I was approached by a young couple with young children yesterday while i was out on a walk.
They asked if my dog was 'said breed', i replied 'yes'.
They then asked 'do you have to get these from proper breeders?', i again replied 'yes'.
I was then expecting them to ask about the breed, but sadly not.

I was then asked how expensive are they, i said 'quite'. I didn't want to elaborate as i didn't feel comfortable with these people.
They then wanted to know the exact cost of a pup. I never told them, but agreed with a between cost they came out with.
The they wanted to know if my dog was young. Now this really got be concerned.

Why ask all these questions, i felt very wary of this couple, more so that they had no direct interest in the breed, more like they may be interested in breeding or stealing a dog.. My mind wanders a lot and i tend to think the worst when i get asked questions like this.
My boy wouldn't come over, which i am glad about and he stayed well away from this family - I do like to think that my boy has a good sense of judgement.

Have you ever been asked questions like this before, where they have no interest in the breed directly?

Yep had the exact same sort of experience.  All I can hear in my head is the little voice saying "flee flee!".  I could see the pound signs kerching in the chap's eyes so I didn't walk the dogs round there for a while.  And thankfully moved to a much better area not long after.

I was approached by a guy, who I felt really knew my breed and was interested in his form and only if he would be trained to work.Odd and probing,maybe, but he did not worry me at all.Genuine interest I felt.
Another time  and with my other dog, questions where along the same type of questioning as OP. I was very, very uneasy about that and actually changed my route and delayed returning to my home in case they had followed. I felt that uneasy by them.

You're right to be cautious Sue.  Having a breed which is relatively unusual but by no means 'rare' I often get quizzed about the price of pups and 9x10 I'm very reluctant to carry on a conversation.  I always make a point of saying 'they may be unusual around here but they're very common elsewhere in the UK' in the hope this makes the point they're not a valuable commodity £s wise :(

I think in this day and age when dog thefts are reportedly increasing we have to be extremely careful.  Apart from my declared dislike of stickers (let's leave it there :-D ) I wouldn't ever have a car sticker saying 'showdogs in transit' or 'Crufts qualified' etc  - IMO it's unnecessarily inviting attention.

I tell everyone who casually asks about them that my dogs are pets and neutered and that the cost of a pup is the same as any other common breed.

> I think in this day and age when dog thefts are reportedly increasing we have to be extremely careful.

As part of our Parish Plan process the whole village has recently been asked to complete a questionnaire.  We're part way through collating the results and, so far, I appear to be the only one that thinks my dogs are at risk of theft.  I put this question into the form as I thought it was relevant but it really seems I may be the only one who thinks so!!  I'm certainly not the only dog owner, there are plenty of pedigrees as well as mongrels and there are a couple of people in the village who do activities with their dogs such as showing and obedience.

Does anyone know if dog theft it is actually increasing or are we as a group just more aware of those cases because we read about it on here, in the dog papers, or hear about it at shows?  I must say that I've not noticed dog thefts reported in our local paper.

With this in mind do you all allow your name and address to be included in show catalogues?  I did, then had a worry about publishing my address, and now I'm not sure.  It is useful to be able to get in touch with people and I've used the info in tha catalogue a few times to find contact details...

> Does anyone know if dog theft it is actually increasing

Just google 'increase in dog theft' or similar and you'll see that it is reported as a growing crime.

A woman in our village has a very rare small breed. If she gets the "Oh they must be worth a lot" sort of question, she always says they are very difficult to sell, because no-one's ever heard of them, and consequently they aren't worth much at all - that usually makes the questioners go away.

This is one thing that really bugs me :(

Walking my 3 dogs recently, a man I know by sight says "ohh you've got your hands full"   me "not really they're quite well behaved"  ( His staffy apology drags him down the street ;) )  Him  "they look lovely, must be worth a mint.  Do you breed em?"  :(    me "about the same as any pup of any other breed, and no they're just pets"      Him disappointed "Oh I thought they must be more"    me "Well, that's what most people think about pedigrees, but by the time you've paid for all the health testing your losing money not making it"   I've lost count of the number of times I've had this conversation :(

Next-door neighbour saw my pup last year and commented that they must be worth at least £1000 each because a friend paid that much for an American Bulldog pup (Boxer/Bulldog/Staffy X) my answer was he was robbed, he could have had a proper pedigree dog from a top kennel for about half that

I've sadly come to the conclusion that you can't educate pork, you can only cure it :( :( :(

> I've sadly come to the conclusion that you can't educate pork, you can only cure it

Well said Dill! As for the  "oh you've got your hands full there", if I had a pound for every time I've heard that!!

> With this in mind do you all allow your name and address to be included in show catalogues?  I did, then had a worry about publishing my address, and now I'm not sure.

Because of my job i now have my address withheld in catalogues except for the breed ones. I came across a man who worried me about 6 months ago and from there i stopped having my address and contact details in the catalogues. Though now i can't recall what i have done for Crufts.

