How rational is it to be worried about dog theft from unclipping of leads?

[OnlyHerefortheBiscuits]

How rational is it to be worried about someone unclipping the lead and an accomplice coming by on a bike or scooter to execute a quick getaway with the dog? Or something like that. Especially if anyone fusses the dog as a distraction.

I recently changed her collar to an "old fashioned" leather buckle one (rather than a clip one) for this reason, but it's pointless if the leads are all the usual clips which are easily undone. Now I'm wondering if I need to replace all the leads with ones that have swivel lock carabiner ends....but they're actually quite hard to find. They're usually heavy duty ugly things for hiking with Big Strong Dogs not 7kg miniature poodles en route to a café. 😂

Suppose it depends where you live but it only takes once.

Am I being ridiculous?? Does anyone else worry about this?

I haven’t worried about it and now I am!!!!

It’s pretty irrational.

If someone stole my dog they would be dropping him back home after about 5 minutes

Yes, kindly you are being ridiculous. It's not rational at all.

It does happen - reports of it in London. Also dogs are taken out of backyards.

if he’s a popular dog type, portable and not likely to be aggressive if a stranger tries to grab him it is not irrational

This kind of thing has genuinely never occurred to me before.

Personally I want a lead I can unclip easily for safety reasons.

It could happen if it’s a particularly expensive pedigree but I have bought leads from Pets at home that have the lock leads and are not heavy duty! I bought some lovely floral ones!

I did worry about it when our pup was tiny, so I can completely understand your fears. I had an experience of being followed home by a transit van when our previous pup was tiny, so with our current pup I had complete paranoia about the possibility of her being stolen.

I don't know what to suggest, other than the type of fastening karabiner that you mention. The leather collar sounds like a good idea because it can't easily be cut off like a webbing one or a fabric harness could.

For me, the fear is now gone because she is around 50kg. But it only really went away when she got to Labrador size, so with a dog the size of yours the risk of theft is definitely understandable and it must be a constant worry.

Ditto!

Has anyone really had a first hand account of this happening? Not friend of a friend stuff or seen it in the local paper, but really honestly seen it happen? After Covid we had lots of people refusing to tie up their dogs and leave them because of 'all the dog thefts', but when you looked into it there was only ONE actual, certified attempt at a dog theft (pedigree dog) that could be verified.

So I think it might be one of these things that looms larger in the imagination than in reality.

I didn't even know this was a thing! How often does it actually happen though? I've certainly never heard of it happening where I am, and I'm very involved in the local "dog community" and have an expensive rare breed.

My dog's usually wearing a harness with a carbiner that locks into place, so I don't think it would be very easy for anyone to steal her in this way in any case.

It is completely an irrational and unhealthy way of thinking. Are you prone to anxiety or paranoia generally?

My dog is rarely on the lead unless we’re on roads. Being attached to a human being in a short lead 100% of the time is no life for a dog IMO.

We had an attempted dognapping of a 14 week old puppy.
Someone had asked me a lot of questions - what breed, is he valuable, show dog etc. I was uneasy about it, gave vague answers, no just a pet, not valuable at all... But, a couple of days later, I was followed home from a walk by a white van which parked up on the street.
I took pup in, let our two adult dogs out and they went ballistic at a woman, who was up our driveway, trying to open the back gate.
My husband reported it to local police and they took it very seriously. They said I shouldn't walk pup alone, vary the route etc so after that we only went out together and took one of the adult bitches with us. We saw the same van, parked opposite the end of our road twice in the following days. We were definitely being watched. Two occupants, m & f.
And yes, pedigree puppy, uncommon breed.

I’ve had a white van pull over and ask me if my dog was for sale… that scared me. I was on my own, he’s a beautiful pedigree and a popular breed. He’s also whole.

I’ve also had shady types in the park take pictures of my dog and it’s well-known in the dog walking circles that this is for stolen to order purposes 😔

It's never crossed my mind, despite having had multiple people stop me in the street to ask if I would be willing to breed my dog (no, I wouldn't!).

@HiddenInCubeOfCheese That is scary! Take care.

@Headingtowardsdivorce Are they just trying to find out if it's neutered? Obviously neutered dogs are of less value to a would be dognapper...

I’ve never heard of that. I wouldn’t leave a dog tied up outside a shop now, but worried that someone will do a grab while I’m walking her? No.

@Mingenious @mondaytosunday
We'd honestly never given it a thought until it happened. We'd always had dogs and I'd walked all the puppies by myself until then.

To some extent it might depend on the type of dog as to whether it's high risk. If it's a popular breed like a cocker they'll be bred/crossed. Ours is a large guarding breed, that, sadly, appeals to status dog types. We get funny questions about them sometimes 🙁Thankfully, our girl is big now, but we're still watchful.

... that's why I don't let people pet my dogs.

I had a situation once when someone checked out the tag on my dogs collar- pre compulsory micro chipping. Luckily it only said I'm chipped with my name & vets phone number & mobile number. I still don't put any indication of an adress on mine.

I agree with @Ylvamoon. I think it is the law to put the owner’s address, but I don’t do that - a determined person could google, abduct, find out if you’re wealthy etc etc. I just have my mobile number and “micro chipped” on my boy’s tag. Think it’s insane that people put their dog’s name on the tag

I dog walk for a rescue and we always use 2 leads. Not for that purpose but in case one breaks

Same 😂
Mines an arsehole, snappy terrier, she'd probably have someone's arm off if they went near her.
On walks I shout "not friendly" if anyone approaches her, I soften it up by adding "neithers the dog" 😁

Think it’s insane that people put their dog’s name on the tag

I never really understand this. If the dog is the type to go up to a stranger calling their name in a happy voice then they are also the type to go up to the stranger calling ANYTHING in the same happy voice.

There is no way knowing my dog's name gives anyone an advantage over not knowing it.

Now, carrying a bit of sausage on the other hand....

My dog wouldn’t be anywhere that someone could steal her from regardless of her collar or lead type. She’s always with one of us, and would never be left tied up on her own anywhere

My husband think I’m nuts because I’d never leave our dogs outside a shop, or in the car.

But even I think worrying about a lead being unclipped is a tad paranoid.