• The Yellow Labrador has been crowned the dog breed with the scariest bark
• 46 per cent of Brits thought the bark of a Labrador was a Rottweiler
• 84 per cent of Brits believe having a dog at home is an effective burglary deterrent
• Almost two fifths (39 per cent) of dog owners believe their canine has scared away an intruder or potential burglar in the last year
• 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

 

The nation’s favourite dog breed, the Labrador, has the scariest bark according to new research from Churchill Home Insurance1.  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.  In contrast to the scariest sound, the study revealed that the Toy Poodle was thought to have the least frightening bark.

 

Table one:  Top ten dog breeds with the scariest bark

Source: Churchill Home Insurance 2016

More than four-fifths (84 per cent) of Brits believe that having a dog reduces the threat of burglary.  Analysis of theft claims from buildings2 reveals home insurance policyholders are seven per cent less likely to make a claim if they have a pet.  Academic research3 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.
 

Table two:  Top ten dog breeds with the scariest bark

Source: Churchill Home Insurance 2016

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.” 

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 response4. 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.

 

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• 1Research carried out by Opinium amongst 2,001 UK adults between 18th to 22nd November 2016
• 2Based on Direct Line’s Group’s analysis of buildings theft claims from the years 2012-2015
• 3http://airef.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/BurglarSurveyStudyFinalReport.pdf
• 4Churchill’s 24/7 burglary response ensures that day or night an engineer will be available to temporarily secure damaged windows and doors. Excludes Highlands and Islands. Policy and Cover limits apply. Underwritten by UK Insurance Ltd. 

 

For further information please contact:

Claire Foster 
Churchill PR Manager
01651831672 
07525665504

[email protected]

Churchill

Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home, travel and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line.

Churchill general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.  

Churchill and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.  

Customers can find out more about Churchill products or get a quote by calling 0300 200300 or visiting www.churchill.com
 

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