Feel like they are watching me

[Cogswel_Cogs]

I have a dog. Great dog 16 and a half though very energetic you'd never guess she was that old.
Anyway she has a large growth on her abdomen. Toward the back and I swear it kind make her look like a male dog. Only a male dog who "Beans or Franks" might have been abused. There is a group who work with shelter dogs close by and I swear I think they are watching me. My daughter saw someone taking her picture like 2 weeks ago and since there seem to be more people then usual walking down my block. There were also some shoe laces and small pieces of rags tied low on my fence it looks in spots that my dog seemed to going to more thank usual. Not sure if Im going nuts or the world and these people are. I went for second opinion to make sure growth should not be removed and my original vet and second both said they would not recomend removing it. Does anybody have experience like this or know if they would tie these rags or shoelaces scented with something.

 

[easyas123]

I'm not sure I'm reading this correctly - do you mean that you think/suspect that perhaps someone from the shelter dog place is watching you & or your dog because they incorrectly think you might be mistreating your dog?
Regardless - I'd simply contact local PD via non emergency lines and inquire about what they suggest for you to do if you suspect unauthorized people may be either coming onto your property and/or messing with your property and leaving items or trash behind - maybe put up additional signage or cameras? Maybe ask your neighbors if they've seen anything?

 

[HopperFan]

Agree with PP.

I am assuming you live in a house with a yard (fence) I agree to install cameras and see the fence, and any "tampering" that is being done to it? Can you post no trespassing signs on the fence? Unless you are a corner lot can you keep your dog in back area out of view? Do you walk your dog? and if so what about driving them to a park and walking them there?

For sure take pictures of everything you find on fence etc and show to police should you call them.

AND NEVER LEAVE YOUR DOG OUTSIDE ALONE!!!!

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

View attachment 734749

I'm not sure I'm reading this correctly - do you mean that you think/suspect that perhaps someone from the shelter dog place is watching you & or your dog because they incorrectly think you might be mistreating your dog? Yes not sure but feel like it.

Regardless - I'd simply contact local PD via non emergency lines and inquire about what they suggest for you to do if you suspect unauthorized people may be either coming onto your property and/or messing with your property and leaving items or trash behind - maybe put up additional signage or cameras? Maybe ask your neighbors if they've seen anything? Nervous to sound crazy with neighbors - I mean everyone here probably already knows I'm crazy, and you all don't have to live next to me.

As for police thing. Even if they tied the rag / shoelaces they didnt do anything Id contact police over.
I'm also thinking maybe they did it for their dogs to feel okay about peeing.
Whoever put them on tied them strong enough that I had to cut off. So it was intentionally tied to stay on it wasn't some kid that tied one loop. I just dont know how long they were there. I looked everywhere now so if they appear again I will take pictures. One of them was near a spot where I had a root and fence was slightly torn. It almost looks like fence was played with to see if someone could fit a 12 pound dashound through it. I mended the fence with some wire.
I am actually thinking about walking dog more just so they could see it and realize its a growth or maybe they think the growth should be removed but like I said two doctors told me they would not..

I live in NYC trespassing signs are not really a norm here, Maybe I should get a Beware of dog with tumor sign,

 

[2Lunds]

Just throwing this out there, but are you certain that the folks taking the photos/leaving the laces are WITH the shelter? If someone were looking to steal a dog for breeding purposes, an intact male could attract their attention.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

16 and a half only thing she can breed is flees.
She has tons of grey in face so can't see anyone thinking she is young.
And really keep in mind these people, if they are doing something are most likely doing it with all dogs health in concern. So really in no way want to see them get in trouble.

 

[disneyseniors]

All this sounds so strange, but concerning! I would just take the dog to the shelter and talk with someone. Or, maybe, leave the dog at home and go have a talk with them about your concerns. If they know that you are not abusing your dog maybe it will stop.

