Worries..
 

Dont feel bad dear... Im in the same boat. Depending on the time of day, we have to drive to a nearby park, just to take my furbaby for a walk. Its quite sad when your fearful of walking your dog in your own neighborhood...just because you dont want anyone following you home - and I live in a nice neighborhood too. But, you can never be too cautious you know... Better safe than sorry :)

We used to take our babies to Petsmart every Saturday as a treat to get them out, but we quit. It's sad that we can't, but I don't want to take any chances.

I worry about that all the time to many dogs being snatcher from there home .

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!

You are definitely NOT over worrying. Our sweet Allie was taken right out of yard. :( It just makes me sick to think about it. Never ever ever take your eyes off your babies for a second when they are outside your home.
Coming from a Mom that learned the hard way, and thought the world was a better place :(

I worry too!!! I live in a really safe area right now & when I get back to socal I am gonna be SOOOOO paranoid! I am worried about the flight back, being in LAX with 2 yorkies and then, worried about being able to take them for a walk.....

I have a fenced yard, and that's where we play fetch and such. I'm to afraid to take mine out, so I guess I'm a worry wart too.

I thought I was being an overprotective mom as well. It's strange first we had to worry about our children, now animals??!! I'm a new yorkie mom and at first I wanted everyone to come by and see my baby, but now I don't even want to take her outside.Times have really changed when a yorkie is no longer safe in their own home. I don't mean to scare anyone, but just the other day I herd on the news, someone broke into a woman's apartment (which had an alarm system) and stole her Shi-Zu!! The woman was hysterical and is offered a $1000 reward. Most would think that for $1000 she could buy another dog, but we understand her situation, her dog is irreplacable. My prayers go out to her and her family. People have really reached to ultimate low to snatch a pet!! :mad:

princess...... I hear you. I am deathly afraid of a lot of things! I am overly worried about my daughters when I move back home, worried about my dogs, worried about my personal belongings ect... I feel so unsafe in this world, it sucks.