Hi

I'm planning to get an Alaskan Malamute puppy this year. Being a rare and expensive breed, I'm concerned about him being targeted by criminals who will want to steal him. I hear this kind of crime is getting quite common around the country.

I was wondering what kind of things could I do to prevent him being stolen from my property. I'm aware of microchips, is there anything else?

Thanks

You can get a visible tatttooo in his ear: http://www.dog-register.co.uk/

You could get him I.D chipped and make sure every one knows your doing it, and put the little green tag on his collar so strangers also know

The thing is, someone stealing a dog would throw the collar away as the first thing they did. From then on, unless the dog was scanned no one would know. The big problem with chips is that there is nothing for people to see.

Regards, John

What about CCTV in your garden or wherever on the property he might be left?

Before I got pup chipped I was weighing up whether it was better to chip , tattoo or both .
I recieved lots of good advice but eventually decided on chipping only .
One piece of advice i was given ( and it did concern me ) was that if someone was to take YOUR dog to another vet - the vet does NOT have to inform YOU if he checks the chip info as the "thief" is classed as his customer/patient and therefore the vet is under obligation to the thief / new owner . Apparently there was a piece about this in one of the Doggy mags . I'm sure someone else could elaborate on this . :( :( :( :(
Lel

A good trained working Labrador is selling for around £2500! I'm thinking of getting a safe to put "The Flower" in!

John

I wouldn't expect the vet to start playing detective - their obligation is to the health of the dog and their pocket if the 'thief' is prepared to pay for treatments. I can't see many of them bothering. I've always had to ask the vet to check for microchips - they have never done it as a matter of course - let alone following up the number displayed. Microchipped dogs must change hands as often as unchipped dogs. To get details not matching must be commonplace.

It's not so much that the vet can't be bothered to "play detective"....legally he's not allowed to. The person presenting the animal is his client, and that is the person whose instructions he must concur with.

It's ethically wrong, of course, but the vet's hands are tied. :(

If you have your dog tattoo'd, the tattoo can altered by some one determined enough, especially if the dog is rare or unusual.
Any method you use has its draw backs, the best you can hope for is a deterrent and keeping a close eye on yor dog.

There is NO way of defeating the determined dog thief in just the same way as there is no way of defeating the determined car thief.

Hi Malpal

Unless you live in an area were drugs are rife and someone might steal a dog to get the money to buy drugs I think a Mal would be a lot safer than lurcher, gundog and terrier breeds.

Christine

We have flood lights on top of the kennels aswell as the front and back of the house we have one at the side of the house, the keenls doors are padlocked at night and have smoke alarms in there as you can never be too care full ( I have huskies) I also have sensors which are wire up to my house alarm so if the kennels doors open when the alarm is on the house alarm goes off to. They have lighting in side the kennels and I have spot lights over the kennels alongside with small lanterns next to each door, plus they are micro chipped,

Heidi................the house that looks like blackpool :)

Your huskies smoke in bed heidi??? :D

Hi Sam,

Well Zeus has stopped totally, new year resoulution and all that its just Saskia, she has cut down loads its just after meals really, :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

LOL @Heidi:D :D

Hi Malpal,
I would say keep the dog indoors as opposed to kenneling it outside ( not something to be done with a single mal anyway). That way you know whats going on and where it is all the time.
Nothing to do with security but when you do choose your breeder, do it carefully. Make sure both the sire and the dam have been hip scored and eye tested. That the pups will be KC registered and have a 5 generation pedigree supplied with them. Also ALL good breeders endorse their KC documents for the health and welfare of the breed. If a breeder dosn't comply with the above, walk away and find one that does.I'll always help if you need advice on breeders and I'm sure Jacquie from Myatuk would help as well. Best wishes for you and your mal puppy.

Liz

Have you seen the new pics of my lot, not sure if I sent them you or not, let me now :)

Thanks for all the replys. I will definatley get him microchiped, don't like the idea of tattooing him really. I'm not gonna get too paranoid about dog nappers, I guess all you can do is be aware.

To Maid Marian, thanks for the advise. I know there are a few people out there crossing Mals with Huskies and other breeds, and advertising them as pedigree Malamutes. But rest assured I've done as much research as possible on the breed and breeders. I'm waiting for a pup from a well established breeder here in the UK, from two fine examples of the breed (screened for eyes, hips etc..), so fingers crossed it all works out.

Thanks Again

I think the microchip is the best choice. Before they were available I had my dogs tatooed on their inner thighs where the fur is light and the tatoo can be read. Tatooing on the ear was not advised, since many dog thieves cut the ear off, or that part of it which is tatooed. Horrible, but then dog thieves are horrible people.

Stacey

"since many dog thieves cut the ear off, or that part of it which is tatooed. Horrible, but then dog thieves are horrible people."
Stacey "

Is there any evidence of dogs having their ears cut off to get rid of a tattoo? I'm sure I was told that the NCDL and the NTR had no evidence of it happening. Not disputing that dog thieves are horrible though.

Helen

Helen,

I do not know about evidence from the NCDL and the NTR. As I said, this was years ago. It was also in the U.S., although I doubt it matters. Dogs were sometimes stolen for dog fighting, either as "bait" or to "train" to be a fighting dog. This still happens, unfortunately. Hence, an ear with a slice out of it was not an issue. Looks were not important, hence a piece of ear missing was not a problem. Same for dogs that were stolen to be trained (read, tortured) to be "guard dogs". That's why it was generally recommended to tatoo on the inner thigh.

Stacey

I read a good bit of advice re dog tags today - put 'requires medication' on it - if anyone is interested in stealing your dog, they might think twice if it wasn't 100% healthy....

What a good idea, could also put on the tag " this dog is stone deaf, so doesn't respond to any commands" which is half true any way ..............lol...........:)

Especially with Malamutes:D They are renowned as having 'selective hearing'! They cannot hear you shout 'NO' but will come running if you start eating a marshmallow, LOL!

Jean