I did the same. I grew up in a very rural area. Police and EMT response time was hours. Literally hours. That is why I'm so pro gun. In rural areas it is a must.
Anyways, we raised and trained various breeds of hunting dogs. We could get $2500-3000 for grown, trained, papered dogs. People would try to steal them.
My father was gone a lot due to his job. People figured that out and would come around when he was gone.
We had someone very adamant about stealing a dog(s).
The dogs would raise hell when they come around. I hung my shotgun out the door and fired into the air several different times.
We called the sheriff's department. They come out, nothing they could do.
What's a man to do?
The person showed up again one night. I called my father. He told me to get the muzzle loader out. He told me to put around 50-60 grains of powder and then put a handful of rock salt in it then pack wadding.
I put it out the back door, aimed and fired. The person screamed and started running.
I yelled the next time it would be buck shot.
That put a stop to it.