Neighbor's Dog Looks Lost And Lonely. :(

chelsea_b

Exactly what's the big risk of bringing a neighbor's dog into your yard?

Diseases and parasites like worms, fleas, Giardia, etc.  Some parasites are very hard to get rid of.

BCMixs

  Maybe you should just go to their house, describe the dog and ask if it's theirs, and then tell them it almost got hit by a car (a little white lie but it probably will eventually) and how worried you are about it.  Sometimes a little wake up call and a little embarrassment can do wonders.  If you find it out after that, maybe leash it up and take it to their house and AGAIN say it narrowly missed being hit. 

Good luck! 

I agree fully with this approach.   I'm not all that into being sneaky or indirect, some people just need to be a tad embarrassed to be woken up.  I'd probably mention the dog was whimpering and innocently ask if he's okay.  That would really bring attention to it.  

I don't really think this warrants a call to animal control.  The dog was lose once, you've heard it barking in the garage, and you don't see the family out walking it.  I don't think that is really enough to go on. 

Dog_ma

Whoa.

If I had neighbors, and I thought their dog was loose, I'd knock on the door. Not assume they didn't care.

I wouldn't grab my phone and call the police, or animal control. I'd knock, and ask in a friendly way if this was their dog. Especially if I'd seen the dog out *once*.

I sure hope my neighbors would knock on my door if one of my dogs got out.  

I agree with this also.  I know one time recently my side door wasn't fully latched closed.  The dogs saw my neighbor, who they love outside, and bolted out (which I didn't know they did).  He knocked on my door to tell me the dogs were out, I was very greatful that AC wasn't called.  I've also seen the occasional escape artist dog in the neighborhood and just bring them back, dogs find the craziest ways to get out sometimes.

 I too would hope that if my dog escaped, someone would attempt to contact me first.  IIRC, in fact, here it is the law that if a dog is wearing a tag and you are able to get close enough to read it, you HAVE to contact the owner rather than calling the dog warden (our AC).  I was recently heading to the park with Ben and saw a lovely Rottie having a nice stroll along the pavement on a relatively busy street.  I got him to come to me, read the tag, called the owner on my mobile and it turned out someone had left his side gate open and the dog had escaped.  He was grateful that I'd found his dog and came running out from his house, which was just around the corner, carrying a leash.  No reason to have involved the authorities, no reason for be to believe that this owner was in any way negligent.  If I saw that dog walking alone often, sure I would act differently.  Anyone can have a mishap, though. 

100% agreed, it isn't your place to ass-u-me this dog isn't cared for or loved.   

Even if the dog is placed in the garage when they are at work or at night dosen't mean they don't care or love this dog or that it is being mistreaded in anyway.  I would absolutley knock on their dog and tell them you found there dog!  Please if my dog were loose I would hope my neighbor's would alert me or take them in until I got home.

Sometimes we assume if the dogs aren't treated in a manner we treat our dogs they are being mistreated.  My brother has 3 dogs who are all kenneled in the garage at night and when he is not home.  Reason, they are not reliable unsupervised AND he has no room for three crates in his home.  But he loves, cares and wants only the best for his boxers.  They too have gotten loose once or twice by acident through the back gate becasue when he is home he has a doggie door and his daughter (7 years old) sometimes...   forgets to close the gate.  

Again, most of the strays in my neighborhood are literally that - strays.  No tags, roam in packs, etc.  If I knew which neighbor it belonged to, as I mentioned before, I would return it, and have.  If I didn't know and it wasn't tagged, I would call Animal Control.  I work full time, so waiting around during the day for an unknown owner to retrieve his/her dog is not usually an option.

janet_rose

chelsea_b

Exactly what's the big risk of bringing a neighbor's dog into your yard?

Diseases and parasites like worms, fleas, Giardia, etc.  Some parasites are very hard to get rid of.

Yes, and I explained the other reasons why I personally wouldn't in this present house.  I could mention that the dog across the street is ALWAYS roaming loose, and cannot be caught.  Attempts to speak to the owner about it have failed because the house is largely occupied by immigrants who rotate in and out and generally don't speak English.  Other Spanish-speaking neighbors say they've tried speaking w/the presumed owners with no change, and have called animal control - the dog still roams.  I've observed that he's very road savvy and avoids people/animal conflicts when called on his pseudo-aggressive front...

I could also mention that our male ACD is intact & has been known to fight.  Due to laws here, my only choice of containment is the backyard, or inside my house.  If I could manage to wrangle that dog across the street, Achilles would either befriend him, or make mince meat out of him.  Judging by the horrid reaction that ALL our dogs have to him when they see him, I tend to think the latter would be the end result.  But I could test it and see if someone would like.... 

My point is, you can judge all you want, but realizing not everyone's situation is as simple as yours may help folks understand why a dog gets picked up by animal control when someone else might otherwise hold it at their home.  Craigslist is full of well-meaning folks like that who have very few positive end results (dog back home, etc), it seems. 

Agreed.

