How could I be so silly?
- Thread starter Malika
- Start date
I truely hope you have some good news soon. My cat had disppear for 4 weeks and then, one day, re-appeared. He never left us since then, although he is still able to come in and out as he wants.
My malamute, on the other hand, was an escape artist since day one. Despite invisible fence system, he would run away on a regular basis. I have quite a few stories on how he came back home (5 or 6 rescue from strangers in a 4 year period). One day, he disapeared yet again and we never heard anything again. He was micro-chipped and had tags on his collar. Also very people friendly. After a couple month I told the boys that he would not come back and we should not wait for him. They asked what happened and I did not make a fairy tale story. I explained that he had a good life but since he did not come back he was likely dead. The boys were sad but I believe kids feel it when grown ups lie to them.
If I don't really know myself, I tell the hypothesis that I truely believe in all the while explaining that it is what I believe but I'm obviously not sure.
We now talk about our malamute without being sad. I don't feel awkward because I'm not hiding anything and the boys sense it. No matter what their questions are, I try to be age appropriate but truthful.
Keep us posted and don't lose hope yet. It's been only a few days.
My malamute, on the other hand, was an escape artist since day one. Despite invisible fence system, he would run away on a regular basis. I have quite a few stories on how he came back home (5 or 6 rescue from strangers in a 4 year period). One day, he disapeared yet again and we never heard anything again. He was micro-chipped and had tags on his collar. Also very people friendly. After a couple month I told the boys that he would not come back and we should not wait for him. They asked what happened and I did not make a fairy tale story. I explained that he had a good life but since he did not come back he was likely dead. The boys were sad but I believe kids feel it when grown ups lie to them.
If I don't really know myself, I tell the hypothesis that I truely believe in all the while explaining that it is what I believe but I'm obviously not sure.
We now talk about our malamute without being sad. I don't feel awkward because I'm not hiding anything and the boys sense it. No matter what their questions are, I try to be age appropriate but truthful.
Keep us posted and don't lose hope yet. It's been only a few days.
Malika
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the good wishes.
I feel as if I keep coming so close and yet missing her... We went again to the village where I lost her (maybe 15 miles away) tonight, with a photo of her and my phone number which I posted up in shops, the mayor's office, the church, etc Again, talked to quite a few people out and about, showing them the photo. The baker said he saw her early morning yesterday and a girl was certain she'd seen her last night - which corresponds to someone else in the village who said they'd seen her last night. The more people I talk to, the more likely it is that I will find her if she has been taken in by someone because people talk to each other a lot in villages...
I am just telling J that she has probably been taken in by a family which is the truth, I suppose - probably what has happened. Though we don't know. She could just be finding refuges and food for herself in the area where she was left. It will be so good if we find her again, though I have to accept that we may not.
I feel as if I keep coming so close and yet missing her... We went again to the village where I lost her (maybe 15 miles away) tonight, with a photo of her and my phone number which I posted up in shops, the mayor's office, the church, etc Again, talked to quite a few people out and about, showing them the photo. The baker said he saw her early morning yesterday and a girl was certain she'd seen her last night - which corresponds to someone else in the village who said they'd seen her last night. The more people I talk to, the more likely it is that I will find her if she has been taken in by someone because people talk to each other a lot in villages...
I am just telling J that she has probably been taken in by a family which is the truth, I suppose - probably what has happened. Though we don't know. She could just be finding refuges and food for herself in the area where she was left. It will be so good if we find her again, though I have to accept that we may not.
Hound dog
Nana's are Beautiful
It does sound like you're awfully close to finding her. Don't give up yet.
That dog that has been wandering the neighborhood and got hit? I just located his owner. Problem is.........either the dog warden picked him up or he wandered off again somehow. I hope to heck it's the first one as it seems she's been searching a while now.
That dog that has been wandering the neighborhood and got hit? I just located his owner. Problem is.........either the dog warden picked him up or he wandered off again somehow. I hope to heck it's the first one as it seems she's been searching a while now.
Malika
Well-Known Member
That's three hours drive from here, IC! And I sense she has "forgotten" the previous owner. Also the sightings of her in the village where she was lost... It's terrible, I almost feel like I have lost a child... Really would never have thought I could get that attached to a dog.
Malika... you don't know dogs.
I've known of dogs that have travelled multiple-day-journeys to get "home" (example: from Wales, to the northeast of Scotland). And no, they don't "forget", especially when stressed.
And you REALLY don't (or didn't!) know dogs, if you didn't think you'd lose your heart to one. Dogs are... dogs. They just DO that. It's how they survive... and perhaps why they exist. Dogs have an impact on humans that no other animal has... the next closest is horses, and even that is a fairly big gap.
