The Combat Mindset: Lessons learned From a Recent Sort of Real Home Defense Situation

Get a hyperactive dog

Even a cocker spaniel, like my wife's, that isn't even slightly scary makes enough racket to wake the dead and starts barking at things 200 yards away. I mean, you can't change the layout of your house, so you either train the one you have or get a super territorial dog. Best alarm system ever. Bigger dogs have the added physical deterrant factor. You think anyone is purposely breaking in when he can hear a german shepard on the other side of the door, telling him "Die, MF" in dog language? Not likely.

Might want to also install a sturdy door and locks on your son's bedroom door too; effectively creating two safe rooms as part of your safety plan - yours and his. obviously you'll want the keys, but he could be a lot safer with the ability to lock himself in if woken up by your code word shouted through the house.
 
From experience - Parrots are not great alarm animals unless the intruder is trying to take them from their cages (to clip wings or toenails).

I'm sure the young man launched thru the screen door will be a lot more careful in the future and might even remember it when he's a teen sneaking home after curfew.....


Baby minders could be useful but don't forget - using one means you're bugging yourself. Many of them are not encrypted and you're transmitting for everyone with a scanner to hear.
 
I prefer systems which don't eat or poop. This includes electric consumption. During a power outage nothing works.

What choices are there, that aren't consumers.
 
You are probably correct in a homeless tent city look. I was thinking of pressure mats, and trip wires. But motion sensors (battery operated) or as you had mentioned motion lights, with the associated intruder warnings in the house would be a better use of my energy.
 
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I feel that a childs room should be as close as possible to the Parents and that there should be strict rules about bedtime. If someone were to get into my house, I want to be able to immediately retrieve my child and defend everyone in one spot. Roaming around a dark house in search of a badguy is just not a good idea in my book.
 
Solar lights,although usually not bright can be utilized also.

We have then around the pool and down the walk-way to the pool.

They're bright enough to let me see if someones out there.

BG's don't like light of any kind.
 
For low cost outdoor security...

Shortwave is right. Those solar walkway lights aren't bright, but placed on the far side of the walkway (or yard) will let you see someone walking in front of them.

There are a couple of brands of "driveway" alarms. These wireless devices use a a photo-beam circuit (some are I/R) across your driveway to ring the bell inside the house. If you're in suburbia, arrange one to cover your front porch (say, mounted behind front columns). In the back yard, some have enough output to cover the width of the house. Mount it waist high and clear of plants so anyone approaching from the rear breaks the beam.

Exterior windows:
If you have tall shrubs around windows for some privacy, trim the bottoms to prevent the shrubs from hiding someone easily. Trim up almost to the window sill to reveal their legs.

If you have flowerbeds or grass, remove about 18-20" of soil from the area below the window and fill with chunks of granite rock or pea gravel up to 2 feet on either side of the window. This means a "crunchy" surface for someone who is approaching or at the window.

Sash windows (up/down sliders) can be pinned closed with a pin lock. The spring-loaded pin on the lock engages pre-drilled holes in the sash frame. You can lock the window open in several positions. Place the lock high up on the moving window frame as possible to prevent reaching in to release it.

The best way to protect your kids (and home) is to arrange it so your kids have a something better than a teddy bear to cuddle.
dobiesGirl.jpg

He can reach the back fence in 2.1 seconds. Can you?
 
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