The last time a friend got their house broken into (the middle of the day too) they found their dobbie curled up in the closet sitting in a puddle of pee because she was so scared! Personally, if you are wanting an "alert" dog then anything bigger who barks alot works. Our house got broken into and our rotti was found sleeping in my sisters bed like nothing ever happened, but my Austrian Shepperd actually attacked and bit a couple of teenagers that broke into her old owners house.