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 aspecific number of parameters each are outside a givenrange. According to the invention, now an alarm is also generated if saidspecific number (A1) of exceedings is not achieved, but ifanother, and usually greater, number (A2) of parameters each are within alarger, more flexible, range. As a result thereof, the actualalarm 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 ifsufficient parameters are in dubious areas.