If the dog has tag - I have no problem phoning the owners. However - I have seen WAY too many hit by cae dogs and cats to leave a dog wandering.  Here, the third time a dog is caught out - the owners are required to spay/neuter, chip, etc. and the dog has a record of being a nusience. My dog wears all his tags, and is chipped for this very reason (not that I'm concerned about him getting out, just 'in case';).

I guess working in shelters, I don't see what the big deal is about calling them. It's their job. The dog does not belong on the steets, esp. at night. No tags, no collar - how would you know where it came from?

I fully understand and respect that not everyone can take a loose dog home. I understand that in some areas, "neighbors" have shotguns and may not be the friendliest. Those are both good reasons to call AC or police. You can only do what you can do.

But the OP believed the loose dog belonged to particular neighbors. Just. Knock.  

Seems most of you think I should have gone to the neighbor's house. Well, keep in mind this was near 10 o'clock at night. And this family has children including a baby. So I really didn't know what to do. That is why I went to the neighbor that lives one house down and across the street from them. I thought maybe he'd be able to take the dog in. But he wasn't home. When I got home I called and left a message on his answering machine.

Taking the dog with me into our home was not an option. I would not be allowed to do this unfortunately. So yeah, my mistake was not knocking on their dog. But keep in mind people.. I did say this dog has been loose before in the past. I had never seen the dog previously... well, not since the dog was an adolescent. But my neighbor has said the dog has gotten out before, possibly several times. Although I think he said he had only taken the dog in once. I'm not saying I think this dog is being mistreated. But my neighbor and I both know the dog is not being walked. We would have seen them walking the dog by now.. and the dog is apparently now seven. I do remember now seeing this dog several years ago but it is a very vague memory. I remember the dog loose and running up to me in the street when the father was out in the yard. So they obviously have a history of off leash practices.

You have to be very careful with neighbors at night. They will call the cops on you if they see you out on the road from their window. It happened to me once years ago when I was out riding my bike at this time. I wasn't breaking the law, just riding my bike... but some fool called the cops and said I was walking on their lawn. So that is partially why I didn't want to walk up to a neighbor's house who I didn't know. The other neighbor I had no problem approaching at this time since I knew him.

I know all my neighbors,their kids and dogs by name.They know me and my dogs too.I think this is becoming a rare thing these days.Either helping a dog home or bringing him to a shelter are the actions of a responseable person.One thing I don't think  I could ever do in my personal situation is nothing.A loose dog is a dog at risk to himself and possibly others.As an owner I would thank my lucky stars if someone brought my dog to the shelter because if my dog ever ran away without his tags the shelter would be the first place I called.Even if a hefty fine was imposed I would have my live dog back as opposed to her being hit by a car or shot by a farmer.

Tena

I wanted to add....I don't judge your actions Shelterdogs, I know there are less friendly neighborhoods than mine.

ShelterDogs

Seems most of you think I should have gone to the neighbor's house. Well, keep in mind this was near 10 o'clock at night. And this family has children including a baby. So I really didn't know what to do. That is why I went to the neighbor that lives one house down and across the street from them. I thought maybe he'd be able to take the dog in. But he wasn't home. When I got home I called and left a message on his answering machine.

Taking the dog with me into our home was not an option. I would not be allowed to do this unfortunately. So yeah, my mistake was not knocking on their dog. But keep in mind people.. I did say this dog has been loose before in the past. I had never seen the dog previously... well, not since the dog was an adolescent. But my neighbor has said the dog has gotten out before, possibly several times. Although I think he said he had only taken the dog in once. I'm not saying I think this dog is being mistreated. But my neighbor and I both know the dog is not being walked. We would have seen them walking the dog by now.. and the dog is apparently now seven. I do remember now seeing this dog several years ago but it is a very vague memory. I remember the dog loose and running up to me in the street when the father was out in the yard. So they obviously have a history of off leash practices.

You have to be very careful with neighbors at night. They will call the cops on you if they see you out on the road from their window. It happened to me once years ago when I was out riding my bike at this time. I wasn't breaking the law, just riding my bike... but some fool called the cops and said I was walking on their lawn. So that is partially why I didn't want to walk up to a neighbor's house who I didn't know. The other neighbor I had no problem approaching at this time since I knew him.

OK, I am going to say it. Your post if full of contradictions. You say the dog has a history of getting out, yet you list 1 time? And your going on what another neighbor said? Your afraid to go up to their house at 10pm at night, yet will walk one house over and up and knock on that persons door? And you base all there care on one loose leash incident several years ago?? And here is the best one, apparently you know this dog is 7, hardly ever see it being walked, and feel that it does not have a great life? Just how close a neighbor is this???

You sure do base your opinions of other dog owners heavily on walking their dog.

And for the record, I have lived here on this street, in this house, for 6 years. I can tell you that my neighbors have...

Hotrod and Max....next door....Max is my other neighbors daughters former dog she took in...did you follow that connection?

Cocoa and Sugar..across the street directly..only on leash when the kids come over and walk them....

Georgie...aging escape artist..age 13, and cranky these days.....corner house, across the street

Phoebe...new puppy, baying beagle..cute as a button....across the street, 4 house over

Not one of them walk their dogs, yet I know each and every one, with the exception of  Phoebe who is new,  has and is well taken care of and loved. Why? Because I get to know my neighbors, I know each of their names. I take the time to be friendly and unassuming about them. I can see and watch how they interact with their dogs.

