Maybe it’s because we live in Portland where the unofficial city slogan is “Keep Portland Weird,” but we’ve had our fair share of encounters with crazy people. Specifically regarding Mr. N. Usually it’s just men who bark at Mr. N and try to rile him up (how old are you, five?) but we’ve had a couple of run-ins with really creepy people.
One time this man (he was drunk or high or both) came up to us and said, “Oh my God! You found my dog!” I grabbed Mr. N and we ran home. There is zero chance Mr. N could have belonged to him at any point. We know his pre-adoption history back to puppyhood and have paperwork backing it up. He also has distinctive markings, it’s not like he’s a purebred where he could easily be mistaken for another dog.
Another time, we were waiting our turn at a nosework class at a dog daycare and this woman kept asking me if she could have Mr. N. Umm… no? What earthly reason could I have to hand over my beloved dog to a perfect stranger?
And then an older teenager leaned out of an open car window and yelled, “That’s going to be my next dog. I’ll kidnap him! My only working theory is that Mr. N’s fluffy stuffed teddy bear looks make people revert to being a toddler when it was much more acceptable to steal another kid’s toy because you wanted it.
Occasionally we get asked if he’s up for adoption. More so when we had our foster dog but also at events. After all the time and money and effort that has gone into this dog, I don’t think you could afford his fee.
We take the normal precautions: tag and collar, microchip, supervised play in yards and off-leash. But at this rate, I think he’s going to need a tracking chip!
Has anyone else had weird encounters like this?
May 6, 2016 10:42 am
Oh my, that sounds frustrating and scary! Around here, I'm constantly asked if I'm going to get Matilda pregnant so they can get her puppies. Um, look at her, does she look like she can fit any babies in that little body? Besides, if she had babies I would simply have to keep every single one.
May 6, 2016 10:53 pm
We don't get too many of those (Portland believes in spay/neuter) but I did have someone tell me it was a shame Mr. N was neutered because she wanted a dog like him.
May 10, 2016 2:42 am
Yeah, it really seems to depend on the region – it's so tough to have such cute dogs sometimes, isn't it?
May 6, 2016 11:24 am
Hey it's not only Portland! I had to call the police once on a lady who was trying to say one of my dogs was hers and take him from me. I get a lot of requests to breed my dogs, and someone once offered me a very large sum of money to buy one of them. The last time something like this happened to me was at the vet, of all places. I had my puppy in for shots and another client kept asking me if she could have him. Do keep an eye on Mr.N! I don't know about where you are but where I live dog theft is pretty common. I don't let my boys out of my sight when we're outside, even if it's just out in the yard. Paranoid dog mom here, but my dogs are family and I wouldn't trade them for the world.
May 6, 2016 10:54 pm
Crazy people everywhere! I do and we don't have a yard so he's always supervised when I'm out with him.
May 6, 2016 12:32 pm
I'm not sure if I should be insulted that nobody has ever said they want Barley or relieved 😉 My mom always tells me that if anyone did take her, they'd bring her back right away!
May 6, 2016 10:55 pm
Haha! Lots of people want Mr. N but I don't know if they would want to keep him…
May 6, 2016 2:30 pm
Wow, how scary. The slogan is Keep Portland Weird, not Keep Portland Creepy. I guess they don't know that. Stay safe, Mr. N!
May 6, 2016 10:55 pm
New city slogan?
May 6, 2016 2:41 pm
Oh my… pepole are odd and crazy. I don't let any of my dogs out of sight…
May 6, 2016 3:01 pm
Wow; people can be so crazy! They generally don't have a tendency to do that to Rotties.
May 6, 2016 10:56 pm
Well it's hard to stuff a Rottie in a purse and run away with them!
May 6, 2016 3:24 pm
Be careful, (which I know you are!) I have seen a number of stories on our local news where a new trend is people kidnapping dogs right out of their owners' hands!! It's insane! I just mentioned to my husband yesterday to not walk Dakota in certain parks because I am not sure how safe they are. They look for dogs that they think are worth a lot of money for re-selling and those are the dogs they target. It's beyond sick. As well as scary. DakotasDen
May 6, 2016 10:57 pm
That is insane! Mr. N looks like he would be worth money re-selling too… Everyone thinks he's a puppy.
May 6, 2016 3:51 pm
Oddly enough, nobody has ever thought they knew me, wanted to kidnap me, or offered to take me – except Mom. Oh, yeah – and she wants to know if we could have Mr. N…. 🙂
Love and licks,
Cupcake
May 6, 2016 10:58 pm
Lol! He'd be happy to come over for a play date with you, Cupcake!
May 6, 2016 4:15 pm
living in NYC we definitely know what you're talking about… glad you take precautions!
May 6, 2016 10:58 pm
I imagine NYC is crazier.
May 6, 2016 4:50 pm
There are weirdos everywhere, I had someone come up to me in the park and tell me Layla looked like her dog that ran away, that freaked me out although I have her adoption papers from the shelter and she is microchipped, etc – I cannot understand what they get from it
May 6, 2016 10:58 pm
Sick thrills? Dunno.
May 6, 2016 5:08 pm
weirdos are all over but its the crazy one that are the worst,Kepp Mr N safe,xx Rachel
May 6, 2016 8:06 pm
Those situations, especially the first one, sound terrifying! I have had some really weird encounters but none were this bad! People are so weird!! I'm glad nothing has happened so far! Maybe he's a candidate for one of those tracking collars?
May 6, 2016 11:23 pm
Sounds like there are some crazies where you live – we have a few in our CBD on the streets, but they're usually homeless with obvious mental health issues.
