To add to your comment, important to have the right type of dog and one that is trained. My previous full sized dogs would happily welcome any visitor. My cur

To add to your comment, important to have the right type of dog and one that is trained. My previous full sized dogs would happily welcome any visitor. My current dobermans don't. Train the dogs to bark and bite an arm on command. Some people say "oh, my dog will know when to protect me"... really? You're going to rely on a dog's judgement of the situation? I also don't want the dog to just react after I'm getting punched in the face. There has been numerous times where there is an odd noise in the house. They sleep in my bedroom so I just open the bedroom door and tell them "go get 'em" and I follow them out there while the wife stays behind.