How could I be so silly?

[Malika]

Took J to his gym lesson this afternoon in a village about 25 minutes from here. Let the dog out to run around in the park next to the gym hall, collected J and got into conversation with the Tae Kwando teacher (re J starting this in September). Got back in the car and, back in the village, took J to a friend in the village who was looking after him for me for a few hours while I worked. I thought Pup had got out of the car and gone into the house with them... this family often looks after Pup and it is kind of her second home, so normal that she should stay there. When J came back at 7.30ish, Pup wasn't with him... He had not gone to the family! Thinking back, I realised that I must have left her in this other village after gym, that she must never have got in the car with us.
So I went back there tonight, with the friend and an awake J (who usually sleeps at 8 pm) and we toured the part of the village where I had left her. Several sightings, possible sightings, reported by people - someone said there was a dog of her description just half an hour before around there, two other people said they had seen her on the main road leading back (after 15/20 minutes drive) to the turning to my village... they can't both be true. We found the mayor's wife, coincidentally, out and about - she is going to inform the mayor's office.
In the end we just had to come home. I am worried about Pup, who is so fearful and timid and perhaps feels confused and abandoned. Where is she and what will happen to her? I will ring the mayor's office in the morning and also the national number you ring in France for a chipped dog. Of course I do not feel happy about my state of unmindfulness when I forgot her... I just hope she is okay and someone will find and report her missing.

 

[welcometowitsend]

Malika - I will say a prayer for you tonight that you find your pup.

 

[TeDo]

Go easy on yourself. You're not the first and won't be the last person to do that. I will pray that he is found safe and sound and returned to you quickly.

 

[Ktllc]

How? Just a lot on your mind. We have all done mistakes trying to handle it all, all at once. Hopefully your little dog will be found tomorrow. Good thing you live in a small community. Don't forget to call animal shelters if you don't have him by the morning.

 

[Hound dog]

Saying a prayer that some kind soul has taken her inside, given her food and water and a little love and you will be reunited quickly.

It happens.

(((hugs)))

 

[Malika]

Thank you for your kind thoughts. I've woken at 4 am here, after a rather confused and frightening dream about things getting lost... My worry is that she has gone into the countryside surrounding the village and go lost. If she stayed in the village, someone will see and report her, especially the way people will spread the news that a dog is missing. But there is maybe 10 miles of almost total countryside between that village and the next one, with maybe just a couple of farmhouses in between. She's not a very street smart dog and not so energetic (despite her name, Pup, she is eight yearso old).
It must be awful to lose a dog and never find them again.

 

[SuZir]

Oh, that really sucks. Hopefully you find Pup soon and safe and sound.

Remember that sometimes dogs, if they get scared when they are lost, can start to avoid people, even the owner, very soon after they have got loose. If she is not coming to you right after you see her first time don't try to run after her and catch her that way or anything. It's often better to go near the place she may be and have a picnic, better yet barbecue, and try to tempt with food.

 

[Malika]

Thanks, SuZir. Yes, I've read what you say about dogs being scared and disoriented and avoiding people after they get lost. It's difficult to know, isn't it... Pup has such a friendly, trusting and gentle nature - I've seen her lots of times go up to strangers to be stroked - that I can only hope she will approach a house when she is hungry.
I've rung half a dozen mayor's offices in the surrounding villages this morning, rung the central organisation for electronically chipped dogs, will ring the refuge when it opens this afternoon. It's hard not to know where/how she is and to think of how upset J will be if we cannot find her - let alone of her being frightened, hungry, etc... I will take J after school and we'll go to some of the houses in the surrounding villages to question them.
I hope....

 

[Hound dog]

We have some type of hunting dog mix in the neighborhood........wandering. He's friendly enough but shy. Haven't been able to coax him up for food/water yet. But today's temps might be enough to do so. He's lost, I think. Doesn't look like he's been gone long. IF I can snap a picture of him, I'll post him on our local fb pages to see if someone lost him.........I've been watching to see if anyone is asking for him but nothing yet.

As long as she stays in town, if she's hungry enough........she'll find a kind person to feed her.

 

[Malika]

Thanks, Hound Dog.
I now sense that Pup is trying to make her way home here across the countryside - a distance of about 15 kilometres (10 miles?) She was last seen heading out of the town on the main road to here, showing she knew that was the direction home. I am going to get J after school and we'll start calling at farmhouses in that area, asking and leaving my number. She is a terrier but seems to have NO terrier instincts of hunting whatsoever. But maybe having to survive will force her. I hope so much she will be okay.