May 9, 2016 4:13 am
The first guy may have been but the other two definitely were not!
May 7, 2016 3:20 am
Wow! That is bizarre. We haven't ever had to deal with that but I'm pretty sure I would come off looking like the crazy person. LOL!
May 7, 2016 1:08 pm
Mr. N is adorable and it's no wonder anyone would want him. But yikes, that's scary! I was glad to read that you don't have a yard he's ever out in. We leave our dogs out in the yard all the time, they love being out there (checked on constantly though) but we live in a rural area with very few people around. When I read stuff like that I'm glad to live in the country, but there are crazies around here too! Luckily I've never had any bad encounters with them over my dogs though.
May 9, 2016 4:14 am
Oh if he's out in a yard, I'm out with him. He's so tiny I worry about hawks and coyotes and other things as well.
May 7, 2016 5:26 pm
I have never ever ever had anyone say they were going to kidnap my dog or try to pretend he was theirs. It seems like you need to start carrying a big stick every time you take him out!
May 9, 2016 4:14 am
A big stick or something!
May 7, 2016 7:07 pm
Super scary and you see it in the news and online everyday about pups being stolen. Keep your watch on Mr. N! We will all bail you out of jail if you have to defend him 🙂
May 9, 2016 4:15 am
I'm glad you guys have my back!
May 7, 2016 9:19 pm
I get them all the time, the only saving grace is mine are a little larger than Mr. N. so it makes it harder for them to actually grab one of them. We've all got to be super cautious because there are crazy people out there and there's no telling what they might do when it comes to a dog.
May 9, 2016 4:15 am
Maybe there's just something about fluffy dogs. Lol. A little larger? Pretty sure your guys wouldn't fit in a purse!
May 8, 2016 2:14 am
How odd and crazy?! I just don't understand people sometimes. They would have a much harder time with our three big dogs but you just never know!
May 9, 2016 4:15 am
Much harder to tote the Goldens around.
May 8, 2016 2:30 am
Wow! Some people are just cookoo for cocoa puffs! Sorry you've had such odd run ins! There have been some folks that have said things to us about Bean and Yoda, but nothing quite as forward as these events. Eeep! Hug your pup close!
May 9, 2016 4:16 am
We keep an eagle eye on him!
May 8, 2016 5:09 am
It's crazy! I've decided people are nuts – I have not had anyone tell me they want to take our dogs so I guess their reactive behavior is paying off 🙂 Sweet N! No is is to touch him!
May 9, 2016 4:20 am
LOL. Defense mechanism?
May 8, 2016 4:23 pm
That is crazy, creepy and really scary! Thankfully, no one has ever said anything to me about taking one of my dogs. That would really freak me out. The only really odd thing someone ever said to me like this was asking me if they could borrow Piper for breeding a litter (I'm sure because she is a pit bull). I was quite clear that she was spayed and then I proceeded to have a little chat about adopting not breeding … Okay maybe it was more of a lecture 😉 I think Monday morning we will have to go get everyone's microchip checked!
May 9, 2016 4:21 am
That's a good idea! They couldn't find Mr. N's so we had to get him re-chipped and I've been paranoid about it since.
May 8, 2016 11:45 pm
Well Mr N is mighty cute, and he does get out and about a lot. Those encounters would scare me but I don't have to worry as Kilo would still try to eat any random stranger (we are working on it and huge improvements but slow). He too looks cute, so I spend my time explaining why they can't pat him if they want to keep their fingers.
May 9, 2016 10:16 pm
Yeah… Mr. N wouldn't like going with strangers but he wouldn't bite them.
May 9, 2016 1:04 am
Whaaaat? Wow. I don't even know what to say!
"Ya, my dog is adorable but keep your paws off"!
May 9, 2016 10:15 pm
That sounds about right.
May 9, 2016 1:58 am
Wow! I know you're careful, but be on extra alert with some of these comments. Mr. N is such a cutie, so I'm sure people are attracted to him.
May 9, 2016 2:18 am
That is so bizarre! I am glad you are taking precautions to keep him safe.
May 9, 2016 4:04 am
Oh wow! I've never had anything like that happen to me. I would have took off too! LOL
May 9, 2016 10:14 pm
Apparently all the crazies find us!
May 9, 2016 3:42 pm
Oh my!! It's a crazy world!
May 9, 2016 4:38 pm
Definitely keeping it weird!!! You poor thing, I hope it's not too stressful. Stay safe.
Annette @PetsAreFound
May 9, 2016 6:11 pm
Man, people can be crazy scary. Mr.N is adorable! A tracking chip might be a very good idea… Sheesh. Some People. (shaking my head).
May 9, 2016 10:14 pm
Thanks! They don't make them yet but we'll definitely sign up for one when they do!
May 10, 2016 2:37 am
Yikes I would have done the same thing and got out of there fast. Fortunately that has not happened to me.
May 10, 2016 4:46 am
That is really weird! Perhaps because I've never had a cat that traveled around with me much, I haven't been in the same position. I have friends and family that think that Manna is the best cat ever, but no one has been creepy about it.
-Purrs from your friends at http://www.PlayfulKitty.net
September 2, 2016 6:59 am
I guess we run into a lot of weirdos!
September 1, 2016 8:45 pm
OMD, this is giving me chills! Thankfully we've never had that problem with either of our dogs but if anyone tried to take one of them I'm not sure I could react rationally. There are weirdos everywhere but it looks like you've had more than your fair share! Keep that beautiful boy close to you like glue at all times.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
September 2, 2016 7:00 am
Like velcro!