Whether you live in a house, a townhouse, an apartment or condo, you want to keep your home and belongings safe. In this digital age, when security systems are being offered from the phone company, cable company and companies that specialize in home monitoring, you might find yourself overwhelmed about the best choice for your situation. If you’re like many homeowners or apartment dwellers, you might just decide it’s easier to get a dog for protection.

There are a lot of reasons to get a dog, some of which have to do with protection. The question is, which will protect your home and belongings better, a dog or a security system.

So which is better a dog or a security system?

Cost – These days you can have a security system for a small subscription fee each month. The cost for installation is either waived or discounted heavily to incentivize you to buy. You can find security systems for as little as $19.99 per month. A dog on the other hand is going to cost a bit more. Feeding an average sized dog costs at least $20 per month and that doesn’t include veterinary bills, and the time it takes to care for the dog. Dogs can also increase your insurance premiums.

What you get – With most standard security systems you get home monitoring, fire and co2 monitoring and the system will alert you and the necessary authorities when something goes wrong. A dog will bark at the mailman, the kids selling cookies, the people in the neighborhood walking their dogs, and the wind. The dog will prevent most home burglaries but it won’t prevent fire, co2 and it can’t call 911.

There really isn’t any comparison. A security system is going to offer greater protection than a dog can ever provide and for less cost too. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t have both. A dog is a wonderful addition to the family and does provide a level of security that a security system doesn’t. A dog is always armed, while a security system is only effective if it’s been armed. A robber will pass by the home with a barking dog, not necessarily one that has a security system.