Security Dog Patrols
A handler and dog patrolling a site at night deters intruders in a way that CCTV and lighting alone do not. Most people who are considering breaking into a site will walk away rather than confront a dog, and that single fact is why general purpose security dog patrols remain one of the most effective deterrents against theft and trespass on large or exposed sites.
Anubis Group provides SIA-licensed handler and dog patrol teams for construction sites, vacant land, warehouses, scrap and vehicle storage yards, and other sites where the size of the area, or the value of what is on it, makes a static guard or camera system alone insufficient.
What a general purpose security dog patrol involves
Our handler and dog teams are trained for deterrence and detection, not confrontation. The dog’s role is to alert the handler to an intruder’s presence, often before the handler themselves would notice, and to act as a visible and audible deterrent that discourages people from attempting to enter the site in the first place. The handler remains in full control at all times and manages any incident in line with SIA licensing requirements and UK law.
This is a different service from our drug and explosive detection dog work. General purpose patrol dogs are trained for site security and deterrence, working alongside a licensed handler on a standard security patrol, rather than for the specialist detection tasks our dedicated detection dog teams carry out.
Construction sites
Large construction sites, particularly those storing plant, fuel, copper cabling or high-value materials overnight, are a consistent target for organised theft. A visible dog patrol, alongside our wider construction site security measures, adds a layer of deterrence that a static guard covering a large perimeter alone cannot match.
Vacant land, storage yards and warehouses
Vacant sites awaiting development, and yards storing vehicles, scrap metal or plant, are frequently targeted precisely because they are unoccupied for long periods. A dog patrol covering the ground on a scheduled or randomised route makes the site a far less attractive target.
Large-footprint warehouse and distribution sites, especially those with external yard areas, benefit from dog patrols covering ground that would otherwise need multiple static guards to patrol effectively.
How we resource a dog patrol contract
- Every handler holds a valid SIA licence and is assessed for competency with their dog before deployment to a client site.
- Dogs are trained, health-checked and insured, and each handler and dog pairing is matched to the site type and risk profile.
- Patrol routes and frequency are agreed with the client and can be scheduled, randomised, or a combination of both to avoid predictability.
- Incidents are logged and reported through the same control room process as our other manned guarding contracts, so you get one consistent reporting standard across all Anubis services on your site.
Dog patrols compared with other site security options
| Dog patrol | Static guarding | CCTV alone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deterrent strength on large sites | High, especially at night | Moderate, limited by sightlines | Low without a monitored response |
| Ground covered per shift | Large, mobile route | Fixed position | Fixed camera positions |
| Best suited to | Construction, vacant land, yards, warehouses | Access points, gatehouses, reception | Perimeter monitoring, evidence |
| Typically combined with | Mobile patrol or static guarding | CCTV, access control | Manned response or dog patrol |
A dog patrol in practice
A typical night shift on a construction site sees the handler and dog arrive ahead of dusk for a walk-through with the site’s day shift, noting anything that has changed since the previous visit, such as new deliveries of plant or materials. Through the night, the handler patrols the site perimeter and storage compounds on a route designed to avoid becoming predictable, with the dog alerting to movement or scent well before an intruder would be visible to a human patrol alone. Any incident is logged and reported to the client and our control room, with the same standard of detail as our other manned guarding contracts.
Who this is for
Dog patrols suit sites where the ground to cover is large relative to the number of guards that would otherwise be needed, where the site has previously experienced theft or trespass, or where the deterrent value of a visible dog is worth more than an additional static guard. They are rarely the only security measure on a site and work best alongside CCTV, lighting, and either mobile patrol or static guarding, depending on the site.
Training and welfare standards
A dog patrol is only as good as the animal’s training and welfare, and we treat both as non-negotiable. Every dog used on an Anubis contract is assessed for temperament and reliability before being paired with a handler, and that pairing is then assessed together, since a dog and handler who have not built a working relationship are far less effective than one who has patrolled together regularly.
Handlers are responsible for their dog’s welfare on every shift, including rest breaks, water, and appropriate shelter in poor weather, and we expect the same standard of record keeping around welfare as we do around security incidents. A tired, poorly cared for dog is not an effective deterrent, and we do not treat welfare as separate from operational standards.
What happens when you contact us
- Tell us about your site, including its size, what is stored there, and when it is unoccupied.
- We recommend a patrol frequency and team size, and provide a written quote.
- Once agreed, we carry out a walk-through with your team so the handler understands the site layout before the first shift.
- Patrols begin on the agreed schedule, with incident reporting through our control room from the first night.
Working with our wider guarding service
Every handler deployed on a dog patrol contract holds a valid SIA licence, in line with our wider ACS-accredited approach to guarding across the business. Dog patrols work alongside our mobile patrol and key holding service and our construction site security cover, and are a different service from our drug dog detection division.
Frequently asked questions
Are your security dogs aggressive?
No. Our dogs are trained for deterrence and detection, working under the full control of a licensed handler at all times. Their value lies in alerting the handler and deterring intruders, not in confrontation.
What is the difference between a general purpose security dog and a detection dog?
A general purpose patrol dog is trained to support a site security patrol, deterring intruders and alerting the handler to unusual activity. Our detection dogs are trained separately for a specific task, identifying drugs or explosives, and are typically deployed for events and venues rather than routine site patrols.
Can you provide a dog patrol alongside our existing security guards?
Yes, this is common. Many of our dog patrol contracts run alongside existing static guarding or mobile patrol arrangements, adding coverage for ground that would otherwise need additional guards.
How quickly can a dog patrol be set up on our site?
Mobilisation timescales depend on the size of the site and the number of handler and dog teams required, but we can typically arrange an initial site visit and quote within a few working days of enquiry.
Do your handlers hold SIA licences?
Yes. Every handler deployed on a dog patrol contract holds a valid SIA licence, in line with our wider ACS-accredited approach to guarding across the business.
Get a quote
Call 0800 121 6576 or contact us for a free site visit to discuss a dog patrol for your site.