Lockable collars/leads

I was about to post this in the $30 gps tracker thread but I guess it is a bit too off-topic. Since reading that thread though I have been scouring the interweb for all sorts of workaround products to use while we await the development of a gps microchip by petitsfilous!

I admit I can be a bit melodramatic at times, but without wanting to submit to living in fear, I do get concerned by the rise in pet theft, (or at least the rise in awareness of pet theft perhaps?) but stories like this poor family whose dog was stolen from them during a walk around the block by a thief who simply unclipped the dog's leash and ran off with the poor little thing, well it is the stuff of nightmares to me. My Cora has great recall, and I'd like to convince myself that I'm 99% sure she is strong enough in bond and body strength to return to me even if being pulled away, but that 1% doubt still eats away at me.

I'm not keen on the Petloc one as it doesn't really fit my needs. What I'd be more interested in is a separate collar and leash, or something that would work with my current collars and different training leads, perhaps with a combination locked double headed trigger hook? Do such things exist? I know you can get combination lock carabiners for backpacks and buggies - does anyone use these for their dog equipment?
Fabric-wise, I'm not looking for something that would be impossible to cut through either. Heaven forbid my poor girl ever was taken I wouldn't want any risk to her by them trying to cut through her collar etc. I guess so long as it was something fussy enough to prevent a quick release by nimble fingers it might put off an opportunist trying any further.

I guess my post is more curiosity driven than anything else. But safety is something I'm sure is always lingering in our minds as responsible pet people, and I'm sure I'm not alone in my madness of imagining the unlikeliest of scenarios but still wanting to prevent them.

The chances of your dog being stolen whilst you're on the other end of the lead must be a few million to 1. The fact that it did happen to some unfortunate lady does not mean it will become more common. Do you know the size of the stolen dog? I'd guess it was a toy variety that could have been carried?

I'm not making light of your concerns. I'm a worryer too but sometimes I have to pull myself up and think about the probability of whatever worry I'm chewing on.

I've not to be worrying about my dog getting stolen

and even if, the thief will bring her back again, straight afterwards he robbed her

as she's such an terrible dog! nobody can bear her but me

Hi Eroeg,

Yes, I know it is a million to one chance. To be honest I wrote that post under the influence of Tramadol as I recently suffered a back injury! I think in my painkiller haze, and feeling concerned about my ability to protect my dog due to the injury, I read the article, and read posts on here regarding gps trackers and my mind focussed on horrible, if unlikely, possibilities.

You are right though, the stolen dog was a border terrier, but I believe the thief unclipped the lead and ran away whistling and beckoning the dog to follow - and it did - which I think is a stark reminder to us all of the importance of good recall.

However, I do know people on Dogsey with dogs as big as huskies/GSDs who have posted about having people comment on and try to "handle" their dogs/check collars/ID tags while out walking.

pep, hi im in the same boat , i never leave my dog alone, because we are having a spate of dog thefts in kent, they dont just steal from gardens they will break in. also having a ridgeback would be rich pickings So i understand your concerns im in the same boat i have an entire large male husky who is dog aggressive, ive looked at petlock etc, but they are more for people leaving a dog outside a shop for 5 mins plus its onky two numbers on combination whichdoesnt take long to figure out. i would wait for the gps, i use a lead which i wear round my waist and am thinking of putting a lock on the collar , they would have to physically attack me to get it off, meaning then a more serious crime. but the gps covers you in all eventuallities, because you can trace where the dogs been taken and then know whos taken it, because if a chip was to be cut out (if these theifs do this which i think unlikely) then they still have to take somewhere first giving you a head start. how much is this chip? i pay a retired person to look after mine if im out i would rather have peice of mind, excuse my grammer using a new tablet and not getting on at all with its keyboard grrrrr.

and im sorry to say thst whilst theeconomic situation worsens, so will these crimes although a gps might deter these theives until they learn another crime to do. let me knkw if you get the gps i may do so also.

Yep, that's what I thought about the Petloc too. I don't tend to leave her alone, though in the past I have been guilty of leaving her in the car while I nip out on an errand - that has now stopped as I heard about a dog being stolen from a locked car just this year.

I get what you say about a Ridgeback being rich pickings, but the thing with my girl is she is constantly surprising people who have a prejudiced idea of the breed. She is very friendly, not at all aggressive, and as my day carer has recently said to me she doesn't really even stick up for herself much when other dogs bully her - she still just wants to play, which if she was ever to end up in the wrong hands could be absolutely dire for her.

I already wear her double multi-point training lead like a sash around my body, for training purposes, but I guess this already makes it less likely for someone to steal her leash from my hand.

The GPS thread is within this forum - someone was asking what features they would suggest for a new, cheaper GPS tracker en engineering student is designing. As far as I'm aware, there is currently no GPS microchip implant (like the current ID microchip we implant in dogs) but I believe again there is development/design surrounding the idea at present.

I know it must be millions to one but just this morning we nearly lost Betty luckily a lovely man with a staffie took chase and brought down the man who had grabbed her. Never seen anything so fast one minute he was asking if he could say hello to them both next he was off with her in his arms ! We are quite well known on that walk so when I yelled the gentleman who helped knew instantly who she belonged to and took off running after him.

Rang the police when I got home but they seemed to think no harm done and would be a civil matter anyway.

Taught me a lesson I can tell you.

Eeesh. I can only imagine how shaken you much have been by the incident. I think I am going to invest in some combination lock carabiners and try them out both to secure the collar, and attach my leash.

Gosh Julie that is scary.
Thank goodness you got Betty back.