How safe do you feel walking your dog at the moment?

[StillMedusa]

Apologies if it's been asked before, but today for the first time I realised that currently I don't :(
My girl needs at least one long off lead walk a day (she gets an on lead one in the mornings) and I've happily taken her through woodland, fields, fairly remote places..I prefer them as she can be unpredictable with unknown dogs and her happy place is anywhere she can hunt for squirrels or mice and be dog.
Earlier this week I was in one of our usual haunts when I noticed a pair of men ..no dog.. walking behind me... and it felt like they were watching me quite closely..and my dog. Luckily we weren't far from a cut through to a road so we nipped through.. they watched me go but didn't follow.

Of course it could have been entirely innocent..but it FELT wrong. I have rare breed dog and the spate of thefts here.. police confirmed.. make me nervous. I don't want to stop walking her off lead, (she wouldn't approach a stranger anyway but I guess she could be grabbed) but I don't feel SAFE.

I've pondered whether I could carry something protective but wouldn't want to be in trouble if it was illegal!
What are other people doing to be safe?

I feel fine walking my dog in the dark evenings, but she's a large German Shepherd with a loud bark. We live rurally, so lots of unlit country lanes and tracks. I would never walk some of those routes in the dark without her though - just getting from one end of the village to the other after a night out at the pub sometimes makes me nervous.

I've always run remotely and worried a bit over the years, my dog is a very unusual, extremely attractive breed but definitely not one of the little easily pick up able breeds. Very reluctantly I have just bought myself a personal alarm, irritates the hell out of me that I feel it even vaguely necessary but with all the perceived dog theft and the awful events of the last week I finally bought one.

I am not feeling unsafe but we have a very friendly park and I know most dog walkers there, our other places to walk are a bit more remote but still I feel safe. There was however a disturbing theft near us where a dogwalkers van with 3 dogs inside was stolen, two of the dogs were found dumped one locally and one quite a distance away and the third dog is still missing sadly

We lost our old girl in December, she won’t be replaced. I rarely feel unsafe out walking, even at night, with or without dog

It isn’t so much that I feel unsafe, but there’s an increased worry someone will try and snatch the dog. Where I used to let him potter off lead and wasn’t bothered about people stopping to comment, I now feel I need to keep him on lead and recall so he’s close if we pass anyone.

I’m also more worried at home. I supervise him more in the garden, where he used to be allowed to wander in and out.

bluebluezoo

Oh I see. Apologies, I misunderstood where you were coming from.

Completely understand. Pet thefts are up hundreds of percent. We have very, very beautiful kittens, one in particular, I’ve never seen another the same. When they are allowed out, they’ll be secured in our rear garden with cat fencing because of the same worry. I’m certain they would be a huge temptation to these horrible people.

Unless your dog is specifically trained as a protection dog it won't protect you no matter how much it barks or growls. A big dog may put others off but it won't protect. I have a dog that does and he's hard work. He won't let any strangers near me nor in my house. I have to muzzle him outside and restrain him from joggers , bikes or anyone that gets close. I did not train him to be like this I have had him to behaviourists as he was a rescue dog I adopted. He probably would have been put down if I had not taken him due to my previousdog experience.I know I'm safe with him as even going to a vet is a drama. Introducing a new person is a slow process as he will not allow that person within 5ft of me. Its not a behavior I encourage and ironically I'm trying to show him people are friendly and to not go into guard mode. Yes a big dog is off putting but no-one should walk somewhere that's unsafe just because they have a dog that they think will protect them. When I go out at night I'm worried as I know my dog is in full blown protection mode. It's not nice believe me. Your always on edge. My husband has come in from nightshift and has to shout so he hears its him to allow him in the house. I have to go out if we need repairs done. It's not a behaviour anyone should encourage in a dog.

I did think that my dog lead might make a good weapon. It’s four foot of solid leather with a big brass clip at the end. Doubled up and looped round my wrist, I reckon I could brain a dog thief quite easily.

Who was the lady on here that lived in Australia, I think, with three very rare but very big dogs? I’d like her to come on and say that someone tried to steal her dogs and they ate him.

@msadorabelledearheartvonlipwig
I carry a heavy long metal torch you can buy them on Amazon. Alternatively a solid hiking stick. There have been dog thefts where I live. It's awful. Make sure your garden has a tall secure fence around and you can buy coyote rollers for the top of it. Anything to stop dog thefts.

I’m about to get my puppy and I’m getting so stressed about dog thieves However, the rational part of my brain is trying to remember that 99% of the ‘dog theft’ posts on my local Facebook and Next Door pages are completely hysterical and about nothing that’s actually happened (although I understand where the hysteria is coming from).

I know there are dog thieves out there and I know of one actual dog theft that happened around here, and the posters all over town about it are heartbreaking to see. However, I see multiple posts online every single day titled something like ‘attempted dog theft!’ and then when I actually read it, it’s invariably something about a ‘suspicious Eastern European looking couple’ who walked towards someone while they were out with their dog, or a car that slowed down inexplicably, or someone ‘dodgy’ complimenting someone’s dog and asking what breed it is. Today everyone’s freaking out about some cable ties on a fence which are apparently a signal to dog thieves despite nobody having any actual evidence that this is or ever has been A Thing. It’s stressing me out so much though.

I am going to do everything I can to keep safe but I have to try to keep a level head otherwise I’ll never leave the house with the poor dog!

I quite social media last year so didn't realise this was such a worry. I've felt totally normal walking my dog recently but did think it was weird when a cyclist shouted "That's 4 grand of dog you're walking". (It's not, because ddog is 12)

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-56475355

Police have found 83 dogs believed to have been stolen and are trying to reunite them with their owners.