The same case applies to my place. Guard dogs are placed on a tight leash near the gate to act as a deterrent against thieves. This places the dogs in mortal danger as when thieves strike, they are usually the first target. Many dog owners have come round this by keeping large numbers of dogs in the compound making the homestead virtually impregnable. Some thieves have upped their ante and give the dogs poisoned pieces of meat to paralyse them so that they can accomplish their evil mission and I believe some have used Vallium in this regard. There is also a case where a guard dog was stolen and was recovered quite a distance away from his home. In some countries, people are forced to guard their dogs instead of the dogs guarding them. But give it to K9 dogs with regard to guarding duties. But personally, I would prefer sniffer dogs to cat as sentries to detect any intrusions from the safety of their kennels.