Are you worried about your Dachshund being stolen? Do you want to find out the best ways to help protect your Dachshund from dog theft? Here’s everything you need to know about how to protect your Dachshund from dog theft.
How To Protect Your Dachshund From Dog Theft:
- Get your Dachshund microchipped
- Keep your microchip details up to date
- Have the microchip number ready to access
- Attach an ID tag to your Dachshund’s collar
- Secure your home
- Secure your garden or yard
- Don’t let your Dachshund out of sight on walks
- Vary your walking schedule
- Don’t get distracted on walks
- Don’t walk alone unless you have to
- Remove markings
- Train your Dachshund on recall
- Walk away from strangers
- Never leave your Dachshund tied up outside
- Never leave your Dachshund in the car
- Background check any dog walkers or sitters
- Be prepared to prove ownership
- Take identifiable photos of your Dachshund
- Keep your social media private
- Use a GPS pet tracker
- Get pet insurance
But wait, there’s more you need to know! Read on to find out why dog theft numbers are on the rise and how to protect your Dachshund from dog theft.
You can’t ever protect your Dachshund 100% from dog theft, but the practical tips in this article may help you to reduce the risk. This article is based on research and personal experience as a Dachshund owner of 10+ years. I’m NOT a Vet, qualified Dog Trainer or Behaviourist.
Why Are Dachshund Dog Theft Numbers Rising?
The main reason for the upsurge in Dachshund thefts is the increase in demand for Dachshunds.
Their popularity on social media combined with the 2020 Lockdown has pushed prices up to levels that have never been seen before.
Unfortunately, this huge increase in demand and price has led to criminals seeing a market for stealing and selling Dachshunds.
In fact, dog thefts have sadly risen almost two hundred percent since 2019.
Male Dachshunds that haven’t been neutered and females that haven’t been spayed yet are most at risk.
That’s because these unscrupulous people can make even more money by breeding them!
Purebred Dachshunds or those with unusual markings or coat colours are also more vulnerable to dog theft, as are young puppies or new litters.
How To Protect Your Dachshund From Dog Theft
Even though dog thefts have risen, there are a number of steps you can take to help protect your Dachshund from dog theft.
You can’t ever protect your Dachshund 100% from dog theft but the tips in this article may help to reduce the risk:
Get your Dachshund microchipped
All puppies in the UK must be microchipped by a trained professional by the time they’re eight weeks old.
So, make sure your Dachshund is microchipped. And, if you bought your Dachshund as an adult, visit your local vets to make sure that he’s definitely microchipped.
A microchip is not a tracking device, so you can’t track your Dachshund using the microchip number.
However, microchips are essential for making sure dogs aren’t stolen or lost without a way of being returned back home.
The microchip can be scanned and read by vets to access the contact information of the Dachshund’s original owner.
So, if your Dachshund is stolen and sold, the vet will see on the microchip details that he’s stolen. The new owner will then be informed that the dog does not belong to them!
That’s provided you have reported your Dachshund as stolen to the microchip database of course! Doing this gives you the best chance of being reunited with your Dachshund.
The vet will then make contact to inform you that your beloved Dachshund has been found.
Keep your microchip details up to date
Always keep your microchip database contact details up to date so you can be contacted if your Dachshund is ever lost or stolen.
If you move house or change your phone number, don’t forget to update your contact details on your Dachshund’s microchip.
Have the microchip number ready to access
It’s a good idea to have your Dachshund’s microchip number ready to access right away. You could even save the number on your phone for convenience.
Being able to access the number easily means you can immediately report your Dachshund as missing or lost to the microchip database, should you ever need to.
If you don’t know your Dachshund’s microchip number, contact your vet to either scan your Dachshund or ask if they have a record of this.
Attach an ID tag to your Dachshund’s collar
Attach an ID tag to your Dachshunds collar so he can easily be traced back to you if lost or stolen.
