my neighbors dog wont go home

My guess is your neighbors dog is put outside and forgotten about. It gets bored, hears your kids playing and decides to join in! It likes what it sees, so it sticks around. Sounds like you've got a fun yard to be in. []

You could talk to your neigbor about supervising the dog's outside time so it doesn't wander. Unfortunately many people with land don't understand that you can't just let the dog outside to fend for itself.

I do get the feeling the poor dog is just put outside and forgot about at times.  We always welcome him gladly cause he is so sweet to my kids and always brings a smile to us, he even loves my young son who is only just turned 3, the doggy likes to chase the kids around and lick on them, he even once chased off a stray dog that came running down the drive way at my little girl, we dont mind him hanging around, just been trying to figure out why he hardly ever goes home, even when we are not outside he is laying out on our deck.
Thanks clarzoo for your advice, I think you may be right about him.

This may sound terrible of me, but I say you keep him, act like hes yours.  He seems like a wonderful dog needing someone to love him, and looks like hes picked you!  If those people cared about him the would come looking... it sounds very strange that hes always at your house and no one seems to care or wonder where he is all day!  Poor thing, Im glad to hear he has you around!

I second that vote!  sounds like a good find and if the owners don't care enough to keep him at home, or come looking for him, why not?

Several years ago, we had a similar issue with our rural neighbor's dog.  The neighbor lived about 2 driving miles away but maybe only 3/4 mile as the crow flies.  His dog was always at our house.  Sometimes, if we were going that way anyway, we would load up the dog and take him home.  Many times, he would beat us back home.  It was pretty funny, actually.  He was a good dog and our neighbor ended up letting us just keep him.

I was goign to suggest you ask your neighbor if they'd like to rehome the dog...he sounds like he considers your house AND FAMILY to be his.
Years ago my sister's dog got away and was missing for 2 weeks. They ran an ad in the paper and a man had found the dog, called them and brought her home. He also brought his daughters with him (I'm sure on purpose). My sister could see how much the dog adored the 2 girls and them the dog. She let them keep her.
You never know...bet your kids would love having the dog

[] Thanks yall for all your post, I really like the dog, he is sweet and good with the kids, He has been hanging around so much lately that we have began to give him treats and even sitting out a water bowel for him so he has clean water to drink, today it got pretty warm outside so we let him inside to get out of the heat and sun. He was just so happy, he stayed of the furniture and just wanted to lay in the floor beside me and watch the kids play! He is just so darn sweet! Last night about 3am I woke up to hearing him barking outside, I looked out the window and he was chasing something into the woods. I feel safer with him around during the day when kids are outside playingn since we have cyotes around this area. I never let the kids outside by themself.
AGain thanks for the post, I think I will just keep treating him like a welcome guest and who knows maybe oneday a family member.

I agree with everyone else it sounds like he found himself a loving home with you and your family. I would slowly start bringing him in and just letting him live with you guys. It doesn't sound like his real owners don't really care for him to let him run around loose like that.
 
Do you guys set any food out? Maybe you guys could get a small bag of food out as well since he seems to be spending most of day at your house instead of home. Please keep us updated on his story and lets us know if you finally decided to let the guy become a full time member of your family.
 

The same thing happened to my sister - it went on for about a year and a half - the dog even ran through an electric fence to get back to my sister.  HIs owner came over one day and said, "you might as well keep him" and she did.  He never even looked back or went near their yard the rest of his life.  He was not abused - just lonely.  And what a nice dog he was....big old Collie.  His idea of enjoyment was lying on the front porch surveying the property.  We all miss him very much.
 
So good luck with this dog - he may be the best one you ever have because he has chosen you....................
 
dianeg