You'd think that, but you'd be shocked how many times I've been, say, in a coffee shop, and seen someone attempt to "say hello" to Caleb b/c he was in the car, windows down. Men have actually lifted their children up to see the "pretty doggie."
OTOH, when Mia is peacefully chewing her bone at an outside table with me, these folks are nowhere to be found, LOL. Ironic, eh?

In this yuppie town, parents think it's their right to have their child maul and molest everything with fur...even if it's clearly within its owners' property. My moron coworker actually stuck his head in my car while I was in the office. He only did it once . Luckily, he didn't lose his face (I think b/c he'd met him several times prior), but that's the mentality around here. Windows up, a/c on is much safer for the dog, unfortunately, at least from a legal standpoint. I would worry about someone being bitten and it being my fault b/c I shouldn't have left a "dangerous" dog in the car w/windows down, etc., etc. He would never bite anyone who didn't have appendages INSIDE the car, but I just don't trust the common sense aspect of the law enough to chance it.

Jenni, do you have pics up in the Member Bio section? Would like to see all your dogs (how many?) and am curious about the cute little puppy with your older GSD (yes, love those blacks!). And "reliably nasty" - perfect term LOL.

Alice, just a side note on what you wrote...regarding my last GSD, once she was in the car with the windows cracked 1/3 of the way down. I came out of the store just in time to see a kid about 9 or 10 starting to reach in through the window to pet her. I yelled at him to stop and he did. I can't say that my dog would have bitten him, I'm venturing to say she wouldn't since he was a child and she was always gentle with kids, but I can honestly say that I don't know. So there are some people or kids that would try reaching in that window. I wish parents would teach kids about dogs, not to scare them, but to make them wise and set down some common sense rules!

Sandy, I don't have any in the member bio section, but you can see them all in my photobucket pages, which I think you can get to from my profile. Here's the link, if not: http://www.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Jenwilliams918

to a couple people comparing their dog's temperaments: don't rely on his/her temperament to prevent theft. a good squirt in the face with "aerostart" or any other ether-based product renders most dogs either complacent or unconcious.

if i were a god-fearing type, i'd imagine there's a special place in hell reserved for those who steal dogs.

Yes, true, but again, you're talking about a planned theft, and in an area where no one would see. We were more talking about a spur-of-the-moment decision to nab a dog from a public place, hoping it would just follow you home. Many of our dogs would NOT follow someone home just b/c they grabbed their leash while the dog was waiting outside a coffee shop, or in the car w/windows down.

If someone's planning on stealing a dog, and stakes them out, and then comes prepared, well, that's a whole different ballgame. Nauseatingly despicable, I might add.

Funniest thing, when my GSD was a pup, everyone wanted to pet her and check her out. Now that she's grown up(60lbs+ and 15 mo old) people(kids mostly) would rather check her out from a distance and I couldn't tell you how many times I've heard a kid say or ask if she's a wolf or a "wolf/dog". I smile and say no she's a GSD and she's a good girl and is quite nice(unless you try to come into my house at night unanounced).

First we must recognize that a dog can be stolen regardless of its location. However, the fear is that a dog in a kennel outdoors will be a more tempting target to a would-be theif than a dog indoors.

So, the question is how do we reduce that temptation to steal the dog from an outdoor kennel?

The dog in the house is a more difficult target because it requires a breaking and entering of a dwelling (a serious crime) and the possibility of being caught by an alarm or resident.

While we can not make the dog's kennel a dwelling under the law that would result in more serious charges we can present a deterent by adding to the belief that the theif will be caught.

Currently there are a number of both wireless and wired cameras that can be purchased at very reasonable cost for outdoor use. The images of said cameras can be wirelessly broadcast into a home and recorded either by a DVR or VCR. A cameras that records images around the kennel and were placed in other key areas along the property would serve as a powerful deterrent. These cameras would also aid authorities in the apprehension and prosecution of the theifs.

The simplest steps like having a lock on the gate, high kennel walls, and extending the walls of the kennel into the earth would also serve to slow and may even deter a would-be theif.

Motion lights at night positioned to catch intruders would also serve as a way to deter, alert, and identify.

The simple addition of "no trespassing signs" will also serve as a deterrent and leave no question as to whether a trespasser is or is not on private property.

A V-Chip inserted in your pet can also be valuable in the recovery of the dog to prove ownership.

Good relations with your neighbors and trying to avoid a steady/predictable schedule will also go along way. So introduce your family to your neighbors and let them know when you're most often to be away from home. In addition, try to make it home during the day at random often enough that it would leave questions as to when you'll be home.

Keep the line of sight between your main residential building and the kennel clear so that anyone near the kennel would be in clear view of any person at home.

Really there isn't any sure way to prevent the theft of an animal by a determined individual, but you can take a lot of steps to seriously increase your security and likelyhood of recovery.

A dog with thousands of dollars and countless days of training invested in it should be protected like any other portable and highly expensive possession in terms of security to say nothing of the emotional element. Investment in money and time to secure a dog is a worthy and logical step to take. Good luck.

Excellent post Mr. Bliss. We've decided to postpone the kennel until we have the time to invest to do it the right way...the correct installation, with fencing into the ground etc. Motion lights are an excellent idea. There's much more to this little project than I anticipated. Much more than going to Home Depot and buying a 10 X 12 enclosure and calling it a day!
In my OP regarding the sign about a stolen dog the person had a large sheet of plywood at the end of his property with pics of a mastiff type dog. I tend to think this was for real.

Well, Mr. Bliss sure covered everything I thought of and much much more!

I for one am definitely paranoid about dog theft - my neighbourhood borders on one that isn't too wonderful and I've gotten more than a few strangers asking me how much Jenga is worth...most of the dogs in my area are just the average, and then there I am with my "fancy" and "rare" purebred. I would never leave my dogs out while I wasn't home, and I wouldn't leave Digger or Jenga out even if I was home - although we do leave Bella (manchester terrier) out for short periods occasionally (she barks hysterically if strangers look at her or approach her and would never accept a treat).

That’s funny this conversation is on the board today. My neighbour caught a couple drunks trying to take one of my pups last Saturday. I guess it’s also a good thing to have your pups learn the “watch” command at an early age, because the barking caught my neighbour’s attention pretty quick. I don’t know what I would have done? probably would have got Cali to do a track.