Dog owners, lend me your ears.

[The Backlash Cometh]

I've got to ask, how long have you owned your pooch and how many times has someone suspected that you stole their dog?

I've owned my dog for five years and it has happened three times. The first time, I was walking her around a pond in a public park and these people had one car blocking one exit, and they had the police waiting for me in the other parking lot. At first, I was clueless that all the attention had to do with us. Like an idiot, I even looked around to see if I could help the lady find her dog, Champ. She was yelling the name so loud to see if my dog would respond. But, my dog was as clueless as I was. Once we got close enough to the lady, she threw her hands in the air saying, "Oh, that's not him." That's when I pieced it all together.

The second time I was at the 7-11 and this white male with police crew-cut hair approached me and started asking questions about the dog. At first he seemed casually friendly. But his questions got increasingly detailed and more weird. He started talking about a dog his friends had lost, and no matter how I responded to his questions, he found a way to twist the information so that it indicated that my dog was just like his friend's lost dog. Like an idiot...I went along with it and didn't connect what he was doing until the very end. He was so devious. Anyway, the guy opened the dog's mouth to look for some telling sign, but it was the exact opposite of what he expected. I think he was expecting to find spots, which my dog didn't have. He left after that, and I grew ever more distrustful.

The third time was today. My dog obeys under voice command so I sometimes let her go unleashed on our walks. We were walking along this stretch of open space and I allowed her to go on her own, even though there's a public road running along it. It's not heavily traveled, and it's relatively safe. Anyway, I went to pick up her waste with a bag when I noticed that a car had slowed and the two yuppies in the car were leering. I leered back and they left down the road. The dog and I continued our walk and a police car showed up shortly after. The police car turned into a side street and slowed down to maybe 10 MPHs. I called the dog by voice command and we started back home. Anyway, I had to cross an open field to get home, and the dog, still unleashed, followed me the whole way, as is our routine. When I got home, I just happened to look back and wait. (Call it my hyper vigilance.) Sure enough, it took about ten seconds, but the guy who was driving the car was now on foot and had followed me across the field and had a cell phone in his hand. I went to the back end of my yard and leered at him until he disappeared behind the trees.

So, is this common? Do other dog owners have to put up with these indiginities?

[seriousstan]

1. You must have a "common" looking dog.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. On the contrary.

She's a mix breed. But a very attractive mix breed.

[seriousstan]

42. I never meant that it wasn't a beautiful dog, only that some dogs have

many traits in common. This can be especially true about mixed breeds. I simply mean that you have mentioned three instances where the dog has been mistaken from a distance of by someone with only a description of the dog. You stated that in the one case the owner immediately noticed it was not their dog upon you walking closer to them.

[The Backlash Cometh]

44. Yes, but why is no one else indicating that this happens to them quite

as often?

[Iris]

2. what kind of dog?

I've had people WANT to steal my dog b/c she's such a sweet mongrel with an enchanting face, but no one has ever accused me of stealing her from them!

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. I won't say what kind, but it is a good looking dog.

[warrior1]

3. Sorry I have to ask

What kind of dog is it?

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. I'll answer through PM

[AlienGirl]

24. I'm really curious, too

Could you PM me, as well?

Tucker

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

54. PM? What do you have a hybrid?

[Fridays Child]

4. That is very strange. Is there something different about your dog?

Do you have a photo that you can share?

[Big Kahuna]

6. Where do you live?

It really sounds like there's something in the water.

on edit: I mean your neighbor's paranoia... not implying you are.

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. Well, now that you mention it...

if I don't find out that this is common to other dog owners, I'm going to reach the conclusion that this Republican county is just too damn prejudice to accept that a dark skinned lady can own a gorgeous looking dog.

[niyad]

30. as much as it grieves me to say this, you may be entirely correct. if

that is the case, what an unutterably sad commentary on the state of this country.

[lildreamer316]

39. Umm...

I hate to say it; but I have a sneaking suspicion...police? TWICE?
You are guilty of "ODWBD"--owning dog whilst being dark.
NOT trying to be snarky. After reading your account, I think this is probably the problem.
Bigoted asses.Sorry; I hope this is the last of it.

[The Backlash Cometh]

45. I hope it will be the end of it too,

But I think I'll sleep better once she gets micro-chipped.

[Cameron27]

9. My dear old buddy is 14 years old

and no one has ever accused me of stealing him...he's a cutie too. How awful you've been through all that...yikes.

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. I'm losing my sense of humor over this.

[Cameron27]

26. I'd go right down to the police station and report it...

Then maybe it'll be on file?  

[The Backlash Cometh]

29. Better yet, I'm thinking of making a public records request to see

if those two called me into the police for stealing their dog. That way, I should get their names.