 

[1905]

I hope she gets found today. Does she have identification around her neck? husband and I saw a dog wandering around here, we tried to get it in his truck, we saw it had tags and were ready to drive it home, but it was scared and ran from us. Maybe someone will drive your dog home. Saying prayers it stays safe.

 

[Hound dog]

You'd be utterly shocked at how some dogs can make their way home. Seriously.

My bro had a goldie......and this goldie couldn't handle his people leaving home. So he broke out of the house regularly to find them. Tired of constantly repairing windows bro rehomed Rex to a friend of mine across the city. Rex had never been on that side of the city before...........and I took him in my car. Next morning, Rex was home again........15 miles. I think bro wound up rehoming him out of state. It was the only way to stop him from returning home LOL

I found a dog once, owner was a child but grandpa had took her out hunting for some exercise (she'd had a litter that were weaning).........she jumped out of the truck before he got to the highway on the way back from their outing.......he searched and searched but couldn't find her. By the time she got to me (outskirts of town) she'd made her way 20 miles and was just too tired/hungry to go any further. She was only about a mile from home. I'd contacted the radio station here and the paper........they were reunited 3 days later.

Just depends on the dog.

 

[Hound dog]

This is why I'll go out of my way for a stray if I can. I've reunited quite a few with their families over the years. And I hope, should one of my furkids get lost........someone would be kind enough to do the same for them.

Does your community have any fb pages? Ours has several yard sale ones.......but if someone has a pet that is missing or found, they'll post a picture on them and word gets around very fast. (small town) We've had several reunited that way too. Our local radio station will broadcast lost or found dogs for free. Our paper used to, but now they charge a small fee.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Our local radio station will broadcast lost or found dogs for free. Our paper used to, but now they charge a small fee.​

Read more: http://www.conductdisorders.com/forum/f10/how-could-i-so-silly-49315/#ixzz1z6D0hl9w​

The paper here charges for posting a "lost dog" notice... but a "found dog" notice is free. So, depending on how the paper works where you are, it might be worth checking the paper for notices...

 

[DDD]

Fingers crossed that you will be reunited soon. I do think it's important for you to put an optimistic face on the story for J in case Pup is not located. Decades ago we had a family dog disappear and my difficult child was able to help in the hunt with-o getting too upset because she believed me when I told her "sometimes nice families find a wonderful dog and just assume it needs a home...sadly, they often don't realize that the dog has a loving family searching." We did not get the dog back but for months afterward difficult child would say "I wonder if her new family has lots of toys for her?" Good luck. DDD

 

[TerryJ2]

Find her yet? I know the feeling.
And I hope she finds you. Fast.

 

[Malika]

Thank you.
We went looking for her tonight after school. We walked again around the village where she was lost then I took the country road stopping at houses and giving them my number. People were universally kind and concerned and a couple had amazing stories of how their dog had found their way home from literally hours drive away across unknown territory.
Arrived home and there was a message from a woman (who had phoned the mayor's office) saying that a dog of my description had followed them back from the village and had stayed around them for a while though was no longer there. My kind friend in the village, and another friend of hers and her little boy all came and we searched around this house, in the countryside, and back in the village for a couple of hours. No luck. When I showed these people a phone picture of Pup they both said the colour was identical but it didn't look at all like the dog they'd seen... I don't know. Witnesses can never be relied on for descriptions. So then we had to come back, again hands empty.
It is a very sad feeling, honestly. I just hate the thought of her suffering and afraid. And then J is going to be so upset of course...thanks for the advice, DDD, which is good. I would have been honest with J but perhaps it is better to give him a happy tale.
I must not give up hope, I know. Next step is to make a poster and put it up around the place.

 

[BusynMember]

Please keep us posted. I feel so sad for you, J, and your pup :<

 

[DammitJanet]

I think I would start telling J about how some other nice family must have taken Pup in because they thought Pup looked so wonderful but didnt know how to find the owners. I actually refuse to even think about the alternatives myself even though I know most times that my neighbor is the culprit. Because I didnt find my mama dog this time, I am faking myself out believing someone just wanted my dog. (yeah right. No one could ever put their hands on her...sniff sniff)

 

[DDD]

Sigh, I know my approach is a bit deceptive but there really are only so many possible outcomes. The chances of someone kidnapping the dog to cause it harm is beyond remote. The chances of the dog being dead along the side of the road is beyond remote. The chances of the dog trying to find home....possible but does conjure up sad images for a youngster.

So...in my humble opinion, Pup evidently is not living in the villages nearby as some neighbor would have directed you there. I truly do think that Pup likely has been "adopted" by someone. Obviously the new family is not sophisticated enough to seek verification of identification but I'm hoping they are loving and caring people. Like everyone else, however, I am still hoping you all get reunited. Hugs DDD