# Wow? I just got a scare.



## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

I'm so glad I was looking out the window... if I wasn't there, I don't know what would have happened.

4 vehicles stopped in front of my house, never seen them on my road before. Some guy in the front vehicle got out, there is a bush in front of him so I can't tell what he's really doing for sure. Still peering out the window, curious what's going on. Sigurd looks confused. He starts walking INTO MY YARD with his hand out to Sigurd, looks like he's about to grab his collar, I go outside and yell "What are you doing!?" while he ignores me for a few seconds, trying to call him over, then he replies "Oh? This is your dog?" and goes away, with the 3 other vehicles with occupants laughing their heads off. No explaination, nothing. WHAT THE HOOT WAS HE DOING IN MY YARD TRYING TO GET MY DOG? I'm so unsure what just happened - was he playing stupid, trying to steal Sigurd?


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

People get their dogs stolen all the time around here. We NEVER let Sinister go outside without us. We are always with him. Dog thieves will come into your yard!


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Sounds like it!

How old is your dog?

I hesitate to think what Baron would react like if someone strange came into HIS yard!


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## WynterCote (Feb 15, 2010)

That is so weird! I'm glad your dog is ok. I would probably report it to your local police though.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

_And keep an eye out for the next few days/week as well! Since they know that he is there, they might come back._


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Did you call the police?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would also warn the neighbors as most probably have e-fences so the dogs are easily approached.
Scary for sure, too bad you couldn't get the license plate #'s.


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## fightin14 (Feb 18, 2010)

That has run through my mind a couple of time. I put a lock on our gate, for now. Once she gets a little older I won't be to worried about someone coming and getting her out of the yard because she is weary around new unaccompanied people in her backyard. Case in point I got home and walked outside came around the corner and startled her. She got defensive for a split second until she saw it was me. But anyhow glad Sigurd is ok.


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

Woow. That's ridiculous. I honestly hate people sometimes. Glad you were able to stop anything from happening to your pup.


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

Sigurd is a year old in a few days. So many people walk by our house, he doesn't seem to get fazed by it, truly, he was extremely cautious and confused. I am glad that Sigurd listened to us instead, and came to us when called. 

I called the police to file a report, I was told an officer will be coming around sometime tonight to talk. I feel bad reporting something like this, maybe wasting officers time, but doing something like that is unacceptable. Even if it WAS a mistake, or a misunderstanding (could be looking for his lost GSD or something... benefit of the doubt...)...

I'll be keeping an extra eye on Sigurd for the next couple weeks...


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

There may have been dogs getting stolen in the area, I know there are quite a few missing, all pure-bred. Boxer, springer and a GSD...so every report will help. Were you able to remember the vehicles makes?


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## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

OMG! How scary!!!!
People are so weird.
Im glad everything is ok now.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Please remember that he might of been testing your dog to see if it would allow them to enter your property. Bad enough if they were attempting to steal your dog. But it could have been much, much worse. 

Always report to the police anything that seems a little strange to you. Your tax dollars pay for your right to do that. And you may have some tidbit of information that helps save someone's life.


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## London's Mom (Aug 19, 2009)

I have heard that people will steal dogs and use them as carriers to smuggle drugs over the border. Once they are across, they cut the dog open and get their drugs. Horrible. I hope it's not true, but I would keep your dog with you at all times.


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## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

Around where I live all my neibors are family and we all own guns cuz we all hunt its in the country. If I saw someone I would have popped a couple shots in the air or over their head the I would ask what they want with my dog. I would hate to think if yu wernt watching. Good luck,


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## rickaz80 (Feb 24, 2008)

Be very careful; people who are into dog fighting will steel dogs and use them as bait dogs.


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Do you have a physical fence?




rickaz80 said:


> Be very careful; people who are into dog fighting will steel dogs and use them as bait dogs.


Please read this.. it's an interesting discussion on bait dogs. And how many, many dogs who are called bait dogs are actually not.. 
The Bait Dog Myth ... need reliable information - General Dog Discussions
"Bait Dogs" - Dog Debates


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I live in the country and have a gun and would never "pop a couple of shots over their heads." For one thing you would be shooting toward the road. It is irresponsible to write a thing like that on a public board. 

