When your a THIEF!!!!

From what I read, sounds like you and your friend handled it as best possible. Lots of folks think about what they would do in a situation like this. When it's your property and basically a member of your family bottom line is get it back. You're dead on about how the main goal was getting your dogs back to you. Don't make a difference if you called the cops, FBI, or National Guard, you did what you could to get your dogs. Very Glad this situation ended up in yalls favor. To hell with what happens to the guy who took em. If he learned a lesson, great, if not someone down the road will probably teach him a little harder. I've had dogs stolen from me before as well, that bravado "go knock down the door" crap wouldn't have done a thing but got someone hurt and someone in jail. Again, Glad your dogs are back where they belong.