Manhattan’s police force is shrinking. The New York Times predicted that in 2011 the numbers will be at their lowest since 1990. Website nyc.gov reports that crime is on the rise. So, how can you protect yourself?
One of the oldest, surest bets is a dog. Convicted felons have been asked what worked best as a deterrent for their crimes—at the top of the list was a guard dog. Most said the fear of being attacked made them move on quickly to an easier target.
No one knows exactly when the first dog appeared on the planet but in the archaeological record a guesstimate is 14,000 years ago. That is based on part of a jaw discovered in Germany. Collective theories say the first dog in the world had a wolf father and a jackal mother. Then, descendants of that first puppy became the first wild animals tamed by primitive man. DNA analyses suggest that wolves and dogs split into two distinctly different species around 100,000 years ago. It’s not known whether man had anything to do with that but it is clear that humans and dogs had symbiotic relationships.
Harrison Prather, Founder and CEO of Harrison K-9 Security Services, LLC (harrisonk9.com), has been providing canine security for 35 years. Harrison only works with German-bred dogs, “the European thoroughbreds from the finest bloodlines.” Their key qualities include high intelligence, excellent temperament, alertness, uncompromised health, a willingness to work hard and a desire to please you. Sounds like the ingredients for any good relationship.
Look for the rest of this article the first week of February in New York Resident magazine’s upcoming issue.