There is a multifaceted approach in avoiding the victim status of crime in the home. From housekeepers stealing stuff, to landscapers/Comcast/Verizon/etc., casing your home for valuables or easy access to breaking in/home invasion and so on.
When I go to location (students home or office), the first thing we do is walk around the the home, with the purpose of pointing out any and all weaknesses in security. During the “tour”, the effort is in helping them to start thinking like a criminal. In all honesty, most folks don’t think like a criminal until they lock their keys in the house or vehicle with no spare key readily available. Then frantically, try and break in, and in many cases they are successful, which is chilling if you think about it. Suggestions are, to walk around the house after dusk. Leaving the lights on and everything as if enjoying the comfort of the home routine. In some cases, if you own a dog, put the dog on a leash and take them for a walk around the perimeter of your property. The dogs will love it and you’ll get a better idea of how vulnerable your house is. Can you see through the curtains, are the blinds closed in the peeping-tom secure mode? Do you always lock every door when you get inside? Storm and garage entry doors, are the least locked doors, but they ARE the first barrier to repel an unauthorized entry.
As for the four legged family members, awesome! Problem is, unless they have been bite trained for the specific purpose of home defense, studies suggest that when the homeowner isn’t home, the perceived viscous defender is really a creature that doesn’t want to engage in any conflict. Thats not to say some won’t, but the studies are what they are. That said, if contractors and the such come to the home to do service on a periodic basis, the animals won’t know them from a friend or foe, so they will opt to treat all as friends.
Gosh, I could go on and on, but you get the message. Here’s a challenge, when you have time. Secure your house the way you usually do when leaving for work, store, etc. Pretend you don’t have the key to get in. CAN YOU GET IN IF YOU HAD TO? If you can, we should talk. Or at least consider consulting another specialist in the field, for advice.
Stay safe.