stray dog

[mrsgrubby]

I live in an area where stray dogs are very uncommon. I live a subdivision where there are around 30 homes but we are in the country. There are woods and fields around us.

Sometimes people let their dogs run loose and we see them from time to time, but stray dogs are unusual.

Two nights ago there was a bunch of noise coming from our garage. There was a dog in there eating jasmine's food. I had ever seen this dog before, looks like a gsd mix maybe.

the next day my hubby saw the dog hanging around the area in and out of our yard and a couple yards around us. He thought it was strange as non of our neighbors have a dog like that.

This morning the dog was around again. I was out cleaning the camper and I saw it across the road. I called it and it ran away. the next time I saw it I just turned my back and looked busy. It kept coming closer and closer up to about 20 feet. But then it ran away.

Same thing happened later.

It has no collar or tags and is really jumpy scared, but doesn't growl or bark at all.

Jasmine hates having other dogs in our yard and freaks out each time she sees it out the window.

i just went out and shoot a bowl of food and he slowly came up my yard and stopped, then a neighbor came out and opened his car door and the dog went running over like it wanted to get in the car.

I went over and started talking to the neighbor and the dog stood about 5 feet away and was fine as long as we pretended he wasnt' there.

I did scatter some food on the ground which he ate. but we couldn't get closer than 5 feet.

I don't know what to do.

for many reasons I don't want a stray dog in my neighborhood.

If I could catch him animal control woudl come and get him, but only if he is caught.

[fireworksinjuly]

I had a stray dog a while back. I spend 2 hours trying to find its owner since Animal Control told me They wouldnt come get it. Since I dont live in the actual city (I live ONE BLOCK outside of the city, in the town). They told me SPCA had to come get it and since it was a sunday they were closed, so I should "Just let it go".

[poodlesmom]

Poor guy is probably scared to death! I wonder if he just got loose on someone and lost his way. Hopefully someone didn't just decide to drop him off. I wonder if you left your car door open with some food in it if he'd go in and then you could quietly go up & close the door. I'd leave the windows down part way so that you could loop a leash around his neck through the opening. Maybe call animal control in the AM to see if anyone has called looking for a lost dog that fits his description.

[mrsgrubby]

ok...well the dog was in my drivway again so I went out and tried to feed it some more, he ate some out of my hand finally but then he ran off. He looks pretty heathy but no tags or collars.

His nails aren't too long so he hasn't been out long. i too wonder if someone has just dropped him. He is scared to death and has his tail tucked at his belly the entire time.

i just left a message for animal control asking them to call me.

I think tomorrow i will park my truck outside with the doors open, then if i catch him I willl drive him to the shelter. (first need to find out where it is.)

He seems like a nice dog if he wasn't so scared.

There is a campground a few miles away. I wonder if he got loose from someone. i don't know though, it is just getting warm enough to camp now, it's a bit early, still cold. But is possible.

I will ask animal control if he has been reported when they call me back. they are closed till tomorrow morning

[mrsgrubby]

well my neighbor and I were just talking and the dog walked up. I turned my back to her and squatted down and kept talking. she came close enough for me to touch.

So without turning around I slowly started petting her. She moved around in front of me and I kept petting her and not looking at her. Finally she sat down, then layed down, I just keep talking to my neighbor and petting her.

He has an empty kennel behind his house. We put a rope around her neck and led her back there. I gave her some food and water and put her in there.

Have checked on her a few time and she has perked up and is now wagging her tail.

What the heck are we going to do with this nice dog? I will start calling animal rescues tomorrow morning and see if we can find her a foster. Hubby has made it clear I can't keep her. LOL

[bigdoglover]

Poor pup!! At least you were able to catch her, so she can at least be safe, and have food and water. Hopefully a rescue can take her in!!

[Novel]

Sounds like someone dropped her off... poor thing. Can you post a pic... I can ask my shelter here, they can list her on petfinder if nothing else...

[linnie]

that poor poor dog. I wonder if he fell off someones ute???
Or the worst cenario .. someone dumped him??
Perhaps he is honestly lost so maybe you could put it out at a surrounding area or the vets just so if someone is looking they have a chance to find him.
I hate to think of him frightened and alone

[mrsgrubby]

After I got up and around I went to see the dog this morning. She was so happy to see me and was wagging her tail like crazy. I fed her again, gave her some treats put her on a leash and walked her, then put her back in my neighbor's kennel. She started crying when I walked away, she is such a sweet girl.

I hadn't noticed yesterday just how skinny she is. I could feel all her ribs today and her hip bones. Poor thing.

She appears to have an ear infection so I planned on cleaning it tonight.

On my way to work I stopped at the vet to see if she had been reported lost. They looked in their "lost" book for the last year, but there was no dogs matchign the description.

When I got to work I called animal control. They said one of my neighbors had already called about her, but didn't know many of the details.

The guy was actually pretty rude I didn't like him, then he said he would be coming to get her today. I told him she had an ear infection I was hoping to treat tonight, but he said he was coming today.

I feel bad for her, I hope they are nice to her there.

[Novel]

Sigh... that sucks MrsGrubby, you want to know that you are doing the right things, but, I know the sinking feeling you have right now.
Why does it seem that whenever we set up an organization to do something beneficial, before long, sooner than you might think, it becomes corrupt and stops fulfilling its original purpose?
I'll say a prayer for the girl, and leave it in His hands.

[mulroony]

I'm glad the dog found someone that would care so much about a dog they do not know.

You might want to give animal control a little break, even though they should have been nicer, you have to remember they deal with a lot of stuff, mostly negative and after a while it has to be hard not to be in defense mode at all times. If you think you come across a bunch of bad owners imagine what they experience.

Hopefully everything turns out for the best.

[mrsgrubby]

Thanks Novel.

The guy mentioned that he spends everyday from 10-4 picking up dogs and that he is "used" to it. I said that I volunteer for animal rescue and will never be "used" to it.

Anyway, then he told me that in three days I could adopt her. I told him that if I could keep her I never would have turned her in.


Anyways, she has got to be alot less stressed out I would think. At least she will be fed, she won't be chased out of people's yards, she should feel safer than being on the run.

My heart just continues to break for all the neglected dogs. I just feel overwhelmed sometimes, ya know?

But at least now she won't be hit by a car, or get into a fight with one of our neighborhood dogs, and she should get some medical treatment for that ear infection, and hopefully spayed. With any luck she will find a good loving home, little sweetie.

[britishbandit]

Oh mrsgrubby, you are such a sweetheart!
I hope the people there are nicer than the guy on the phone though. Don't people like that just make it even harder to place that call? Like it isn't hard enough to send a stay off to them, they have to make you wonder about what will happen to the animal and how it will be treated.
She sounds like such a nice dog though, hopefully they get her infection sorted and get some weight on her. No doubt she'll find a home soon. And I'm so glad she had you there to help get her off the street and show her some love and compassion.

[mrsgrubby]

Thanks British for the kind words.

Mulroony, you are right. I am sure they see and hear it all. I will call tomorrow and see how she is doing, and offer to bring food or something.

[Raised By Wolves]

MG,

You did a fantastic job in gaining this scared girl's trust! Well done!

At least she will be getting a chance to be found by her owners or adopted by someone who cares rather than be hit by a car, starve all alone somewhere, or end up attacked by another stray or a dog just protecting their own territory.

You have come so far since you joined this board in not only your relationships with your own dogs, but also in an understanding of dogs in general. Again, well done!