 

[VandVsmama]

To be honest, at first glance, this post sounds a little conspiracy-theory. There could be reasonable explanations for almost everything you've mentioned. For example:

• more people than usual walking down your block - it's summer now. Weather is warmer. People might like being outside more.
• shoe laces & small rags tied low on your fence - could be neighborhood kids trying to make friends with your dog. At any rate, just keep an eye on the fence and remove any other stuff that gets attached/tied to it.
• growth on your dog's abdomen - just retain copies of any paperwork the vet has given you. If the animal shelter or animal control staff ask you, show them the documentation and you're fine.
• re: fence looking like it was played with to see if a small dog could pass through - it could actually be a loose neighborhood dog that tried to get through the fence in order to reach your dog. Not necessarily because of human intervention...could have been canine intervention.

The only thing that sort of stands out to me is you mentioning that your daughter saw someone take her picture ~ 2 weeks ago. Some general questions to consider about that (but you don't have to answer):

• where was she when this happened?
• was she out walking the dog or just outside doing something else?
• where was the person when they took her picture? What did they look like? Style of dress?
• did the person who took her picture look like somebody who lives in your neighborhood? Dressed as 1 of the animal shelter staff? Or some other random person?
• What time of day did it happen?

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

• where was she when this happened?
• was she out walking the dog or just outside doing something else?
• where was the person when they took her picture? What did they look like? Style of dress?
• did the person who took her picture look like somebody who lives in your neighborhood? Dressed as 1 of the animal shelter staff? Or some other random person?
• What time of day did it happen?

I agree it sounds crazy, why I really don't want to talk to them cause I could just be imagining a lot of coincidences. Yet from how the growth sits and protrudes I could see people thinking I had a male dog with tampered with beans or frank.


Daughter was at back door calling for dog to come back in. I don't have any notes from vets but both know she has a tumor. Person was on sidewalk taking picture into my yard of dog. She looked normal and like many of the shelter walkers look. It was probably between 5 and 7 pm.
A kid did not tie these things. They were knotted so tight I had to cut off. I was think more somebody put them there for purposes of potty training. But I did notice my dog going to those spots a lot recently. Was really hoping someone here knows of this technique so I could feel more like I am not imagining the whole thing.


Like I said I got second opinnion and now that I did I think I will walk dog if I see people around this way they can understand what dog has,

 

[VandVsmama]

I agree it sounds crazy, why I really don't want to talk to them cause I could just be imagining a lot of coincidences. Yet from how the growth sits and protrudes I could see people thinking I had a male dog with tampered with beans or frank.


Daughter was at back door calling for dog to come back in. I don't have any notes from vets but both know she has a tumor. Person was on sidewalk taking picture into my yard of dog. She looked normal and like many of the shelter walkers look. It was probably between 5 and 7 pm.
A kid did not tie these things. They were knotted so tight I had to cut off. I was think more somebody put them there for purposes of potty training. But I did notice my dog going to those spots a lot recently. Was really hoping someone here knows of this technique so I could feel more like I am not imagining the whole thing.


Like I said I got second opinnion and now that I did I think I will walk dog if I see people around this way they can understand what dog has,

Ok, so the person was really taking a picture of the dog, not your daughter?

Is the dog kept outside all of the time? if yes AND if anybody walking by can easily look over fence into your back yard, then make sure there's a bowl left out with water so it's obvious to an animal control person that there's water available for the dog.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

My dog only goes out to poop or pee - or if it feels like going out for a while - never for long periods of time.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Around here dogs do get stolen from yards mostly for bait dogs sadly (I really hate it). Yes some are stolen just to steal not sure how many are stolen for breeding (unless it was for bait dogs I doubt breeding is the thought especially with the condition the dog is in). Poison also sometimes occur and I'm not sure if that would be the shoelaces/rags or just to gain trust by enticing the dogs to come close, usually poison is in the form of food or pellets of poison.

I think I would immediately get cameras on these spots. It's not necessarily about suspecting nefarious intentions like my above comments are more about but rather if you think it's just an odd way of teaching potty training at least you'd know or and if it was for something completely else it would help solve.

