When I was young, we had several dogs at home. I was not into dogs yet and I was raised in seeing a dog as a guard of the house. It is always tied by the gate so when a stranger comes, the dog would bark and let us know. But when I owned a dog and learned to love it as a pet, I realized that a dog owner should be responsible enough to care for the dog and not to treat it as a security guard. I agree that a dog's bark is a deterrent for thieves but it is not good to let the dog stay by the gate especially if there is no roof.
The case of dogs acting as guards is prevalent in our village because thievery is rampant. Homeowners are forced to buy a dog to post in their doorway as guards. In worst cases, the dogs are tied outside the gate, just by the road's curb whether the sun is hot or it is raining. Poor dogs.
