Fear of Dognapping...
 

Is anyone else super paranoid and scared of their furbaby being dognapped? My BF and his friends seem to think I am nuts, but it is totally a real concern. We were sitting outside at a bar earlier tonight (last night? idk I don't sleep at normal times...) for my BF birthday and I had to go inside to the bathroom and had him hold Somi and when I came out there was some chick standing next to the table holding her. Somi gets scared in general when I walk off without her but she was shaking REALLY bad and I was standing really close to the chick hovering until she gave Somi back to me. I tried not to be too rude but made it obvious that I wanted her to hand her to me and Somi took awhile to stop shaking which she usually stops soon as she can see me close again.
I got mad at my BF and him and his friends were acting like I was crazy. Given there were very few people there at the time so it would be much harder to run off with her, but it could still happen. ESPECIALLY since after I said something my BF said the guy with the chick said something about how "expensive" she must have been.

I heard about the lady who got her yorkie stolen from a midtown bar in houston and it has made me extra paranoid especially since I am also in houston. I usually keep her in my bag strapped on my shoulder and I guess I will have to start sneaking her inside to go to the bathroom if he isn't going to be as careful. The only time I ever let her out of my site when we aren't at home is in my office or lab where either (a) she is locked in when I leave for a minute or (b) she is in the room with people that I trust or have no where to hide if they tried to run off with her while I run to the bathroom really quick. This happens very rarely and I only do it if she looks very comfy and asleep and I am just running to do something where I would be gone for like less than a minute.

But I'm not just being crazy right? Or at least not more crazy than other yorkie owners/(people who have any dogs that they love like babies)??

I get nervous enough about people just trying to pet her and putting their hands in her face. I don't know where their hands have been...
I don't know what I would do if someone ran off with her...she is so quiet she would be impossible to find in a crowd...makes me sick just thinking about people stealing loved ones. :(

I never had this fear as much with Joli because she is very loud and would more than likely never go with someone especially if she could see or hear me. But Somi will just shake instead of cry....I'm so upset and rambly just thinking about the possibility of one of my girls being stolen. Trying to rehome Joli is hard enough knowing that I will only let her go to people who will love her just as much as I do and will treat her right, I just can't imagine either of them ending up with a thief. :(( I literally feel sick to my stomach right now thinking of people who do stuff like this....ugh. I'll stop rambling now or I may never quit.

No your are not the only one. I am paranoid as well. For instance I am going to Nashville in may for my niece's graduation of course Brandi is going with me. But I have to leave her at my cousins house while I'm attending the graduation and my cousin doesn't have an alarm so I am nervouse about that.

I think most of us on here feel the way you do especially since there seems to be an increase in dog napping.

Back in 1978, when I bought my very first Yorkie, the lady I bought her from repeatedly cautioned me NOT to let any stranger, ever hold her.....also said never leave her in a car while you run inside for "just a second", as they will smash your window to steal her...she told me way back then, people will bolt with your little dog because they think they know how valuable these babies are and they can resell them for drugs or whatever....that was way back before I had ever heard of this type of thing happening...and it has gotten progressively worse over the years. To allow someone you dont know, to hold your Yorkie, is to me, negligent, and akin to "child endangerment"! I dont let anyone hold my baby when we are out and I dont let people pet her....you do not know where that dirty little hand has been, or what disease it has on it....like parvo, for example. So no, you are NOT nuts...your fears are solidly grounded in the unfortunate reality of todays social behaviors.

Sometimes I worry about that too. My baby isn't completely 100% yorkie so when people ask me about her or her breed I make sure to say that she is "mostly" yorkie so they get the hint that she is not an incredibly expensive dog. Even though she didn't cost that much she is priceless to me and I don't want anyone thinking they could sell her for a large amount. I get nervous when new people move in to the apartments right next to mine, even though I know my apartment is much much more secure than most. No matter where we are I just try to take every safety precaution I can and pray nothing bad ever happens. I don't think you're crazy...you just love your babies :)

I think we all feel the same way. You can never be too careful.

i am to a certain extent but even more so of her getting eaten by a wild animal.
we have alot since we are across the street from the woods and she is only around 4 lbs right now.

i never had these fears years ago - 1998 when Kiva was a puppy. this is awful how times have changed!

No I feel the same way. I felt like when I was working in a dog boutique some one was going to take Ralph because they kept asking all of these questions like what are his parents, is he certified how much did you pay for him, is he worth a lot. I did not answer, i just ignored them and then they said let me hold him and I said I am sorry, Ralph is very mean and will bite you. And they lingered in the store for almost 2 hours waiting and watching to see if I put Ralph down.

There are some messed up people out there, so i am overly cautious with Ralph.

No you are definately not crazy.

I am sure we ALL feel the same way -these are our babies, no way around it!

I don't let anyone other then my mom, dad or the vet/vet techs hold Callie she doesn't like it and shes 16 pounds so you never know who would drop her. I worry about it some but our neighbors on both sides love Callie and would say something is someone was snooping around our fence plus if shes been out side for more then 2 minutes I check on her. Callie also is not a standard yorkie and to some may look like a mix because shes 16 pounds and has floppy ears. Its always better to be over cautious then not enough because once there gone there isn't much you can do unless you know who took them.

I usually tell people that Brandi is skittish and doesn't like to be held by strangers whenever they ask me if they can hold Brandi. I will say she will nip at you so for that reason, I don't let people hold Brandi when they ask.:D

She hates anyone other than me holding her. She's not overly friendly and it takes time for her to warm up to people (eventually she does, she just needs to know she can trust you) which is a good thing when it comes to people taking off with her.