In the UK, the Control of Dogs Order 1992 states that any dog in a public place must wear a collar or tag with the name, address and postcode of the owner on it.
Even though phone numbers are optional when it comes to UK law, they are highly recommended.
For added protection, it’s best to use YOUR surname and not your Dachshund’s name. Giving away his name would make it easier for someone to call your Dachshund to them.
Some Dachshund owners also suggest adding the words ‘microchipped’ and ‘neutered‘ to the ID tag as this can be a deterrent that puts dog thieves off.
Secure your home
If you need to leave your Dachshund at home during the day, make sure you have a security system set up. Ideally, something that let’s you check in with your Dachshund remotely.
A visible CCTV camera at the entry points to your house can also be a good dog thief deterrent.
Secure your garden or yard
A large number of dog thefts are from people’s own gardens or yards.
So, if you have have a garden or yard that your Dachshund plays in, make sure the area is fully fenced and secure.
Lock any gates so nobody can get into your garden, and supervise your Dachshund if he’s out there for any length of time.
If you want to know how to make your garden or yard dog proof, then click here!
Don’t let your Dachshund out of sight on walks
Make sure you can always see your Dachshund when you’re out on walks.
If you let your Dachshund off leash, make sure you keep a close eye on him at all times.
Unfortunately, dog parks can be a real target for dog thieves. So, if you’re in a dog park, don’t let your Dachshund out of your sight.
Don’t get distracted on walks
It’s easy to get distracted while out walking with your Dachshund. Maybe your phone beeps with a new message or Facebook notification!
However, it’s best not to look at your phone for long periods of time. If you’re chatting with friends, make sure you regularly glance over at your Dachshund throughout.
Distractions do happen, but you need to stay vigilant and pay close attention to your surroundings whilst out on walks with your Dachshund.
Don’t walk alone unless you have to
Sometimes there’s no option but to walk alone with your Dachshund, and that’s probably fine the majority of the time.
However, if you have someone you can walk with or maybe a friend who also has a dog, then it’s better to walk with others.
This is especially important on dark evenings or in dimly lit areas with no street lighting.
If you prefer to walk alone, go to an area with lots of other dog walkers and people nearby.
Vary your walking schedule
Walking your Dachshund along the same route at the same time every day makes it easier for dog thieves to learn your routine.
It’s best to vary the route and times of day you walk your Dachshund so no one can ever predict where you go.
To find out how much exercise your Dachshund needs, then click here!
Remove unusual markings
Although not that common, some dog thieves have been known to draw chalk markings on the sidewalk or pavement or tie bits of string outside your home.
They do this to mark you as target for dog theft.
So, if you ever see any chalk, string or rope tied to your gate or right outside your house that wasn’t there before, make sure you remove it.
Train your Dachshund on recall
Having a good recall with your Dachshund will mean that your Dachshund is less likely to run off on walks.
Dachshunds that run off on walks are much more likely to get lost or stolen.
So make sure you train your Dachshund to always come back to you if he gets too far away or you see people walking nearby.
It’s also a good idea to keep a bag of dog treats in your pocket just in case you need to recall your Dachshund in an emergency.
If your Dachshund doesn’t come when called, it’s best to keep him on a leash. Only let your Dachshund off leash if you’re certain he’ll come back when called.
To find out how to teach your Dachshund to recall, click here!
Walk away from strangers
If you’re walking your Dachshund alone in an area where there’s not many people around, it’s best to avoid lone walkers and groups of people.
If someone starts asking questions about your Dachshund, don’t tell them any information about him and make an excuse to walk away.
The vast majority of people you meet will be totally innocent, but dog thieves can sometimes use tactics where one person will distract the owner while the other walks off with the dog.
Never leave your Dachshund tied up outside
Never leave your Dachshund tied up outside a store or cafe, even for a minute. This would create the perfect opportunity for dog thieves to grab your Dachshund and walk away.
Try to bring your Dachshund into the store with you. If he’s not allowed, go shopping another time or ask someone in the store to get the items you need.
