A dog thief will serve four months in jail after using the pet to blackmail $2000 from its owner.
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Lee Warren Armstrong appeared to drop his head and wince after being sentenced in the Wangaratta County Court on Thursday following last year's incident.
Armstrong and four others attended the victim's Benalla home and stole the golden retriever about 3am on December 21.
All involved are drug users, including the victim, and the group heard the dog was held to recoup a debt.
The offenders had banged on the victim's doors before taking the dog, with one person yelling "pay me my money".
Armstrong, 47, texted one of the group members that he was going to kill the dog.
The pet was handed over later that day when the victim transferred $2000 to Armstrong, which he withdrew.
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Judge Greg Lyon said he had preyed on the victim's emotions.
"Your crime smacks of calculation and deliberation," he said, noting it wasn't a "hot-headed" offence.
"The fact that a large sum of money was paid to you enforces the objective seriousness of your offending."
Judge Lyon also noted one of the co-accused had threatened the victim with violence.
He said Armstrong had "held all the cards" after the dog was stolen.
His lawyer had argued against jail time but the judge found his crimes to be too serious.
Armstrong was assessed for a corrections order and was found to be a high risk of reoffending.
He will serve the corrections order for 12 months once released.
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