Cocoa's mom goes to great and IMO costly ends for her dog. She works during the day, and she leaves her front door OPEN, locks the glass and barred storm door so that he can see out during the day, and she does this even in the WINTER....yes....can you imagine her gas and electric bill?

I think you need to give your neighbors a break.

I guess I was lucky... when I lived in a suburban housing development in Southern CA, people in the neighborhood were always rounding up each other's dogs and bringing them back home. When I was a little kid, even, any time I saw a loose dog with tags I would call them over, and if they came, I would see if the tags had a number/address so I could call. Usually someone had left the back gate open (everyone had gardeners, so this was very common!), or the kids left the door open, or the dog took off after a cat or something...

I once was walking my childhood dog down the street and a neighbor (whom I knew and trusted) invited me over for lemonade, so we put the dog in the yard to run around and sniff and such. Little did we know there was a small hole in the fence, and a cat next door, and my dog bolted through the gap and straight into the neighbor's yard... which had a pool right along the fence! Fortunately there was a gap in *their* fence, too, and my dog escaped the pool and the yard and ran down the street, where someone caught her and called the phone number on her collar. It would have been easy to think she was neglected, as she was dripping wet, a bit scraped (from the fences), and exhausted from the ordeal... it wouldn't have been awful if they had called Animal Control to pick her up, but it would have been much more stressful for her than simply being returned to our house.

If you don't feel comfortable with the neighbors and the dog is loose at night, then call animal control. Anyone with a dog ought to know to call animal control immediately if their dog is missing - they'll find it quickly. But if you want to be a good neighbor, next time just knock on their door and talk to them. You might make a new friend, or be able to teach them something. 

ShelterDogs

Seems most of you think I should have gone to the neighbor's house. Well, keep in mind this was near 10 o'clock at night. And this family has children including a baby. So I really didn't know what to do. That is why I went to the neighbor that lives one house down and across the street from them. I thought maybe he'd be able to take the dog in. But he wasn't home. When I got home I called and left a message on his answering machine.

Taking the dog with me into our home was not an option. I would not be allowed to do this unfortunately. So yeah, my mistake was not knocking on their dog. But keep in mind people.. I did say this dog has been loose before in the past. I had never seen the dog previously... well, not since the dog was an adolescent. But my neighbor has said the dog has gotten out before, possibly several times. Although I think he said he had only taken the dog in once. I'm not saying I think this dog is being mistreated. But my neighbor and I both know the dog is not being walked. We would have seen them walking the dog by now.. and the dog is apparently now seven. I do remember now seeing this dog several years ago but it is a very vague memory. I remember the dog loose and running up to me in the street when the father was out in the yard. So they obviously have a history of off leash practices.

You have to be very careful with neighbors at night. They will call the cops on you if they see you out on the road from their window. It happened to me once years ago when I was out riding my bike at this time. I wasn't breaking the law, just riding my bike... but some fool called the cops and said I was walking on their lawn. So that is partially why I didn't want to walk up to a neighbor's house who I didn't know. The other neighbor I had no problem approaching at this time since I knew him.

Well, even at 10 at night I think if their dog is loose they'd rather be woken up and have him home safely than finding out the next morning the dog was hit by a car while it was sleeping.  Even though the dog has been loose a few times, still it happens. It's one thing if it were a regular basis, like everytime you walk by the dog was loose, but a few times over 7 years isn't really that abnormal.  Also, unless you are watching their house 24/7 you don't really, for sure, know if they are walking the dog or not.  I'd just cut them a break, not be nervous and talk face to face with them about the fact that their dog was out at 10 at night and you didn't want to wake them.

LillianD

Well, even at 10 at night I think if their dog is loose they'd rather be woken up and have him home safely than finding out the next morning the dog was hit by a car while it was sleeping. 

I agree with this and have experienced it.  One of my neighbors called us at 1am letting us know that they had our dogs...thank goodness.  We got up, got in the truck and drove to the street behind us to collect our escape artists.

 My Cody (RIP) used to organize adventures for herself and Buddy.  I actually witnessed one of her outing coordinations one morning while I was working from home.  Out the window, I watched her walk over to part of the fence where the ground dipped a bit and of course, Buddy would be following her like a good little soldier.  She stood there and waited for Buddy to get around her then he started digging out.  Then when there was enough room for both of them, he stood back...she went first...waited for him to crawl under and then off they went.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  Of course, I immediately called them to me, opened the gate and back in they came.

Soon after, we installed a small animal electric line at the bottom of the fence to put a stop to their fun.  We live in a semi-rural neighborhood...no busy streets...so their adventures were in the woods...still scary things to encounter so we put a stop to it quickly.

But, I'm so glad that our neighbors took the initiative to catch our dogs...read the tags and call us at 1 in the morning.

ShelterDogs

keep in mind this was near 10 o'clock at night

Well, I can see how it might of been awkward for you.  But, it's not like you were going over there for no reason.