How Does Anyone Ever Actually Catch A Lost Dog?

[Ruffles]

I had a young adult Husky decide to arrive on my doorstep (literally) at 3:30am one morning - as if he knew the crazy dog lady would help him find his way home...

This is usually me! It happened so frequently that I had a dog bed, and a bucket of water on my front porch at all times because any dog that had escaped or was lost used to come to my front door.

[wagsalot]

I pulled up at work once (work in a house so a residential area) and opened my door, and a staffy jumped straight in on my lap before I could get out. I always have a spare lead in my car so walked the street knocking on doors until I found someone that knew where he lived.

Another time I saw German Shepherd on a main road - he was really friendly and came when called so jumped in the car easily.

I had one dog once on a main road, with cars honking at it trying to cross. I pulled up the gutter, chucked the hazards on and went after it. It was really frightful and would growl if I got too close. There was no way I was going to get close enough safely to check its collar or put a lead on, so I managed to get it to head down a side street away from the main road, then it dissapeared into a yard. It seemed to know where it was heading so I hope it went home.

Edited September 27, 2011 by wagsalot

[whiskedaway]

Sometimes they are not 'lost'. They know where they are and where they are going.

Completely agree with this. My girl got loose earlier in the year - she thought it was a grand old game of "keeping offs" and wouldn't go to anyone. As soon as she tired of the game, she went straight up to an old man, looking all sad with "help me, I'm lost" eyes.

One way I've been taught about getting her to come back when she's decided she's free is to crouch right down and call her. She doesn't feel like I'm a threat then (or maybe she just thinks the game is over) and I'm sure this would work for many dogs that are loose.

[WreckitWhippet]

I've caught them by diving on them ( only the smaller dogs ), I managed to get a Sheltie that no one else could catch that way. Naturally it wanted to bite but I had the dog by the scruff and it ended well.

I've sat down and talked to myself and waited for them to come to me.

I've walked up to them and popped a lead on, also done the open the car door and whistle and had them get in.

The one that was the hardest to catch was an Italian Greyhound that was doing laps of the street and laps around me. Obviously excited and happy to play but a bit timid. That one required playing with it, buy dragging things along the ground and running around. I got smart and ran away from it and it could't chase after me quick enough. Her owners were shocked that I caught her.

I try and round them up into someone's yard if possible. Front yards that are fenced are especially good.

[Pom]

I caught a wondering neo once. I had just picked up dogfood and he was easily caught when the smell reached him!! Lifting him into the back of the car to take to the vets on the other hand was a nightmare!!!

[Lady Flying Furball]

Today I saw a black poeranian near my work running in a skittish way all over the streets. It looked scared and kept avoiding people walking toward it. I tried a few times to get it to come to me but no chance. It was too wary. It did go around the corner and as I went in to work seemed to have claimed a yard and was barking territorily. I certainly hope it belonged there but it seemed lost. I felt angry at the owners because it looked stressed and was lucky not to get hit by a car

[Lady Flying Furball]

Today I saw a black pomeranian near my work running in a skittish way all over the streets. It looked scared and kept avoiding people walking toward it. I tried a few times to get it to come to me but no chance. It was too wary. It did go around the corner and as I went in to work seemed to have claimed a yard and was barking territorily. I certainly hope it belonged there but it seemed lost. I felt angry at the owners because it looked stressed and was lucky not to get hit by a car

Edited September 29, 2011 by FlyingFurball

[BigDaz]

I’ve picked up three in the last 6 months:

Number 1 - Beautiful Husky at Strathmore Station Car Park, everyone walked straight past her, but she was extremely friendly. I managed to get her in the back seat of the car and drove her to my vet, plenty of face licks. Ended up the owners didnt want her so just let her out, I think she went to Husky Rescue Victoria but not sure. I would have kept her but did not like the potential issues with my two female Staffy's.

Number 2 - Labrador at Strathmore Station, again no issues capturing him, took him to my vets as well.

Number 3 - Just last week, a pointer walking along a main road walked past me with a guy behind him, looked a bit suss to me so I kept an eye on them. Guy walks into a house and the dog keeps going, by this time I was half a block away so had to run after the dog. When I was close enough I got down on one knee and called him, he ran straight up to me. Luckily a lady was nice enough to lend me a lead for the 2km walk to my vets.

I think my vet is getting sick of me.

I can’t walk past a stray dog, but there has also been a few I haven’t been able to catch or continuing the pursuit would have been more danger for the dog than me backing off.