Over at the DailyMail.co.uk website, a story featured a lovable German Shepherd named Titan…that just so happens to sell for £65,000, as the furry future in front line home security. Yes, this German Shepherd has been specially bred and trained as the ultimate security system, an animal that sniffs out danger and protects his or her owner at all costs. These so-called "super intelligent mutts" are being bred in Germany and are taught to track and trap home intruders until police arrive on the scene. After their intensive two-year training period, these dogs are shipped to customers all over the world.

Don’t be so quick to conclude this crazy idea will never work-in fact, these dogs are already being purchased in important markets like Japan and the Middle East. This special type of guard dog is said to act as a deterrent, while being safe to family members, and according to program creator Simon Brodie, functioning better than the "most expensive CCTV cameras and alarms in the world." This program indeed raises an interesting question: is a guard dog, even the most effective guard dog, qualified to take the place of an expensive security system?

A well-trained dog can certainly present some advantages to a homeowner, especially if the dog is trained to be a bodyguard as well as a woofing alarm. However, there are other issues that have to be considered. Some dogs can be bribed by a smart burglar who has a natural charm with animals or even a hunk of prime streak. Wouldn’t a smart dog see through this tactic? Very possibly, this brings us to reaction #2: the burglar may snuff out the dog, eliminating not only the crime deterrent but also a trusted family member. Face it-unless a dog is specially trained to contact the police it is a minor deterrent that can merely discourage a break-in. Even the most highly trained dog will never be a flawless security system!

On the other hand, consider what a cutting edge security system from a company such as ADT Security offers homeowners: live monitoring technology that ensures whenever there is a break in or forced entry that the homeowner and law enforcement are immediately notified. Special sensors are able to detect fire and smoke, AC power failure, carbon monoxide, flooding, freezing and other special trouble conditions such as a PC crash.

Another important feature is that of a manual police emergency. Sometimes homeowners focus so much attention on protecting their home while they’re away, they forget to protect their home against the threat of direct intrusion. Yes, a guard dog can help in this regard-but it’s sharp teeth and aggressive bark will only complement a full system, which has a manual panic button that immediately summons police to the scene of a crime. A guard dog may be a great idea for crime deterrence, but an automated machine has a far better chance of saving your life.

ADT monitoring not only offers high-powered sensors that detect movement or break-in (and differentiate between any pet movements inside the home, like any sudden moves from a £65,000 German Shepherd guard dog!) it can also detect other physical threats to the home or household. ADT offers nation wide coverage and 24/7 monitoring. They also happen to be the oldest security company in the Nation which is why they are the most trusted name in home security.

The Yorkshire Terrier, or "Yorkie" breed, originated for hunting and ratting purposes. They were perfect for the job because they are small enough to work themselves into fox holes and badger burrows. Later on, the Yorkie puppy became extremely popular as a companion animal and pet due to its small size, attractive features, and easy going demeanor. Despite their small size, the Yorkie is an excellent as a guardian for a home and family. Yorkie puppies are so much fun to own, many families keep tend to keep getting more of them.

Photo: dog-bows.com

Once you have decided to bring home your own Yorkie puppy there are some considerations and preparations that need to be made to ensure that your home is ready to care for this new puppy. First of all, you need to plan ahead to have a veterinarian for your Yorkie puppy and this should be someone that you can trust and feel completely comfortable with. It may be a good idea for you to consult other local Yorkie owners in your area to find out which veterinarians have experience treating the breed.

The next consideration that you need to make involves preparing for the Yorkie puppy’s homecoming. Your home needs to be puppy proofed, which means that anything your Yorkie puppy can get into needs to be put away or removed from the home. The consequences can be detrimental if your puppy should happen to get into something bad for it. There are numerous things in your home that are deadly to your Yorkie puppy including household plants, Tylenol, mothballs, chocolate, mouthwash, and bleach.

Once you are sure that your home is safe for your puppy, you need to work on educating yourself about Yorkie puppy health problems and other issues that can affect your Yorkshire Terrier. When you are properly informed about health problems and other ailments, you can catch them more quickly should they arise. The sooner you properly diagnose and treat such a health problem, the sooner your Yorkie will be able to recover.

As soon as you bring your Yorkie puppy home you should contact your veterinarian to set up a basic checkup appointment. Within the first week that you have your Yorkie puppy is the most ideal time to visit a veterinarian for a basic exam. This will give your puppy a few days to acclimate to his or her new surroundings. Yorkie puppies can be affected by stress easily, so it is vital that you work to keep the stress level in your home to a minimum to keep any health problems from cropping up unexpectedly.

Your Yorkie puppy should acclimate to its new surroundings within a couple of days. If your puppy seems disinterested in eating or drinking water, is listless or seems nervous and unfriendly after a few days, it would be wise to schedule a veterinary appointment to make sure that nothing is wrong. Continue to feed your Yorkie puppy the same food that was fed by previous owners for at least two weeks before beginning to mix in your own food if you are keen on changing the brand.

Your Yorkie puppy will probably like to eat between three and four times a day, so make sure that food is always provided for him or her. It would also be wise to create a regular grooming schedule because Yorkie puppies do best when they are properly groomed and have clipped nails and cleaned ears. Keeping your Yorkie puppy healthy and happy will not be difficult with the right information, and your Yorkie will grow up to give you many happy, healthy years of love and devotion.

For more information on this breed, and to shop for Yorkie clothes, visit YorkieDogClothes.net.