Dog walking

[Mollyollydolly]

Might seem an odd thread for this board but just needed to sound off. Got a new puppy at the beginning of the year and walking her is one of the things keeping me sane at the moment.
However, there's been a massive rise in dog thefts recently and it's certainly taken some of the pleasure away. Just made me think this is yet another way that women are constantly on alert.
Can't really enjoy solitary walks in my local country park anymore, have to meet up with other women (safety in numbers). Constantly looking around for dodgy blokes, carrying an alarm and a dye spray, never totally relaxed.
So many things that women face in their everyday lives that men just aren't affected by in the same way.
No answer to it but it just brings it home to you how so many things are different for women. I bloody hate feeling vulnerable and it makes me angry!

[Thefaceofboe]

Is that feeling exclusive to women though? I read a man got hit twice and his dog stole a few days ago. I think it’s put a lot of people on edge.

[Mollyollydolly]

Actually the threat to men might be just as real, but I wonder how many men worry about it. Is it part of our conditioning that I worry a lot, yet my bother who has. a young dog too doesn't worry in the same way. It just makes me angry - reminds me how I felt as a young woman after a night out going to catch the late bus. Thought I'd done with that.

[Collidascope]

I've felt nervous about this too. My husband hasn't. He's naturally less of a worrier than I am but I suspect also that being 6'1 makes him more confident of being able to handle things if someone did attempt to steal the dog.

[HoldontoOneMoreDay]

First need to say that I do think that there's a lot of misinformation spread on social media about dog theft, but even given that, there's definitely been a rise.

Funnily enough, DH mentioned it the other day. It didn't even enter his head that there was a risk of someone taking the dog off him, the focus of his conversation was a reminder to both of us not to leave the dog outside the shop at any time (we've talked about this before and agreed not to do it).

You're right of course, it's another thing to worry about. I suspect no-one would ever say to a man in that situation that it was there fault for being out in the first place, I bet it's said to a woman though.

[Melange99]

There was an item on the tv about a man who had depression, his dog got him through it, and just as he was starting to get better he was attacked for his dog. He was heartbroken of course. Dog thieves are targeting people with certain breeds, they are stolen to order. A woman is easier to overpower but men are being targeted too.