Dogs And Ding Dong Ditch

There is a prank (for lack of a better word) in which teenagers ring your doorbell, typically late at night, and then run away. You go to the door and no one is there. 

But it has gone further than that. In the new version, they may or may not ring your doorbell, but instead they kick in your door. I think in some jurisdictions that would be legally considered a home invasion (ask your local sheriff; I'm not a lawyer). 

Anyway, a normal person at home isn't going to be too happy about someone kicking in their door. Not only is the breaching of anyone's territory considered threatening, breaking into someone's home is going to be considered extremely threatening. 

It is the same way in the animal kingdom. The alpha female of a wolf pack will be tending to her puppies in a den. The other adult wolves will patrol the area around the territory, and especially around the den, to prevent other wolves from other packs from entering and killing her and her pups. Is that "justified"? I would say so since 50% of adult wolf deaths are in fights with other wolves. When intruders come by, the wolves chase them off. If they come in further, it can be a fight to the death. We deploy flock guarding dogs to do the same to protect livestock and the turf they are grazing. 

Many species are territorial and will do the same, from fish to reptiles, to birds and to mammals. Humans are no different. The most furious fights are often over territorial disputes. 

So, if someone does this to your home, how can you tell if it is a prank or a home invasion? Is there some test you can give that outsider to determine their intentions? Maybe a secret handshake? Or maybe they call you in advance and tell you they are on their way?

How do you know if your life is in danger? In a real home invasion, you might only have seconds to either save yourself (and your family) or possibly die. I think the door being kicked in could be interpreted as an imminent danger of serious injury or death. If it happens to you, I predict you will fear your life is in danger. And even if you come home hours later, seeing your door kicked in, you will call the police before going inside, assuming a criminal is still there or nearby. 

Here is a current news account from Aliso Viejo, CA… 

“At least five of my neighbors experienced the same thing that night, and one neighbor actually had her door broken in,” she said. “These incidents are extremely dangerous because they can easily be mistaken for attempted robberies or home invasions.” 

What does this have to do with owning a dog? If someone kicks in your door, will your dog then engage in some kind of secret handshake to see if it was some teenager prankster or a real home invader? Or, if they are a capable guard dog that perceives a territorial threat, will they rush out the door and maul that person? 

I remember a large black Chesapeake Bay Retriever mix, owned by one of my students in Seattle, that would have ended anyone who tried this. 

In today’s world, you don’t know what people are up to anymore. There are a lot of goofy people floating around, plotting who knows what. We see it in the news every day. We also can’t predict what the prosecutor will do in these cases. If you think your life is in danger, or your dog perceives it as a life threatening danger, and the prankster is harmed… DO YOU GO TO PRISON? I wouldn’t rule that out in many places, in the US or elsewhere. 

This is a no win scenario for every innocent victim here.

My opinion? This is not a prank, regardless of the intention or age of the person kicking in the door. Do it enough times, like playing Russian Roulette, and find out. 

I see people post stuff like, “we used to do that as kids”, or “kids will be kids”, as if that helps the homeowner or dog to determine whether this is a prank or a home invasion. So, you can’t even tell parents to warn their kids, because the parents have already decided that their kid can do whatever they want to do.

I think this Ding Dong Ditch prank should be classified as a misdemeanor, and if the door is busted, a felony. I feel the same with turning off someone’s electricity. It isn’t a prank. It should also be a crime. There should also be a safe harbor clause in the law to protect the owners in case they, or their dog, defend the property. 

This needs to stop.