As for wasting the police officer's time. If someone came into your yard and started handling your four wheeler, would you call the police? A dog is property, valuable property. You are a property owner and pay taxes that pay for the police officers to have jobs to protect the community. 

If your dog is stolen, attacked, killed, it would cause you much pain. Police officers cannot protect us if we do not blow the whistle and let them know when something is suspicious. Police officers can then only write up reports and tally up the damage, and then look for perps. Personally, I would prefer that the cops could protect us, rather than give us justice after the fact. 

I would keep your dog safe, with you whenever possible for a while. If you have a relative, friend or neighbor near by, maybe you can park a crate there and take the dog there and crate him if you have to be gone for any length of time. 

I have read horror stories about bait dogs. It would KILL me if one of my dogs had this happen to them. My belongings be damned, I need them not. But my dogs are my life.


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## JOSHUA SAMPSON (Feb 21, 2010)

Dont know if this had been posted in the past, but i heard this when it cam e out and it's a similar story
http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2009/04/dog-murdered.html
This is a true story (both the book and the poor dog) this is the true life story of marcus luttrell and his rehab puppy who was gunned down by some ignorant thugs acting stupid. this is the reason I dont leave my dogs out where they can be dognapped when i am not at home. when i go to work they go in their boxes. I am just now considering letting my oldest dog stay out of her crate when i am not hom but not untill i attempt some trial runs for shorter times before i do. 

BTW Luttrell is an american war hero from the navy seals. if you havent read the book i HIGHLY recommend it.


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## vinceml (Feb 17, 2010)

ChristenHolden said:


> Around where I live all my neibors are family and we all own guns cuz we all hunt its in the country. If I saw someone I would have popped a couple shots in the air or over their head the I would ask what they want with my dog. I would hate to think if yu wernt watching. Good luck,


Around where I live all my neibors are family and we all own guns cuz we all hunt its in the country. If I saw someone I would have popped a couple shots in the air or over their head the I would ask what they want with my dog. I would hate to think if yu wernt watching. Good luck,
__________________
~Christen~

shot in the air? how about shots in the knee cap. bet that will teach them


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## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

Yes that would be better they would nt get far then and btw were I live they would have to leave the road to even get on our poperty or drive way and I would be shooting over the south canadian river. Or a pasture not a public road. If it was over a road it would be strait up. When I say county I mean like coyotes and bobcats deer ect that I have seen on our property and always shoot UP to scare them off.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

What goes up, must come down. 

If I am going to shoot toward a person, I will shoot the person, and not mess around. But I would have to be really sure that I could prove the person was a serious threat or I would spend time in jail. 

If I am spending time in jail, my dogs will go to the local shelter and some would be put down and others adopted. 

Does anyone else look at the consequences of their actions and how they would affect their animals? 

In my neck of the woods, someone has to be in your home for you to shoot them, and even then, you have to be pretty convincing about being scared of bodily harm.


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

:hammer:

there are laws you can't just shoot your gun at people..you can't even point a gun at someone without a good solid reason (proving fear of life threat is difficult). Popping off a few shots around people is a good way to not only lose your right to own a gun but also to end up in jail.


to the OP
call your PD's non emergency line and tell them what happened, hopefully you can give some details like car type and color. Let your neighbors know and keep your eyes out. If it happens again try to get plate #, description of the people and call 911 right away

be safe!


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

That's so scary. I can't think of any other reason why 4 vehicles would randomly pull up to a house just for a dog unless they were going to steal it.


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## milkmoney11 (Feb 11, 2010)

I'm assuming you have an invisible fence. It's possible it could have been something as innocent as they thought the dog was loose and was going to check the collar. 

That doesn't explain the other 3 cars though...