Don’t trust anyone else you don’t know to look after your Dachshund for you!
Never leave your Dachshund in the car
Your Dachshund should NEVER be left in the car alone because, not only can he overheat really quickly, but there’s also a security risk too.
Leaving your Dachshund in the car gives dog thieves an opportunity to break in and walk off with him.
Unfortunately, a dog thief won’t be afraid to smash a car window to steal your beloved Dachshund.
So it’s best to remove the temptation altogether and never leave your Dachshund alone in the car.
Background check any dog walkers or sitters
If you’re going to trust anyone to look after your Dachshund, don’t let it be a stranger!
Make sure you do a thorough background check on any dog walkers or sitters that look after your Dachshund for you.
A background check includes asking for references and checking for reviews online.
Contact these references to make sure they’re real dog owners who have used the same dog walking or sitting service.
If you can, it’s better to go with a dog walker or sitter that comes personally recommended by someone you know.
Be prepared to prove ownership
When Dachshunds are stolen and sold to new owners, it can sometimes be difficult to prove you own your Dachshund.
In order to ensure you have a claim to ownership of your Dachshund, make sure you have plenty of evidence.
This means taking pictures of you and your Dachshund together at home.
Photographic evidence of ownership will help you to bring your Dachshund back home.
Take identifiable photos of your Dachshund
You also need to make sure you have photos of your Dachshund that show his full profile.
Take pictures from different angles both inside and outside your home.
If your Dachshund has any distinctive features or maybe a dapple or piebald coat pattern, photograph this.
This would help the general public to identify your Dachshund if he’s ever lost or stolen.
If you ever need to put up or share ‘missing’ posters, these photos will be invaluable to have at hand.
Luckily, taking lots of pictures of your Dachshund is a fun thing to do, and you probably have a million already that you can use!
Keep your social media private
It’s fun to share photos of your Dachshund on social media like Facebook. However, dog thieves can also see what you post and find out about you and your Dachshund.
So try to keep your social media private and don’t let anyone follow you who you don’t know. Check your privacy settings and don’t post pictures publicly of your Dachshund.
This’ll prevent anyone from being able to find out private information about you and your Dachshund or new puppy.
Make sure you don’t location tag your pictures either. This can alert thieves to where you live and give them information that could help to steal your Dachshund.
Use a GPS pet tracker
GPS pet trackers tend to be quite bulky although they have come down in size. They may not work for all Dachshunds and definitely not for puppies.
However, some owners have started attaching them to their Dachshund’s collar or harness.
A GPS pet tracker means you’ll be able to find out exactly where your Dachshund is if he’s ever lost or stolen.
They’re a reliable way of being able to tell where your Dachshund is whenever his collar or harness is attached.
However, if the collar or harness is removed and thrown away, you’ll no longer be able to track him.
Some GPS pet trackers allow you to create a virtual fence space of your garden or house.
That means you’ll be instantly alerted on your phone if your Dachshund has been taken or escaped from your garden or home.
Get pet insurance
No amount of money will ever replace a Dachshund that’s lost or stolen, but some pet insurance policies do cover you for dog theft and loss.
Depending on your individual policy, this could include the cost of putting up ‘missing’ posters and even offering a reward for safe return.
For Dachshunds that aren’t found within six weeks, some pet insurance companies may also reimburse the original cost paid for the Dachshund.
However, this will be dependent on your individual pet insurance policy.
Understandably, you may not want to accept this money, but you could donate it to a Dachshund rescue.
In the unfortunate event your Dachshund is stolen, click here to find out what to do next.
So, there you have it! Dog theft is a scary topic for all Dachshund owners. But try to remember that millions and millions of people walk their dogs every single day without any problems at all. You can’t ever protect your Dachshund 100% from dog theft, but the practical tips in this article may help you to reduce the risk. So try to relax and don’t forget to still enjoy those lovely walks with your Dachshund!
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