Dog Theft – Keep Your Dog Close

It’s always sad to be hear about dog theft. Pippa the Springer Spaniel has been taken locally – I trained some of the siblings of this dog. Dog theft doesn’t just occur from gardens and cars. This dog was stolen in full view of the owner by teenagers on bikes. Unfortunately, the dog had ranged too far from the owner for them to be able to prevent the theft from happening.

I always tell people not to rush into letting their puppies off the lead. This especially applies to hunting breeds, like Spaniels. Gundogs will follow their nose and quickly cover ground, despite the length of their puppy legs. With the current high demand for puppies, it is especially important to keep your young dog close to avoid the heartache of dog theft.

Many people think puppy socialisation means allowing your dog to run up to any stranger in their dog. This is not the case. Socialisation means building a familiarity with new environments, while still keeping the dog beside you and building the bond with you. If your puppy runs up to a stranger, you may never see them again.

Even when you dog gets older, if they are well trained it is perfectly possible to keep them close to you. Too much freedom is inviting all kinds of problems. Keep a close eye on your dog by keeping them close to you.

Posted: October 8, 2020