BF (and friends) need to be told that unfortunately not everyone who steals toy breeds are doing it because they just cannot live without one. Many are taken as "bait" dogs for dog fights. Sorry to bring this up; but it is an ugly truth.

You are definitely NOT overprotective. These little ones depend on their owners/families to keep them safe and happy. I NEVER let ANYone hold mine, unless it's a well known friend or family member. Who cares what strangers/acquaintances think of you? People who care will understand.

Yorkie dog-napping. It happens. I think most of us are afraid that someone might take our Yorkies.

it's even worse when our dogs are super friendly.

Hailey is 4 months old and naturally like a normal puppy goes up to everyone.
it does make me nervous sometimes depending on where we are.

Paranoiacs aren't all bad! Sometimes it saves our dogs all kinds of trouble. I don't blame you one bit as it would be like the pot calling the kettle black! :)

I don't even take mine in walks in my neighborhood. If he's going out for a while it's because we're driving somewhere to do it. Sad but true.

Embrace your concerns. Last year someone tried to smash the window of my car to get Cali while I ran into my PO BOX at the post office. Fortunately there was a detective I the post office who saw something suspicious and he ran out and caught the guy. The guy's comment was, " I just wanted the d@&$ dog for my girlfriend!". Like that made it OK. The detective had seen Cali in the community because she is a service dog and after the apprehension he recognized her. Now she is always with me, and I mean always.

Dog napping is a big business. It's really sick.

While all my girls were in their puppy stages till adult, I LOVED when anyone, including kids of all ages wanted to pet or hold them. I wan't them very socialized and now they are. They love everyone and are not afraid of little kids either. I do protect them for any possible dog napping, but I also let them be around other people and dogs too.

You weren't worried the puppy would wiggle and they would drop them? Callie is very socialized and I don't mind when people pet her but its dangerous to let other people hold them because they could wiggle out of the arms or get dropped.

We held on the the leashes close to the harnesses. ;)

That is exactly what Michal Vick did!!! You can never be too careful. You are not alone!!:(

Are you serious ugh just another reason to hate him!

That's another great thing harnesses are good for :)

No,you're not being paranoid. Sadly,I'm North of you and I can't prove it but I *think* I know where some of the little ones who suddenly appear are coming from-and I'm fairly sure that they weren't purchased or adopted.:(

I have Chi's now and I don't give a flip if anyone thinks I'm being a rude b***h they WILL NOT put their hands on my babies.

My daughter saw me typing this and said that one of their clients was stolen out of the car in the owners driveway. Prayers for this little one and the owners,it's a Yorkie.

I have been told I am a little "over protective" of Sophie Kate (and Avery my cat) but I don't care. Pet ownership is a responsibility I do not take lightly.

I will let strangers pet her if I am holding her, but I would never allow a stranger to hold her. Sophie Kate is now almost 4 years old and she gets nervous when anyone but me is holding her (probably not a good thing but I am fine with it).

If we are going somewhere and Sophie Kate is with us if she cannot go in someone stays in the car with her.

Last summer I was out with Sophie Kate and received a call asking if I could stop and get some cream cheese, my response was "only if someone in the parking lot will pick it up for me" - which they did.

I guess I am paranoid enough to leave Gracie home when I am going out to a very busy pubic place. It is not worth it to me to have to worry about her the whole time I am out. I get really nervous when there are rude people around saying stupid things or when there are other dogs around that are not well behaved. I won't risk her well being, so many times I leave her home where I know she is safe and comfortable.

I am also super protective! I don't trust anyone with my girls my hubby thinks my relationship with them is strange but I really really love them like my children!

I'm glad we are all on the same page! I set my BF straight this morning and he said he understood, so hopefully he doesn't do it again. He is much to trusting of people and doesn't see all the crazy.
I have left her in the car a couple of times, but I will probably never do that again. The times I have done it were only when I could keep a line of site on the car. So if someone started to go near the car I could run out. (so running in a place to pick up food) But she is soo quite and well behaved I can usually just steak her in. She is more sanitary than a lot of babies....so i don't feel too bad. LOL.

I just have to teach the BF how to behave if he wants to stay "daddy". Or he is just gonna have to be the BF and no longer the daddy. :cool:

I worry about someone breaking in and taking our lil ones. I ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS shut our bedroom mini blinds when we leave cause I don't want people to be able to look in if they came nosing around and see our lil ones. But I do leave the blinds open on the sliding glass door so if anyone is nosing around, they can get a GOOOOOOD LONG look at our big furkids, both boxers. Then, if they wanna try and break in after seeing them, shame on them. Both Gracie and Elijah have gotten out of their kennels before, so I think if someone broke in, they would be out of their kennels.

I am there with you! I let neighbors I know and friends of course.

I don't even trust my dh when we are out. :eek: he is so unfocussed. One time we had a booth at a green fair and I came back to the booth after running an earen and a lady came up to me and said "is this your dog? I found her by the water!":eek::eek::eek: talk about freaking ...so I take remy with me at all times when we are out!!!

Dh left her outside one time when he was grilling...we have a fenced yard thank goodness. She was at the door crying to come in when I returned.

I also worry when we have to go out of town and I have a house sitter( lucky me..I have friends) ..will they be as careful as I am?

I have shih tuz and I worry about them too but they are bigger and not the object of thief so much.