I have a boston who i think is adorable to look at, but the amount of rude people who come up to me ask what breed it is and u inform them then the reply is really !!, yes thats what i said, then they ask how much , which i dont reply to, if u think a dogs ugly and u dont like it why do u want to know price?, have been stopped three times today in park because of that new film dog hotel and was told better keep him under close guard in case he gets stolen?, i also with hold my address in show catalogues.

I have also started to have my address witheld in catalogues. I also get the usual questions about price etc and give very vague answers.

I read somewhere,a few years ago, that crooks were checking catalogues and then part of their gang was going to the house as they thought there was a good chance that the property would be empty.

> I tell everyone who casually asks about them that my dogs are pets and neutered and that the cost of a pup is the same as any other common breed.

I say the same, and it is pretty much true.

no but luckily i dont have to walk my dogs in public places,as this is the very situation i would worry about!

I got asked once ages ago when George was a little pup but some 'chav' types shouting across the park if he was for sale!  I must admit I was a bit scared as I was on my own with a little pup and there were loads of them.  I just replied no and luckily that seemed to be the end of it.  All I can think is that as he is an all white boxer they thought he was an American Bulldog type (sigh!) and would look tough when he was bigger.

I am glad they didn't come any nearer though as in their sheer numbers they were an intimidating looking bunch.  I know it's not the same situation but I was worried about him being stolen.

if someone who im not comfortable with asks me about my dogs and ask if i breed i tend to say no i dont they are all rescue with expensive heart problems, need medication everyday etc. etc.. hoping this will put them off any intentions to steal.
A lot of young lads see a giant breed and think they might look even better than the uniform staffy, or pitt.

my hubby was walking our 2 bitches recently and 2 guys actually stopped their car and shouted through the window........'hey mister you've got some money on the end of those leads'!! it shook him.........he hurried home and avoided that route on the next walk.  what a shame we almost have to look over our shoulder before venturing out these days.

My Leo is always a spayed xbreed with hip problem&funny temperament...
Too many dodgy people around here and people whose first question is the how much or will you breed from her...
Or actually most of the time it is: You should use HIM for stud :) :) They obviously miss my little girls femine look and lady walk!

Only if I can see genuine interest or it is a nice doggy person will I chatter about the dog and breed.

I don't publish my address in the catalogues as you never know who is reading...

Nice one Dill, why is it people put a price ticket on everything. We are very protective of our two always locked up with us, even leaving them at the kennel makes me worry. I think that there is an increase in dog theft check our own dog pages. Mine aren't expensive but I still worry and never ever leave them outside of a shop. My OH was banned from taking his BC out the other day as I knew he could not see where the car was parked even if it was locked. No way someone might nick him!!

Lesleyanne, I know what you mean about the Hotel for Dogs film. Our Boston who gets a lot of attention anyway has been getting a lot more comments. We usually fib and tell people the reason they are 'rare' is that they are a difficult to handle breed with health problems so difficult to sell. Amazing how many peoples second question (after 'what is it?') is 'How Much?'

Not aimed at anyone is particular but I worry that telling people that your dog has health problems is just adding to the public misperceptions of pedigree dogs after 'that' programme.

True - it's not a route I'd go down but can understand when we're worried and trying to protect our own that the first thing which comes to mind re putting folks off may be health.

It's a bit of a catch 22 situation - genuinely interested people who are considering the breed or who would like to look further into it may be put off.

I'm a complete mug and love talking about my dogs - people do say to me "oh they are a horrible breed and nippy etc" so I have to correct them, staffys and rotts aren't the only breed with a popular misconception.  Generally the suspicious characters get around to the subject of money very quickly so I usually make my excuses and leave before I give too much away.  But no, I'd never lie about health problems and the dogs look too healthy anyway for someone to be taken in by it.

What I meant about saying there are health problems is that breeders are working to get rid of inherited problems so anyone selling this breed of dog would need all relevant DNA tests etc. Hopefully this would put off anyone not familiar with the breed.

> What I meant about saying there are health problems is that breeders are working to get rid of inherited problems so anyone selling this breed of dog would need all relevant DNA tests etc. Hopefully this would put off anyone not familiar with the breed.

I can totally understand why owners want to put people that make them feel uncomfortable off their chosen breed but someone genuinely interested in the breed might be asking questions and if one of the first answers they get is about inherited health problems that might well be the end of their investigations into that breed. Should we not being doing a little bit to promote our breeds rather to the unfamiliar? I have a vulnerable breed that I had never even heard of till a friend at the opposite end of the country started telling me about her dogs and put me in touch with a breeder.

It's so easy to talk to people, and not know whether they are genuinely interested, or those who are a little underhand..

why not just tell them about your breed, and then simply tag on at the end.. "although, I have noticed a change in coats once they have been spayed"

covers a multitude of sins.. you are promoting your breed... THEIR interpretation of your 'spayed' comment will put them off, IF you feel they are less than genuine

i think what people are saying is they put people off who they think are perhaps undesirable and who they would never ever consider selling a pup to. i have met lovely people at fun dog shows who i would stand all day and say how great my breed is, however if someone who looks incapable of looking after themselves never mind one of our precious pups asks about them i have no issues whatsoever saying they have heart murmurs with expensive daily medication etc...

