Need some help with a stray dog

[WolverineDG]

Any animal communicators out there? This poor dog has been running around my neighborhood for the past week. I thought he was just out for a walk (since several people here let their dogs roam free during the day :grr:) but I heard him/her?? howling last night, sounding like he/she was sad/lost/hungry. For the past few hours, I've been trying to convince him/her to come over to my side of the street where I can feed him/her (already have a bowl full of food several feet away from my door), but so far, the dog won't come. He/she doesn't act afraid of me, though. It's killing me to hear him/her howl though, because it sounds so sad & lonely.

I've been trying to send the dog the message that I want to help him/her find his people. He/she still has a collar on (red) & some tags (vet tags I presume, which I could use to track the owner down). He/she looked so skinny today, I know he/she is very hungry!

Not sure of the breed, but has a thick white coat with some dark spots on it (maybe dirt or grease, can't tell from this distance); dog appears to be a husky or husky-type dog. Doesn't appear to be aggressive, just sad, lost, & lonely. Please help if you can.

dg

[Cleita]

1. Why don't you take the bowl of food across the street to him?

He probably doesn't know what it is and he's afraid. When he gets comfortable with you and fed, then maybe he will want to cross to your side of the street to be fed again. One you get his confidence then you will be able to read his tags.

[WolverineDG]

5. I've already taken a couple of handfuls as close to him as he lets me

and he saw me put food in the bowl, so he knows what's in it. Hopefully, he'll be on my doorstep tomorrow, wagging his tail wanting more. :)

dg

[Cleita]

6. Just leave it there for him to eat when you are watching.

Good luck! I hope he comes around pretty soon.

[Why Syzygy]

2. Oh no.

I get the feeling has has been dumped. Why someone would leave the tags on if that's the case, I don't know. I hope you get to feed him. :cry:

[Cleita]

3. He might be lost from someone passing through. It happens.

The pet gets spooked. They can't find him and are forced to leave without it. I heard of a family when I lived up north who went camping and lost their cat. They had to leave. No choice. They went back to the same campground the following year and he appeared. He had survived in the woods for a whole year.

[Why Syzygy]

8. I lost a cat like that

one time. I wasn't very familiar with cat behavior at the time. I was taking a kitty to my ex-dh's brother in Cleveland. When we had a lay over in Chicago, I took his cage outside and let him out. He DARTED. All we ever saw was a blur of orange. I don't know how you ever get over something like that. That was in the 70's, and I still feel terrible about it.

[WolverineDG]

7. No, I don't think he's been dumped

I think he's lost. :( I took some food close to where he was howling about 30 minutes ago...haven't heard anything from him since, so I hope that means he ate it & will be back for more tomorrow.

dg

[northernlights]

4. I would try to approach him slowly

he sounds lost and confused. If he'll let you approach him, then leash him and bring him over to the food. Once he sees what it's about, he'll relax and eat.

If he won't let you approach, then leave food and water out where he can get to it. After he gets a couple meals in him, maybe he'll get some confidence and stay nearby.

I agree, with tags still on he's probably lost, not dumped. It could have happened if people were traveling. It also could have happened if people moved or had to give him away and he's trying to find his way "home."

Good luck.

[BlueIris]

9. Aside from putting food out, I'm not sure there's much more you can do.

But I'll do what I can re: sending positive energy.

[Cleita]

10. Hey there, have you got an update about the dog?

I hope you were able to help him.

[WolverineDG]

11. No, I left him food last night & this morning before work

he let me get about 4 feet from him this morning, wagging his tail, but wouldn't let me get any closer. :( So I left food out for him. I just got home & the food's gone & so is the dog. He might be off wandering, so I hope he moseys back this way & I can try to get hold of him again.

Thanks for the help.

dg

[Cleita]

12. I'm sure he'll return when he's hungry, unless he's on a quest to find his

lost family, then you might not see him again.

[Kookaburra]

13. If he is homeless, will you keep him?

If so, let him know that. You can speak to his soul and he will hear you. I agree with the rest of the writers here. He is likely lost and frightened. He knows he can get food from you, now he just needs to know he can get love and a home from you as well.

[WolverineDG]

14. Yes, I will

he's a beautiful dog. I know he's eating the food I'm leaving out for him, but every time I try to approach him (calmly, hands down, reassuring voice), he walks away & won't come back until I get back to my yard. :(

dg

[Kookaburra]

16. Have you tried

Putting something of yours with your smell on it (tshirt you've worn, old pillowcase you've slept on, etc) around or under the bowl of food, so that when he eats he'll get your scent as well? That might help. Plus, I think rosesaylavee has a point as well. Could be he is more trusting of people of the opposite gender.

Good for you for adopting that poor little guy. I have a feeling this will work itself out soon, and you two will become best friends.

[WolverineDG]

17. I hope so

he's moved further away from my house, though, & last night when I talked to him, he moved away. I'm taking that to mean he's not interested, so I'm leaving him alone. I hope it works out okay & he finds his people, or new ones.

dg

[rosesaylavee]

15. I have an idea

Are you a male? If so, do you have a female friend who can approach the dog? If it were my dog, she's terrified of most men at first. Or vice versa. It may not be you but your gender that's keeping the dog from approaching you.

And, if you or a friend has a dog, they have hypersensitive noses and can pick up that scent - making you or your friend all that more trustworthy.

Hope he/she finally comes to trust you enough to come in from the cold.

[WolverineDG]

18. Nope, I'm a girl

;)

But I've seen him do the same thing when men are around him & I have 2 dogs as well. Fortunately, it's not all that cold where I live & he has a pretty thick (& beautiful) coat, so sleeping outdoors is okay. He seems quite content to lounge around on my neighbors' driveways & bark at people for now.

dg