The invention provides a device (10) and method for milking a dairy animal, comprising at least two sensors (12, 13) for measuring milking parameters. Usually, an alarm is generated if a specific number of parameters each are outside a given range. According to the invention, now an alarm is also generated if said specific number (Al) of exceedings is not achieved, but if another, and usually greater, number (A2) of parameters each are within a larger, more flexible, range. As a result thereof, the actual alarm parameters with 'hard' limits can be selected, in order that false- positive messages are prevented to a considerable extent. In the grey area of almost exceeding, an alarm can still be generated if sufficient parameters are in dubious areas.