> why not just tell them about your breed, and then simply tag on at the end.. "although, I have noticed a change in coats once they have been spayed"

Personally I would far rather say something like this that say that they have health problems as I feel that there are too many folk putting down pedigrees just now.

i always answer questions about the breed but never to do with money or my own circs eg " bet you live in a big house ".
Also have name and address withheld for all shows etc.
you can never be to careful.

I remember it used to be considered rude to ask people personal questions about money matters etc... sign of the times I suppose!

As for being wary I definitely would be even if I owned a cross breed- it's not just pedigrees that can be stolen. Often dogs can be stolen to use as "bait" dogs for dog fighting and given that the dogs are basically there to be attacked I'm guessing the thieves won't be too fussy about the dogs they steal. Sick but true. As for stealing pedigrees to sell on or use as breeding machines I think that celebrities and Hollywood have a lot to answer for- the trend for toy dogs, bulldogs, shar peis etc and the subsequent astronomic prices that unscrupulous breeders can demand can at least in some part be attributed to celebrities and their "fashion accessory" pooches. I've seen pictures of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton taking their little dogs to award ceremonies and night clubs- what dog would want to go to a loud smoky place where it would be at great risk of hearing damage and being trampled? Yet again and again the pictures of the celeb being glamourous with their pretty dress and designer hand bag with their cute doggy (that I'm guessing the entourage actually takes care of) and impressionable people who emulate these "celebrities" (and have very short attention spans) decide that they too would like some of the life style and what's more they want it NOW NOW NOW and will buy from anyone, including thieves, just to get it. At least that's true of those breeds. The opposite end of the spectrum is the "hard man" who wants a staffy or a mastiff type and wants to make a quick buck from selling off pups to their mates.

Sorry that turned into a bit of a rant! It just makes me angry that people have to consider the likelihood of theft before purchasing a dog of a less common (or sadly even common) breed and even when going for a walk. You can't even leave them out side the shop anymore- an old man of about 70 odd lives near my mum and she would see him go to the shop with his pet pug and leave it tied outside until he got his tobacco. Sadly one day he came out and the dog was gone. He was beside himself. As far as I know he never got it back. Was the thief an opportunist or did they watch his routine? I shudder to think. Poor man.

> I remember it used to be considered rude to ask people personal questions about money matters etc...

So do I. I think it is a sign of the times.  Society is steeped in consumerism, or has been until recently.  I doubt many people mean any more than to place the value of your dog in monetary terms during small talk as this is what they best understand.

never ever been asked what i paid for my GSDs, but with my ridgeback, i must have been asked 30-40 times, sometimes by strangers, other times by friends and family i would never ever ask anyone what they paid for their pet!

Hello,

I am a dog groomer and one of my customer's paid £500 for a min Schnauzer.  She has it totally clipped off, no eyebrows, trims or beard for fear of it being stolen - she claims her area is not pleasant.  I am really sad that she feels she needs to go this far to 'disguise' her dog.

I was also walking thru a market place and saw/heard a man approach someone with a Bulldog pup, first thing he asked was how much did it cost?  £2000 was the reply, he walked off effing and jeffing about how much cheaper he could get it etc.  It made me wonder how would he get it cheaper??  I know the cost was high for a Bulldog but sadly because of the way he looked and behaved I automatically jumped to the conclusion he would consider stealing. 

I have a Vizsla, people think he's a gone wrong Labrador...I let them, it means he isn't worth anything financially.

Personally if I felt someone was 'fishing' after my dog I'd make up a lot of rubbish about health etc too. I couldn't give a toss what these people think of breeders or pedigrees. We all know when someone has a genuine interest and these are the people we can share info on good breeders, costs, temprement etc.

It is usually pretty easy to see if a person has real interest in the breed or interets in how much money they could make.

The other day I met a man with two staffies. A bitch and a dog puppy.
Got talking to him as his puppy ran over to us.
Nice enough man but in his first 5 sentenses he had told me:
The dog puppy has a nice temperament but the bitch can be little funny with other bitches
His bitch actually has both sexes(never seen this in a dog before so I was like really?)
So can not be bred from and has yet to have a season.
He paid £500 for her, what a waste of money!!!
But LUCKILY he can get the money back by making his dog a stud dog!(where is that mouth open smilie!)
The dog was about 5 months old...and not great looking staffie, the bitch actually looked quite nice.

When meeting people like this I have no problems telling them my dog has health problems as they will not care about health of pedigrees anyway! Even better if she passes as xbreed...
Even if I don't see them dodgy enough to steal my girl, I rather put them off my breed as I really do not want that kind of "breeders" in my breed as soon there really will be health problems if people like that start churning them out! With a breed that has few hundred registerations a year, you do not need many people like that selling them off to other people like that(telling the puppy buyers you can get puppies yourself and loads of money)and soon there could be more problems/rescues/crosses etc.

and yes, as his 6th sentense, he did ask how much mine cost.