Do you own a pedigree? Are you fearful of your dogs being targeted by thieves?

[Disenchanted3]

There was a 60 year old woman last week walking her 7 and 2 year old pugs, 2 men approached her and tried to take the leads, she screamed and so one of the men pushed the pensioner to the ground whilst the other grabbed the younger dog. The got off in a car.

This along with a thread I read elsewhere on 'travellers' stealing dogs has got me worried.

I have 2 pugs and am often asked 'where did you get them, are they expensive etc'

Sometimes its just friendly women with kids but there are times when I feel intimidated, like yesterday when a 'out of it' looking woman with a huge bullmastiff off the lead asked me the same questions.

I'm thinking of starting to say they have serious heart problems to anyone asking to put them off, huge vet bills aren't disirable to anyone.

Its awful that people would steal our pets

We have 'needs medication' on their collars (true) incase anyone fancies stealing them. Wanted to put 'neutered' and 'will wreck house' but didn't have the room

The older dog would never let anyone take her, she's normally very passive but gets very protective around strangers if she thinks they're a bit dodgy (like the man currently fixing next door's brickwork right next to the fence - she's alternating between taking treats off him and barking at him, she's still not sure!). On the other hand, the puppy would go with anyone if they had a gravy bone.

A PBGV is a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen - a hairy French basset hound. They're gorgeous! And still pretty unusual in this country, so though they're expensive to buy as a puppy, as hippygalore says, you'd have to know what you were looking at, to know it wasn't a westadoodle.

I do worry a bit about ours being stolen, but for breeding, not fighting. I'd never leave them outside a shop, although where we live, you're allowed to take well-behaved dogs into the bank/dry cleaners, etc. The tags say they're chipped and (in our girl's case) spayed; as soon as the puppy's fully grown, he'll have his bits whipped off, which would hopefully make him less desirable to thieves.

My vet said thet Stafforshire Bull Terriers are one of the most stolen breeds.

Ours is a very good pedigree and also a blue which is quite a rare colouring, for that reason we have her chipped, and will never leave her unnattended anywhere.

The thought of my little girl being forced to fight makes me

My dog is a cocker spainel cross and is often confussed for a puppy (she is 8!) when she has a milatury buz cut all over.
I do worry about her being stolen, but theyd have a hard time cos shes walked off lead 99% of the time and wont go near people she doent like the look off (most people.).
I do keep her collar loose enough for her to slip out of when needed. she knows how to do this but only does it when needed. As a test my friend (who knew doggie well) untied her and attempted to take her but she slipped her collar and went and sat exatly where she was left.
In my village, she is well known ether as 'the well behaved doggie' or 'the dog that never stops wagging her tail'. so at least i hope if someone saw her in distress with someone els i hope they would help.

I have also heard about the pug being stolen. That poor lady was mugged for her dog, so it was not a matter of her leaving him unattended in a public place.

I do worry about my dog being taken because he is still a puppy and is very cute. He is also very friendly with strangers and will do anything for attention. My dog is not a pegigree, but I would not take any chances.

On our local news recently there was a story about a traveller camp being raided and they discovered a dog which was chipped and returned him to his rightful owner.

My lab spends alot of time in the garden and although its secure I always bring him in if I need to go out as I do worry about him being taken.

Although he will bark and growl at you outside the gate, as soon as you step in he is your best pal even if he doesnt know you.

He is only 1 yo so still young and very handsome so would have been a target for puppy farmers (which are rife around here).

After reading another thread on here, we now have a tag which states he needs medication (true, as he has HD) and is chipped which hopefully would put anyone off.

We adopted our Staffie from the local Dogs Trust. During the home/garden check we were told to make sure the side gate was kept locked as Staffies are frequently targeted by dog-stealers! She's been spayed and is chipped - but I'm still nervous about opportunistic gits walking off with her.
She's honestly so soft, she greets everybody as a friend - not even the initial growling like sb6699's dog ... the only thing she really barks at (hackles, stiff tail, the works) are ladders ... the window-cleaner loves her