[txwhitedove]

60. Checking into public records sounds like the best idea,

along with a microchip for your dog. It sounds like a police report and/or reward was offered for the missing dog. Unless you get this straightened out at the source, it could continue indefinitely. Unfortunately there are people who do steal dogs, sometimes just for the reward. Please pursue these options.

[Scout]

10. had a dog most of my 46 years

and never had this happen with any dog. Several different sizes/breeds.

Weird people. There's no chance your dog can be stolen while you're away is there?

:shrug:

[The Backlash Cometh]

25. I just can't forget to bring her in, as I do sometimes when I'm out

working in the yard and come in for a drink. She likes to sit under the trees and hope that a squirrel will fall into her mouth. She's so quiet that sometimes I forget she's still out there. Of course, she barks to get back in and I get all hysterical until we make eye-contact.

[sbj405]

11. I must say that is very odd.

Is your dog microchipped? If not, I would get that done. Just in case, anyone tried to claim it was their dog. People are weird.

[The Backlash Cometh]

27. I'm going to look into it this week.

[Wcross]

59. My vet is charging 40 bucks for a micro-chip......

...if that helps you any. I have never had anyone think that I had kidnapped their dogs. Of course we live out in the country and not many people see the guys.

If you want to see a cute dog- here you go. His name is "Moe" (his two litter mates are Larry and Curley) He is one of six I have living with me.

[China_cat]

61. Check your local shelter.

Ours will microchip any dog for $15.

[blue sky at night]

12. man, what breed is your dog.....

I would get him tattooed or something.

[AlienGirl]

13. Microchipping is good

I don't have a dog, but I have an umbrella cockatoo whose "market value" ( :puke: ) is around $1000, and I had him chipped to make sure nobody can steal and re-sell him, as has happened with other parrots I've heard of. The injection was quick and he was only sore for that day, he was feeling fine the next morning. I know some people are creeped out by the idea of having an animal chipped, but it's great peace of mind knowing that any shelter or vet with a scanner will immediately know to contact me.

Tucker

[benburch]

18. We had Bogie chipped too.

I think it is a very important thing to do with a pet.

[The Backlash Cometh]

32. Definitely going to look into it. Thanks.

[glitch]

31. second this. nt

[benburch]

15. People get weird about their dogs.

If they lose a dog they go a bit nuts. Forgive them. If you lost your dog, you'd feel somewhat the same.

[The Backlash Cometh]

37. I'm sure I'd go a bit nuts if it happened to me,

but how can this happen to one person with three different people over a period of five years?

[Lars39]

16. My dog was kidnapped one day

and held on someone's front porch because she looked like the missing dog on a poster.

[The Backlash Cometh]

38. Now, that's scary.

If I had such a poster, I'd hand it all over to the police and let them do the sleuth work.

[murielm99]

50. I had once had someone

accuse me of stealing their cat. I had a beautiful gray cat. They thought it was their kitten who had wandered away. It was not, and they accepted it, but without grace.

One other time, my neighbor got drunk and stole my dog. He was barking in his kennel while I was at work. She put him in her bathroom. She gave him back as soon as she saw the cop car. She joined AA soon after.

[The Backlash Cometh]

51. Now that's a horrific experience.

[lonestarnot]

19. I have 6 outcasts, all defective for this that and the other, mortal

flaws according to previous property owners in some cases. They were going to drown one in a bucket because she has a brown nose instead of a black nose. Nobody says anything about me stealing any of them. LOL

[smokey nj]

33. Drown in a bucket?..........

That's horrible. Was it a breeder who was going to do that?

[The Backlash Cometh]

40. I got my dog from a dog rescue service, and I did go back to the lady

after the first two experiences and asked her if the dog could have been from around these parts. She said she got the dog from a city on the West coast of Florida. And I told her this dog was just too good looking a dog for someone to abandon, (though it was obviously abandoned because she had tapeworms, ringworms and was malnutrioned.) and she relayed to me that she was once following a pickup truck that suddenly starting throwing boxer puppies out the window.

People are just crazy.

[Junkdrawer]

20. Are there leash laws where you live?

Perhaps the yuppies were turning you in and they wanted your address.

[The Backlash Cometh]

41. Voice command is okay around here.

Also, there was obviously no one else around.

[Gold Metal Flake]

21. Never.

This is very odd.

Whadaya mean "leered"?

Did you speak to the "yuppie"?

What did the police car do? Was it actually involved in any of this?

How old was the dog when you got it?

[The Backlash Cometh]

43. Leered as in looking hard and mean.

The yuppie guy didn't even try to approach me in any reasonable manner. Without going into detail, he was following my path on an open field, and it was very evident that he didn't belong there. It's a very private area.

The police did the same thing that the other two cops did. (I forgot to tell you of another incident.) They watched until they noticed the dog responded to my commands, then they moved on.

Dog was one year old when I first got her. That was five years ago.

