is time to patrol. One thing that really helps make a house a
less likely target is to make the neighborhood a well lit, unlikely target. Put
up neighborhood watch signs even if you don't have one, put them all around the
neighborhood.
Your dog- Must be allowed to bark anytime someone comes to the door.
Encourage it, reward it. They need an "off" command to stop barking, but never
discourage your dog from letting you know when someone is there. Warning barks
are frustrating when you live with them every day, especially when you have 10
barking dogs :) but that is what makes my house a harder target for crime.
Now let's talk about the rest of your day:
Don't look like a victim in public. The single most important thing you can
do is walk around with your head up, looking people in the eye, walking briskly
with purpose and being aware of your surroundings. Take a look in a parking lot
sometime how people walk to and from their cars, can you see how easy it would
be to car jack almost anyone? Look for things that seem out of place, a guy in
Phoenix in a trench coat in July is certainly out of place! Watch for
inconsistencies, watch for people who are watching you. When something doesn't
feel right, when it doesn't look right, trust your gut and drive around a few
more blocks, go to another store or find another option. Never pull into your
garage or a parking stall without taking a good look around. Leave your car in
reverse, not park with your foot on the brake. If trouble hits all you have to
do is hit the gas to change the situation. Don't open your garage door until you
are in front of it, don't get out of the car until it is closed again keeping
the car in reverse not in park. Watch your mirrors and make sure no one followed
you in, this is how many home invasions begin.
If you have a dog, take him with you every where you can! What good is the
protection dog that is locked up at home while you are at the park? This is
another reason I tell people to get multiple dogs, so one can be at home
protecting the house while one is protecting you. I also often show a
demonstration where with a really good dog, I can fight it off and keep myself
safe for the most part. Two dogs changes the fight dramatically, and three dogs
is overwhelming, and four absolutely impossible to deal with. The other neat
thing is to watch the pack dynamic develop and watch how they really work
together and use team work.
If you come home
and it looks like someone may be in your home, or may have been in your home,
Don't go in!!! Call the police! That is what they are for, they stop crime, your
dog is to Deter crime, never send your dog into the house leaving you
vulnerable, and never go into the house if you feel uneasy about it. Let's make
sure you don't become a victim. If someone or something looks suspicious, don't
get out of your car, don't open it for strangers, you can talk through the
window and offer to call some help. Don't let people in to use your phone, and
don't offer it to them, make a call for them if you feel inclined to help. Don't
let anyone into your home ever that you don't trust, not salesmen, people who
need help, repairmen that you didn't set an appt. with, no one that you do not
trust. Do not allow your dog to get too friendly with too many people at your
home. The more people they see you allow into your home, the less suspicious
they become of people in your home.
There is much more that can be said, and specialists you can go to, we also
recommend some self defense training. More that anything, it helps you to keep a
clear head in a crisis and that changes the outcome drastically.
Here are some more great tips, geared towards women
specifically:
Through a Rapist's Eyes (No
Joke)
A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were
interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some
interesting facts:
1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.
They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid
or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed . They are also likely to go
after a woman with long hair . Women with short hair are not common
targets.
2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women
who's clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors
around specifically to cut clothing.
3) They also look for women on their cell phone, searching through
their purse, ordoing other activities while walking because they are
off-guard and can be easily overpowered.
4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early
morning, between 5: 00a.m. and 8:30a.m.
5) The number one place women are abducted from/attacked is grocery
store parking lots. The number two: office parking lots/garages.
Number three: public restrooms.
6) The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and
quickly move her to another location where they don't have to worry about
getting caught.
7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence
but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.
8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because
it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn't
worth it because it will be time-consuming.
9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,
or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in
their hands
Keys are NOT a deterrent because you have to get really close to
the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys
you're not worth it.
10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is following
behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or
stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what
time is it?, or make general small talk: 'I can't believe it is so cold
out here,' 'We're in for a bad winter.' Now you've seen their
face and could identify them in a line-up; you lose appeal as a target.
11) If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front
of you and yell STOP! or STAY BACK! Most of the rapists this man talked to
said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be
afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.
12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it
and carries it with him wherever he goes), yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding
it out will be a deterrent.
13) If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you
can by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from
behind, pinch the attacker either under the Arm (between
the elbow and armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY
VERY HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the
underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she
broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands - the guy needed stitches.
Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it - it hurts.
14) After the initial hit, always GO
for the GROIN. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience
that if you slap a guy's parts it is extremely painful. You might think
that you'll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing
these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause a
lot of trouble. Start causing trouble and he's out of there.
15) When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two
fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down
on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much
pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.
16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your
surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if
you see any odd behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your instincts!!!
You may feel a little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if
the guy really was trouble.
1. Tip from Tae
Kwon Do :
The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use
it, do!
2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans : If a robber asks for
your wallet and/or purse, DO
NOT HAND IT TO HIM.
Toss it away from you....chances are that he is more interested in your wallet
and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN
LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3.
If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights
and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't
see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working,
etc, and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.) DON'T
DO THIS! The
predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to
get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to
go. AS
SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF,
repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into
anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in
the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail
out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.
5 A
few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot or parking garage:
A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor,
and in the back seat.
B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger
door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans
while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the
passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may
want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you
back out.
IT IS
ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take
the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone
and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)
7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS
RUN! The
predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And even then, it
most likely WILL
NOT be
a vital organ. RUN,
preferably in a zigzag pattern!
8. As
women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP! It
may get you raped or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking,
well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He
walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or
with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying
baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it
was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her 'Whatever
you do, DO NOT open the door.'
The
lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she
was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman
said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the
door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry
recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone
dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several
calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when
they're home alone at night.
Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby --- This should
be taken seriously because the Crying Baby theory was mentioned on America's
Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in
Louisiana .
I'd
like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life. A
candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going to send this to
the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters,
etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as well.
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