For a while though I honestly wouldn't let the dog go outside without you also being there, not even for just a few minutes. That way if it's for something like a concerned citizen about the dog they wouldn't have much reason to stick around and if it was for something bad they would have less opportunity.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Yeah I ussually go out with her right now. But that would just add to their suspicion. Like I said plan to start walking dog more so that they could get closer look if they are trying and hopefully they will ask about growth.

 

[china mom]

I believe that you are falling victim to confirmation bias. A couple of unrelated weird things happened, you came up with a theory and now you are prone to notice things that confirm your theory. Other than someone photographing your dog, everything you mentioned seems like a bunch of random things. And anyone working with animals would be familiar with fatty tumors and not give the growth a second thought.

 

[2Lunds]

Yeah I ussually go out with her right now. But that would just add to their suspicion. Like I said plan to start walking dog more so that they could get closer look if they are trying and hopefully they will ask about growth.

If you happen to spot any of them outside, maybe just walk right up and ask if they'd like to meet her. That might help bring this to a quick conslusion.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

If you happen to spot any of them outside, maybe just walk right up and ask if they'd like to meet her. That might help bring this to a quick conslusion.

Plan to walk her often especially if I feel it is one of them. Again this really could be in my head and was really feeling it was until from the shoelaces and rags.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I think if someone reported your dog to animal control for possible abuse or withholding of medical care, an officer would simply knock on your door to speak with you. Then you could explain the situation and offer your vets' names as back-up. If it's some kind of independent or rouge animal welfare group, it still seems odd that they would employ all these secret tactics to get to your dog. It seems more reasonable that they would either knock on your door or put a letter (signed or anonymous) in your mailbox about the dog's perceived condition. Someone taking a picture of your daughter may or may not be related to dog.

I know of rabbit rescue groups that stay on the lookout for rabbits living in poor conditions. If they see rabbits roaming neighborhoods, living outside in the heat or in small, dirty outside hutches, they will first speak to the owners. Many are simply uneducated about safe living conditions for rabbits. Others don't really want the rabbits anymore and are happy to surrender them to a rescue group. It's only in extreme cases, where the owners have been contacted several times and the living conditions have not improved, that someone will go in and take the rabbits. I think that if your dog appears otherwise healthy, well-fed and being taken for regular walks by responsible owners, a rescue group would speak to you before jumping to conclusions.

In any case, I would recommend putting some cameras in your front yard to see if someone comes back and tampers with the fence. As others have said, don't let the dog out of your sight until this gets resolved.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I believe that you are falling victim to confirmation bias. A couple of unrelated weird things happened, you came up with a theory and now you are prone to notice things that confirm your theory. Other than someone photographing your dog, everything you mentioned seems like a bunch of random things. And anyone working with animals would be familiar with fatty tumors and not give the growth a second thought.

IDK but if I found shoelaces and rags tied to my fence I'd be weirded out. It's the most odd thing really. I'd want a camera there just to know what was up. If an isolated one time thing I'd still want to know if someone was doing it again.

 

[china mom]

IDK but if I found shoelaces and rags tied to my fence I'd be weirded out. It's the most odd thing really. I'd want a camera there just to know what was up. If an isolated one time thing I'd still want to know if someone was doing it again.

Agreed that it is weird but the OP is using it to confirm her belief that it is about the dog. She said "some" laces and rags. We don't know if that is two or 15. We have no idea f they have been there for a long time and just noticed now because of her heightened awareness or if they were recently placed. I would monitor it for sure and consider it weird and maybe suspicious but I can't figure out how it could be related to the dog.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Agreed that it is weird but the OP is using it to confirm her belief that it is about the dog. She said "some" laces and rags. We don't know if that is two or 15. We have no idea f they have been there for a long time and just noticed now because of her heightened awareness or if they were recently placed. I would monitor it for sure and consider it weird and maybe suspicious but I can't figure out how it could be related to the dog.

I think even one shoelace or rag tied to a fence is weird, it's not normal behavior for someone to do that. Could be prank could be something more.

I get where you're coming from maybe it doesn't have anything to do with the dog or the shelter but I also get the concern over the dog.

Both of us seem to agree to monitor it for a while though