[niyad]

22. this almost sounds like a form of stalking. . . .if you have your dog

licensed, etc., you might want to consider keeping a copy of said paperwork in your wallet or something. and, although I don't usually recommend this, you also might want to consider an rfid chip.

as paranoid as this may sound, I wouldn't answer more than the very most basic questions about the dog from strangers. this is a sad commentary, but you need to protect your dog and yourself.

[The Backlash Cometh]

46. I think that's why I leered at the yuppies.

I didn't want to deal with the probing questions as if I was guilty of something.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

23. Dye your dog a color that most dogs don't express, say,

GREEN. That should just about do it for ya.

[flvegan]

28. Your vet records are enough to prove "ownership" of the dog.

And that, my friend, comes from the highest authority. Keep pictures and records up to date.

This comes from the other side, but I'm happy to help, since you seem to take good care.

[The Backlash Cometh]

47. I know I can trust my vet to back me up.

I also have all the vaccinations up to date.

[philosophie_en_rose]

34. Are you sure it's the dog?

Or is it pretext to stalk you.

[The Backlash Cometh]

48. You just gave this old lady a thrill.

I assure you, it's not me they're after.

[Raine]

35. I've had dogs since I was a kid

and I have never had anyone acuse me of that. I've had people come up and say my dog looks like a dog they had etc. but that's it.

[jpgray]

36. Ears to you

:beer:

[The Backlash Cometh]

49. What you go do that fur?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

52. If there are that many dogs similar to yours that are being stolen,

be extra careful with your poochie...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

53. Never

but my dog is a pure bred golden retriever with no tail because of a mishap at the time of his birth

[trackfan]

55. I've had my dog 7 years now, and it's never happened to me.

Of course I don't go out in public with my dog much.

[RebelOne]

56. I doubt that anyone would accuse me of stealing my Rottweiler.

I mean, who wants a Rottie, anyway? They eat too much as I can attest to.

[NewWaveChick1981]

57. I've had dogs all my life and never had that happen.

The two dogs we have now, Vicki and Casey, are three and six years old respectively. We've had Casey since she was a year old and Vicki since she was eight weeks old. Nobody could mistake these dogs for being anyone else's---they stick incredibly close to us and give strangers hell when they approach. Both are shelter dogs. Casey is a Black Lab/Doberman mix, and she looks like many other Lab mixes. Vicki, on the other hand, is a striking dog---she's snow white with brown ears and a brown spot at the base of her tail. She's a bird dog/Jack Russell terrier/foxhound/who knows what else mix, and we have had many people make comments to us about how beautiful she is. One guy questioned us extensively about her when we had taken the dogs to a park, and it was unsettling. Hubby was afraid he'd steal her if we left her alone. We have foregone taking the dogs places sometimes because the likelihood of one or both dogs being stolen is high.

Does your dog have a microchip? If there's ever a police issue again, just tell them to check the freakin' microchip to prove identity. :) I'm sorry you and your pooch have had to go through this not once, but THREE times! :hug:

[xmas74]

58. I've owned my for seven years

and someone once said that I stole it. The dog was found on a farm, stuck in a barb wire fence. She was the luckiest one-other animals there were in even worse shape.

I informed them that if this was their dog then they should be arrested for animal cruelty. I pulled the camera out of my purse and asked them to smile for all of the flyers I planned to pepper the town with so that everyone would know what kind of abusive assholes they were. (I keep a disposible camera in my purse at all times.)

They shortly admitted that this was not their dog.

[Patiod]

62. Only when I *had* "stolen" the dog

I was out walking my mother's dog around her neighborhood, and two ladies stopped me "that's a beautiful dachshund. It looks exactly like Rita's dog. Do you know Rita? Has she seen that dog?"

"Uhm, yeah, it actually IS Rita's dog. I'm her daughter."

No, what I get is people running out to snatch their kids out of their yards or off of the sidewalks in front of their house. I'm a normal looking woman (albeit really tall), and I've noticed people will grab their kids out of the way like I'm in the neighborhood to snatch them, and using the dachshund as a lure. I don't talk to the kids, wave at them, or even acknowledge them - I'm just out walking the damned dog, and they'll shreik out of the window "Katlin! Come in here! Come in here RIGHT NOW!!!". This has happened more than once in my parents' neighborhood. Once I was even in a department store, doing my Christmas shopping, and there was a mom and her daughter shopping nearby - the daughter was about 10 or 11. At one point, the daughter was looking at the same display that I was, and the mother snapped hysterically "Lindsey! Get over here RIGHT NOW!" and looked at me like I was trying to abduct her daugher. I hadn't spoken to the child, or even really noticed her until the mother started shreiking. Did she think I was a guy in disguise, with long hair and a woman's figure?

So you look like a dog-stealer, and I must look like a child-snatcher.