Labradors have the scariest bark, says survey

The nation's favourite dog breed, the Labrador, has the scariest bark according to new research from Churchill Home Insurance.
Would you be scared of a Labradors bark?Would you be scared of a Labradors bark?
Would you be scared of a Labradors bark?

More than a third (36 per cent) of Brits thought the Yellow Labrador had the most frightening dog bark, even though it has a loveable reputation as a family favourite.

Despite its fearsome reputation, just 19 per cent of Brits thought a Rottweiler had the scariest bark and just 11 per cent were terrified of the sound of an English Bull Terrier.

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In contrast to the scariest sound, the study revealed that the Toy Poodle was thought to have the least frightening bark.

More than four-fifths (84 per cent) of Brits believe that having a dog reduces the threat of burglary. Analysis of theft claims from buildings reveals home insurance policyholders are seven per cent less likely to make a claim if they have a pet. Academic research amongst burglars highlights that dogs are seen as both a sign of a home being occupied and an effective deterrent when selecting a property to break into. Interestingly, 39 per cent of dog owners believe their beloved canine has successfully scared away an intruder or potential burglar in the last 12 months.

Almost half (46 per cent) of Brits surveyed believed the bark of a Labrador belonged to a Rottweiler, highlighting that dog breeds seen as friendlier can have a more ferocious sounding bark. Churchill provided respondents with recorded dog barks and asked them to identify which dog breeds they believed the sounds came from.

Martin Scott, head of Churchill home insurance said: “The impact of a barking dog as a deterrent against a home invasion cannot be underestimated. Given the inability of people to correctly identify a dog’s bark, a burglar may be scared away by the friendliest of family pets. However, it is important pet owners are not complacent and invest in other security measures such as alarms, security lights and secure locks to protect their properties.”

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Highlighting Brits reliance of dogs as a burglary deterrent, more than a fifth (22 per cent) of people has, or has had in the past, a ‘Beware of the dog’ sign up at home despite more than half (56 per cent) of these not actually owning a dog.

To help those who have been victims of burglary, Churchill Home Insurance offers a 24/7 burglary response. The service means, day or night, Churchill’s burglary response team is available to make the property secure after it has been broken into. Following a break in, Churchill will send an engineer to replace all damaged locks with a British standard lock and temporarily secure damaged windows and doors.

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