[nvnvgirl]

I think we've always been a little protective with Max just b/c when we first got him, we lived on a large piece of property with caretakers who came and went and I never felt secure that they'd remember to close the gate all the time. So I'm sort of glad that it's just sort of ingrained now....we have a gated, and walled yard now with not quite so many people who have access, but after hearing all the recent stories of people just going into other people's back yards or snatching them from them off the street, I'm REALLY aware of where Max is and what he's doing. I don't even let him out in the back yard for more than a minute without making sure I can see him and when I walk him, anybody that drives by us and slows down the least little bit (it's usually gardeners), I pull him closer to me and keep an eye on whoever it is, and I ALWAYS ALWAYS have my cellphone with me when I walk him. I don't let ANYONE I don't know handle him (he wouldn't let anyone else hold him anyhow unless it's someone we, and he knows, but I give people the stink-eye if they're just a stranger and try to reach out and pet him without asking if it's ok. I don't care whether they think I'm not nice or not; I'm here to take care of Max, not their feelings. I had to go thru that with my parrots and I learned that it's just not worth trying to be sweet and nice to people who may or may not have good intentions toward your animal. As far as I'm concerned, better to be safe and thought a B*tch than sorry and minus my heart and soul just to be nice to some lowlifes who couldn't give a you-know-what about me or Max.
I think I live in a relatively low crime area, but just tonite on our local news they reported that two small dogs were stolen from pet shops here. That makes me VERY nervous!