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I know this neighborhood, it isn't a thru street, so what they were even doing in it is questionable. Could they have been construction guys or guys placing lawn care ads in mailboxes< that is going on in many neighborhoods this time of year. 
And the neighborhood association will not allow regular fencing so many dog owners have e-fencing. Very weird.


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## JOSHUA SAMPSON (Feb 21, 2010)

dont fire warning shots, however in many states it is permissible to shoot at people attempting to steal "livestock" and if you own a PB GSD it could be considered as such especially if you can breed them and sell pups for $. if you have a dog trained for herding that counts too. as far as municipalities it is usually illegal to "discharge" a firearm in the city limits. be carefull 

although if i were ( and i never will) going to fire a "warning shot" i would not fire _over_ their heads but rather into the ground next to me at a steep down angle, within 15 degrees of straight down


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

Thank you for all your support! What a strange happening. 

The police officer came and took a report, he was a really nice cop. He said what person in their right mind would go up to an unknown German Shepherd. He said we did the right thing calling in something of that sort, as he's seen a lot of dogs get stolen out of people's yards.

A bit after the cop left, 2 young girls came to our house, I've seen them before. They are probably freshmen in high school. They apologized so much - saying that their cousin from Canada thought it was his friends/relatives GSD that ran away (said they are visiting friends/relatives that live on a street that turns into our neighbourhood). It scared me so much, I am really upset the guy didn't say something about the missing dog, or ask us if we've seen a GSD, or that he didn't even think to come to the door to ask us about Sigurd. He really should have said something after realizing he has the wrong dog/he's trespassing/looking really suspicious. Really fishy that he just sped off without saying a dang word! I am thinking he was just really embarrassed, then sped off and told his cousins or whatever they are what happened. The guy should come apologize himself! I'm just trying to grasp the thought if I didn't come out - what if he DID grab Sigurd, brought him to his family/friends/whatever and then realized it wasn't the dog? Would he bring him back? 

Even though it's cleared up, I'm still going to be extra cautious with letting Sigurd out. This is a real eye opener - holy cow was that ever scary!! Sorry if I caused any worry - false alarm, thank goodness.

Now if only the association would allow me to get a darn fence!!!


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## Tbarrios333 (May 31, 2009)

I'm glad that whole mess was resolved. 
One of my dogs, Zeus, was stolen right from my backyard. I always kept him inside with me, but on my Bday weekend, I went out of town and left him with my mom and grandpa(I lived at home). My grandpa let him out in the patio with a bone, and someone opened the screen door and took him. 
The screen door was closed securely, but not locked and there were no holes in the screen for him to escape through. 
We looked for months and never found him  Even now, I look for him in shelters and that was years ago. I'll always wonder what happened.


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## Vault_101 (Feb 13, 2010)

The story still sounds fishy to me even with the girls' apologies. What are the chances of someone else having a missing GSD the same coloring, size, and age as yours. If the guy was just looking for any GSD that could be the missing dog without knowing what it looked like in person or at least in a picture, well, then that's just stupid. 

I've never even thought about mine getting stolen, my biggest fear is me being away from home and having a house fire and the dogs being inside. Just thinking about it makes me shake.


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## KITTIEG (Feb 28, 2010)

Glad Sigurd is ok. Better be safe than sorry. People can be cruel & do cruel things to animals that are beyond our understanding. 
Good job.


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Ah, so you have no fence? Honestly, when I see a dog without a fence, I watch to see if he leaves to yard, then I contain it and go to the house where he was to see if it's theirs.. 9 times out of 10 it isn't, and it's just a loose dog.

I don't know, Sigurd looks like what everyone thinks a GSD should, he's a saddleback. So if the friend said his black/tan colored GSD was loose, seeing a typical GSD without a fence around it would seem highly likely to be his dog...

Perhaps if you want him out and can't put a fence up, fix a chain close to the house? Where you can easily keep an eye on him? Or just simply going out with him every time... The only times I don't are when J has a upset tummy and wants to be out in fear of going inside..


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## mandelyn (Mar 23, 2007)

People will steel a purebred dog in a heart beat. I'm so paranoid about it! Let them try with Ricca, but my boys will walk off with anyone who has a cookie. Logan will ask them if they want the TV too.

