Yep...learn to use a firearm, and if you are not "a pretty good aim"...which I am glad to hear you are...
...understand there is not much of a point. My philosophy, which I now hear other people repeating like it is a published fact rather than my opinion...
...is that at most you have 3 attempts (shot attempts) if you have to use it. After failing by the 3rd shot, whoever/whatever will either be 'on' you...in which case you have a much more serious problem on your hands (and probably not the firearm anymore)...or they will have run away...
Also, I personally do not think that it is that they "
don't have a clue"...I think
they don't care (is that 'clean' enough to print?
) what their breaking into homes does to the other people. Been there...been broken into myself. Fortunately, they just let my dogs out to wander and they came home later. We replaced the stuff...but, the psychological effects are crazy!!!
Years ago, not long after moving here, I was warned by a Sheriff's Deputy that "they" steal dogs from backyards, neighborhoods, etc. to take to the forest to use for "target practice"...
I think that was my first exposure to the evil-pet-thieves and while I was protective before, I have been
very protective since then...about 1988...especially since about 1-2 weeks after hearing that, a neighbor's registered pup was removed from their locked fence and never seen again!