I walk my dog 3 times a day, often to the grocery store. I can't take her in, for obvious reasons, so I have to leave her tied up outside. My dog is a beautiful mix of Jack-Russel terrier, boxer, and Redbone coonhound, and she turns a lot of heads when we pass people on the sidewalk (I named her Corona, not after the beer, but because when the sunlight hits her golden coat, the effect is similar to the aura around the sun). She's very friendly and affectionate and attracts visitors when I leave her outside. My constant fear is that I'll return from shopping to find her gone, stolen by somebody. I can't be the only pet owner who has this fear.

My solution (I've already got a prototype, it's just not strong enough to be marketable, yet) is a leash with a combination lock at the handle and the clasp, and a collar designed so that it cannot come off with the leash attached (this part is easy, just attach a D-ring on each side of the clip).

The leash would ideally be made of either chain or steel cable to resist cutting, perhaps leather and kevlar for the collar, for comfort.
-- 21 Quest, Nov 20 2006

Like this ? http://www.petfrien...nti-theft-dog-lead/
[FlyingToaster, Aug 01 2011]

Can you not simply padlock the chain to a D-ring bolted onto your dog's ribcage?
-- angel, Nov 20 2006


I prefer an actual leash so I don't have to pack around extra hardware.
-- 21 Quest, Nov 20 2006


A muzzle might be a good deterrent. Makes it look like your dog is mean.
-- jmvw, Nov 20 2006


Muzzles are cruel. I like the idea of my dog being able to defend herself if another animal harasses her or if some punk kicks her.
-- 21 Quest, Nov 20 2006


How about a really flimsy pseudomuzzle then? One that makes your dog look mean, but she could easily break it? Or a real muzzle that's been torn, so it looks like the ferocious dog tore through it. Or a rubber hand on the ground with tomato ketchup around it. Silly, but just trying to think of a deterrent.

One more thought and only it seems hard to "lock a dog" without using a cage: use an alarm system in the leash that goes off if pulled apart.
-- jmvw, Nov 20 2006


That's not a bad idea... or have the muzzle look whole but is split down the middle with a hinge, allowing the mouth to be opened, but the muzzle looks intact. Still, it might encourage somebody to steal her if they think she can't bark. Once she starts barking, they'll just nab her quicker in their panic. I need a physical preventative measure, not just a deterrent.

The idea is to secure the leash to an unmovable object, like a bike rack or newspaper stand.
-- 21 Quest, Nov 20 2006


Well, I would say stop leaving your dog unattended. You like walking her to the store but you don't HAVE to. Right? But I do understand the problem. Is it possible for the store to equip itself with a few easy to clean immobile cages? You simply bring your own lock.
-- Chefboyrbored, Nov 20 2006


That would be nice, but that would require every store I go to to participate. Sometimes I just go to the gas station to grab a few drinks and some treats for my dog, then continue the walk. This is more flexible because it can be used anywhere with a sturdy place to tie/lock the leash to.
-- 21 Quest, Nov 20 2006


+ [21 Quest] - it's a good idea that you don't need to defend.
-- xenzag, Nov 20 2006


+ and not even the idea, but the way you described your dog's name shows true love and I can't resist that.
-- xandram, Nov 20 2006


This is a good idea, and much better than the cage. A leash allows the dog more freedom, and positive socialization, which is good for the animal. A cage prevents positive socialization, gives the animal less space, and likely would have other problems (Harder to get the dog into, difficult to clean, possible fleas, etc.)

I worry that a locking leash would turn out to be against local or, or federal humane laws. For instance, I understand that California forbids tying a dog to a tree while unattended, and requires some complicated tether system instead, to ensure that the dog has more mobility, and is less likely to get caught on the leash.

Larger systems, of course, might necessitate store cooperation. (Roof-mounted rail on which to attach the leash?) Perhaps, for legal reasons, the alarm system might be a more marketable solution.
-- ye_river_xiv, Aug 01 2011


I think I've seen dog collars with chain on the outside, and leather or webbing on the inside (against the dog's neck). The chain is firmly attached to the flat material by loops, so it can't slip off and dig into the dog's neck. The ends of the chain have rings to clip the leash onto. It would be simple to padlock a chain leash to one of these.
-- spidermother, Aug 01 2011


Coat leash and collar with cocktail of DMSO and fast-acting neurotoxin. Immunize yourself and dog to toxin through repeated incremental exposure first.

If dog is stolen, get new dog, tether in same spot, sitting on top of Korean War-surplus anti-tank mine (w/ modified contact plate). Watch from safe distance. Identify (pieces of) dognapper to police after explosion.

Check local laws first.

Seriously, Corona sounds like a beautiful dog and I hope nobody bothers her. If you come up with a light but strong prototype locking collar, try selling the idea to a company called Lupine. They've taken the leash- and-collar world by storm in the last few years.
-- Alterother, Aug 01 2011


//My constant fear is that I'll return from shopping to find her gone, stolen by somebody//
Who the Hell would steal a Jack Russell? (note spelling and lack of hyphen)
Maybe get yourself some sunglasses and a white cane, then take it into the shop with you.
-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Aug 01 2011


See my other post titled "Sleeping Eye Dog". It's harder to pull off when you have 2 dogs, though...

As to the "who", it's not uncommon for dog fighters to steal smaller dogs to toss into the pit to reward their fighting dog with an easy kill. And as I said, she's a mixed-breed dog who is much calmer and better looking than a Jack Russell.
-- 21 Quest, Aug 01 2011


"Papered" Jack Russel puppies sell for $350-$1000, depending on the bloodline and breeder. Also, BION, there is a black market for stolen dogs.
-- Alterother, Aug 01 2011


I went Googling for "dog lock" hoping to find a 'shopped picture of a dog bike-locked to a post, but I think <link> is what you mean ?
-- FlyingToaster, Aug 01 2011


Wow... that's very close. Listed 2.5 years after I posted this. I wonder if they stole my idea. I remember doing a pretty exhaustive search prior to posting this.
-- 21 Quest, Aug 01 2011


close call: the product website says "© Blond Dog, 2006, all rights reserved". The Wayback Machine's earliest scrape is Feb 2007.
-- FlyingToaster, Aug 01 2011


//better looking than a Jack Russell.//
That wouldn't be hard - Jack Russells leave prettier things than themselves behind on the pavement.
-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Aug 02 2011



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