I don't trust people not to either tease my dogs or try to make off with them, and I don't trust my dogs to stay in the yard, so I'm out there with them or standing in the door either way.


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## Metalsmith (Mar 25, 2009)

Incidents like this scare the heck out of me. I'm glad you were right there to intervene. I'm not sure I buy the story about lost dog . Sounds sketchy to me. 

I've become much more pessamistic about people. Remember the recent case of the German Shepherd mix found dead after being dragged behind a pickup for several miles? 

Here's the story:dog. He and another dog was left unattended in the back of a truck parked in town. Both dogs were stolen from the back of the truck. The guy who stole them gave them to his sister. After the shepherd mix killed one of her cats, she told her brother to "get rid of" the dog. He took the dog out and killed it by tying it to the bumper of his truck and driving for miles up steep hills. Both the guy and his sister have been indicted. 

There are a lot of sick weirdos out there.


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## Vault_101 (Feb 13, 2010)

Metalsmith said:


> Incidents like this scare the heck out of me. I'm glad you were right there to intervene. I'm not sure I buy the story about lost dog . Sounds sketchy to me.
> 
> I've become much more pessamistic about people. Remember the recent case of the German Shepherd mix found dead after being dragged behind a pickup for several miles?
> 
> ...


Im gonna catch flak for this but oh well, 

I would happily walk into prison for the chance at doing to that guy what he did to that poor dog.



Ugh, just one more reason for me not to have kids. Even those aspca commercials make me tear up. Honestly I feel worse when I hear about animal cruelty then when I hear about person on person violence. I have a coworker that constantly "jokes" about killing my dogs, yeah, . . one day soon he's going to the hospital and Im going to be job searching


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## adasmomma22 (Feb 8, 2010)

wow that is scary, im always worried about maryjane being taken, one good thing about her is that she is a big scardy dog, wont let strangers anywhere near her.


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## JOSHUA SAMPSON (Feb 21, 2010)

Apparently there is demand in mexico for GSD's in the dog fighting circles. I have heard of dogs being kidnapped by mexicans and taken to mexico for this purpose


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

That is really scary!!
If someone just walked up in MY yard and went to try and steel my dogs, the people would get hurt badly...
A few years ago I was outside with my two older dogs, had Cody offleash, and was letting them go potty. I looked up and a man was approaching me and stepped into my yard and I screamed because I didn't know what he was going to do. Cody ran from the other side of the yard and went to attack him, just barely had his mouth around the guy's arm, but I called him off before any damage was done as I was thinking that I didn't know the laws regarding bites even though this guy was in my yard, I don't think I've ever thought so fast, lol. I was pretty shaken after that but I do know my dogs will protect me if someone steps in my yard. So Sigurd has good control, I don't think that's the word I want but it's interesting that Sigurd didn't attack the guy.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I talked with a neighbor and there was a witness, though she couldn't hear the converasation of Sigurds mom or the person. But the witness "Pam" saw that two of the vehicles had Indiana plates, and two had Ontario. That in itself is weird...
Right now, our community is having armed robberies, with people getting robbed at gunpoint in their cars, different parking lots, high volume traffic, so they are bold. Makes me want to take my reactive dog with me as a deterrant, but I would be horrified if she was hurt defending me.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

That sounds really scary Jane, makes me thankful I bring my dogs with me almost all the time.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

mjbgsd said:


> That is really scary!!
> If someone just walked up in MY yard and went to try and steel my dogs, the people would get hurt badly...
> A few years ago I was outside with my two older dogs, had Cody offleash, and was letting them go potty. I looked up and a man was approaching me and stepped into my yard and I screamed because I didn't know what he was going to do. Cody ran from the other side of the yard and went to attack him, just barely had his mouth around the guy's arm, but I called him off before any damage was done as I was thinking that I didn't know the laws regarding bites even though this guy was in my yard, I don't think I've ever thought so fast, lol. I was pretty shaken after that but I do know my dogs will protect me if someone steps in my yard. So Sigurd has good control, I don't think that's the word I want but it's interesting that Sigurd didn't attack the guy.


