{"id":6959,"date":"2021-02-13T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-13T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tails.com\/blog\/?p=6959"},"modified":"2022-03-30T11:48:05","modified_gmt":"2022-03-30T10:48:05","slug":"dog-theft-what-to-do-and-how-to-stop-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tails.com\/blog\/dog-theft-what-to-do-and-how-to-stop-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Dog theft – what you should do if your dog gets stolen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A sad fact of lockdown is that more and more dogs are being stolen<\/strong>, and that\u2019s heartbreaking. We\u2019re seeing too many Facebook notices and shoutouts, so we talked to our team of dog owners, behaviourists and of course, Head Vet Sean, to give you the latest lowdown on dog theft – what you can have in place at home, what you should do when you\u2019re out and about, and lastly, what to do if the worst happens (that\u2019s right at the end of the page if you need that information right away).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are our top tips on how to keep your dog safe<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
At home<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Total recall<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Training is key.<\/strong> If you haven\u2019t got your dog\u2019s recall down to perfection, now\u2019s the time to really get that training under your belt. It\u2019s never too late to start and we\u2019ve got some great videos on YouTube<\/a> from our lovely animal behaviourist Diane from Superhounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you haven\u2019t got a puppy, don\u2019t worry – these tips are great. Sometimes it\u2019s good to go back to basics. If you have some smelly (tasty!) treats on hand to reward your dog when they get it right, that\u2019s even better. If your dog isn\u2019t motivated by food, you can use a clicker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collar and ID tag<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your dog should wear this at all times. <\/strong>It should have your surname, mobile number and address details on – and this is required by law when you\u2019re out in public.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember: leave your dog’s name off the ID tag<\/strong> so potential thieves can\u2019t trick them by calling their name.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is your dog microchipped?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the law for all dogs over 8 weeks<\/strong> – make sure yours is always up to date. There\u2019s more information on where to go and who to use on this brilliant government web page here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos, photos and more photos<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having lots of photos of your dog – taken from all angles – is nice for you and it helps you prove ownership if you do lose your dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the garden <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It might be toilet time but can you see them? Is your garden easily accessible? Could you do with an alarm on your gate?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re worried about your dog, keep them in your eye-line at all times.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know what’s going on in your area<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Nextdoor<\/a> app is a great way to keep an eye on what’s going on in your local area. A lot of your neighbours will share things they’ve spotted, near-misses, and anything suspicious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out and about<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Stranger Danger<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a walk or in the park, make sure you know where they are and you\u2019ve got your recall to hand<\/strong> to call them back to you when you need. If you\u2019re not sure – don\u2019t let them off lead.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be wary of strangers<\/strong> asking you questions, asking for photos, or asking to hold your dog. Some thieves act in pairs or small groups to use distraction techniques – one person distracts you from your dog while the other one snatches them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Posting on social media<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re on a walk and your dog is doing something gorgeous you want to share with the world, leave the location tags off.<\/strong> Thieves can locate you from your post, or get to know where you walk with your precious pup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the shops<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It might only be for a minute, but leaving your dog tied up outside a shop makes them an easy target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a car<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same goes for leaving your dog in the car whilst you run an errand.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your dog is stolen<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n