Many Frenchie parents fear to lose their dog in a burglary (or dognapping). It even happened to Lady Gaga’s Frenchies, Koji and Gustav last year, who were violently stolen from her dog walker. Luckily, the story had a happy ending as both of them were found unharmed. The team of TomKings Puppies wish this would never happen to anyone, so we asked our experts to list the main steps you can do to prevent this from happening to you and your furry angels. To gather even more knowledge, read our blog post about what you can do to find your lost pet.
#1 Consider using a pet tracker
A range of trackers is available using GPS, GSM or Bluetooth technologies to track your beauty. It’s usually applied to their collar, and even if the thief can easily remove this, it at least gives you a chance to follow your puppy’s route up to a point which might make investigation easier.
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#2 Don’t leave your frenchie unattended
We are always surprised when someone leaves their dog in the car or unattended in a public place. This should not happen for many reasons, one of which is the threat of theft. Thieves often check parking cars for unattended dogs left inside, while opportunist thieves pick them up if they are unattended.
#3 Doggie doors are convenient but not safe
It’s convenient to have a doggie door but use it only if it leads to a fenced garden or backyard and not to the street. Due to the relatively smaller size of a French Bulldog, it’s an easy win for opportunist thieves who spot a beautiful dog and reach over the wall or low fence to take him or her.
#4 Check references of people who come to the house
Targeted theft is often planned with the help of people who pose as offering dog-related services, like a dog-sitter or a dog groomer. If you use the services of such professionals, always make sure you check references, or even better, ask around in the neighborhood who they recommend.
#5 Keep the frenchie’s papers in a safe place
If the worst happens, and your dog is stolen, the police will not start the investigation until you can prove that you are the owner. Keep the adoption papers, vet bills and anything that can prove your ownership in a safe place.
#6 Use social media cleverly to find your dog
Apart from the police, social media could be a big help and most frenchie parents turn to it anyway. However, it’s very important to post a recent photo where your darling is easy to recognize. Set the visibility of the post to public and ask your connections to share it, not just comment it.
#7 Get your dog microchipped
Although not compulsory in the US, it’s very useful to get your French Bulldog microchipped and register them online (we recommend PetLink.net as it’s very easy to register and provide a proven service.) If the thief has to take to a vet, the microchip will reveal the real owner, and it also helps in case your beauty is not stolen but lost.
The article was written based on the experience of the Tom Kings Puppies Team and their clients who kindly shared their tips with us in the Tomkingskennel Frenchie Family Closed Facebook Group. Tom Kings Puppies have been breeding French Bulldogs for 10 years on their farm. All the pictures in the post belong to them and show a puppy from their breed. Check their available puppies here, or if you have any questions or comments let us know below the article.