It sounds like you were very lucky that you were able to call him off - I doubt if the laws in your state would allow a dog attack simply for coming into your yard.


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> I talked with a neighbor and there was a witness, though she couldn't hear the converasation of Sigurds mom or the person. But the witness "Pam" saw that two of the vehicles had Indiana plates, and two had Ontario. That in itself is weird...
> Right now, our community is having armed robberies, with people getting robbed at gunpoint in their cars, different parking lots, high volume traffic, so they are bold. Makes me want to take my reactive dog with me as a deterrant, but I would be horrified if she was hurt defending me.


There was a witness? I never saw anyone around, they must have been peeking through their windows...? I got a phone call from a neighbour (one that owns a Kolenda dog), she said she had got an e-mail from another neighbour who talked to Jane. She was scared and worried, but I told her the outcome, so she's going to talk to the other people and let them know it was most likely bad communication...


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## Shelbyrenee (Apr 13, 2009)

If someone ever tired to do that to Bam or even come into her yard she would be trying to eat them or chasing them down the road. I dont ever let her outside without watching her and if she is out in the front yard I go with her.


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

I usually don't go out with him, but my house has so many windows, I can literally see him from every angle. I usually sit in the fireplace room, which has four large windows that face where he usually plays. When I'm in the kitchen/hall-way, I can see the back yard and through a window by the front door (front yard). The living room windows cover the back and side of my house and the dining room windows cover the back, side and front. I'm not worried that I won't see him when inside, I always have a visible view. Just like if I had kids, I'd let them play outside without me, as long as I could see them through a window!


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

codmaster said:


> It sounds like you were very lucky that you were able to call him off - I doubt if the laws in your state would allow a dog attack simply for coming into your yard.


And that is the reason why I'm thankful that I was able to say those few words to stop Cody because I didn't know what the law was regarding that even though this man stepped into my yard and was coming up to me. I'm thankful to have a dog that listens well even when he was just doing his job protecting me.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...132042-buncher-alert-north-central-mn-wi.html
This is scary and sounds much like the experience with Sigurds Mom.


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...132042-buncher-alert-north-central-mn-wi.html
> This is scary and sounds much like the experience with Sigurds Mom.



Wow that is scary!!


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## hjthomas13 (Feb 12, 2010)

Probably some creeps who wanted the dog for breeding purposes. I hear it happens all the time. I read an article about a shelter that had some of these people on the payroll, sort of like an inside job. People will stop at nothing when there is money involved.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Thats scary!! Thank goodness your dog is alright! The trainer at Molly's OB classes told us about crazy people doing stuff like this.She told us to get a "Dog on Duty" sign instead of "Beware of Dog" sign, its more affective.And yes people do steal dogs for breeding purposes.If some crazy person stole a dog that was pure-bred, and found out it was spayed/neuter they might kill it or worse.She told us to say Molly is a mutt, because those crazy dognappers would not want her.But Molly looks too much of a pure bred to eb mistaken for a mutt.Plus thank god we have Tanner.His bark and size scare people away, even those crazy religious people dont bother coming to our house anymore, becasue of Tanner's bark.Plus Tanner looks like a wolf, but people may think he is and steal him and illegally breed wolf dogs, and he looks like a show-dog, or has show dog looks.Thank god i live around the block from the police station.A few people around the block from me have GSDs as well.Robbers may also steal your dog and set it up fro ransom, then you have every right to call the police and they will get involved.But we dont let Molly & Tanner out in the front anyways.The shelter I work at will not let people adopt any black cats on Halloween, because of what sickos will do.I am not usre about black dogs. *looks at Tanner*Black dog, with wolfish looks.O.O.Well, I know how to use a bat, knife, and karate and I can scream very loud!lol.

But the main thing is both you and your dog are ok.Yes, be more cautious since this happened.And for those girls who came by, kinda fishy.There are alot of whackos out there.


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