We only expect to have our (larger) dogs for 10 more years or so... and even just thinking about that reality is tough, because... they just wrap themselves around your heartstrings and they don't ever let go.
Hound dog
Nana's are Beautiful
Malika, hon......you have lost a child. There is good reason we refer to them as our furkids. LOL
If pup was well socialized and super friendly before becoming lost, odds are she's still that way.......and that is a huge bonus for her. People will at the very least give her food and water.
That's the way it's been with the dog that got hit. He's been missing from his owner since April 7th. (which burns me up because she had posted about him and no one turned him in so she could find him) This is her first lead and she's thrilled. That he's stayed in this general area all these weeks due to people being nice to him, greatly increases her chances of being reunited even though it seems he's wandered off again. Now she knows where to look and now there are like 30 people watching for him to notify her, all her live in the same area.
((hugs)) I'm praying hard for pup's safe return home.
If pup was well socialized and super friendly before becoming lost, odds are she's still that way.......and that is a huge bonus for her. People will at the very least give her food and water.
That's the way it's been with the dog that got hit. He's been missing from his owner since April 7th. (which burns me up because she had posted about him and no one turned him in so she could find him) This is her first lead and she's thrilled. That he's stayed in this general area all these weeks due to people being nice to him, greatly increases her chances of being reunited even though it seems he's wandered off again. Now she knows where to look and now there are like 30 people watching for him to notify her, all her live in the same area.
((hugs)) I'm praying hard for pup's safe return home.
DammitJanet
Well-Known Member
We have had dogs in the US that have traveled almost cross country to find their families. It doesnt happen often but the stories are out there. It happened several times after Katrina.
Malika
Well-Known Member
Well, my vision of a heroic and intrepid Pup forging her way to me across miles of open countryside was a little romantic... Someone phoned me a while ago from the village where she is lost telling me that she had seen her this morning. It's in the place where she has been seen several times, alongside the river (where we sometimes walked). She says that she tried to catch her but she was fearful and wouldn't come. Unfortunately I have to work today - deadline looming and I need to work flat out to meet it - but I took the phone directory and phoned several people who live in that area. Again, all very kind and understanding. They have promised they will try to catch her or phone me if they see her - one woman said she had seen her on Thursday, as she was fishing in the river. She had given her something to drink but she said she was fearful and would not come close to them. It sounds like she has got very fearful of people and it is going to make it hard to catch her. I will go there tonight, myself, with J and walk up and down calling her. Fingers crossed that with the kindness of strangers, I will get her back.
SuZir
Well-Known Member
Malika, when you go to look for her, take her bed or mattress or blanket or even just a towel that smells like you and her food bowl with you. If she doesn't come, leave the blanket and bowl with food for her there. She will find those later and you may be able to find her near those later.
There I live people use a lot hunting dogs, nowadays they all have GPS trackers on them, but before new technology made it easy to find dog working far from owner it often happened that hunting dogs went missing for night or few. They were of course very good in finding way home but if they had been hunting father away from home, hunters left dogs blanket and their own backpack to the place their car had been and their dogs often came right back to there and waited and it was easy to just pick them up later.
Leaving food and familiar smelling stuff to the place she has been seen may encourage Pup to stay in the area and make it easier to both find and catch her.
There I live people use a lot hunting dogs, nowadays they all have GPS trackers on them, but before new technology made it easy to find dog working far from owner it often happened that hunting dogs went missing for night or few. They were of course very good in finding way home but if they had been hunting father away from home, hunters left dogs blanket and their own backpack to the place their car had been and their dogs often came right back to there and waited and it was easy to just pick them up later.
Leaving food and familiar smelling stuff to the place she has been seen may encourage Pup to stay in the area and make it easier to both find and catch her.
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Hound dog
Nana's are Beautiful
Oh! Poor baby. She IS looking for you.......just looking for where you all normally go. What a smart girl. I hope you find her tonight and she'll be safe in your arms.
The blanket and food is a good idea. It is not only familiar, it lets HER know you're looking for her as well. She will see those things, smell you on them and know you were there. It will comfort her and hopefully be enough that she'll wait for you to return.
The blanket and food is a good idea. It is not only familiar, it lets HER know you're looking for her as well. She will see those things, smell you on them and know you were there. It will comfort her and hopefully be enough that she'll wait for you to return.
Malika
Well-Known Member
Thanks HD, buddy and SuZir.
A fruitless search again tonight - in terms of finding Pup though it's never a waste of time as I talk to people, give them my number. A lot of people I speak to are already aware she's missing... people promise they will try to catch her if they see her.
In fact she was seen on the other side of the river than the one we walk on (another man confirmed the sighting). There's a couple of houses there and then a long country road, which I went down.
It's a big village. It seems like she is hiding out somewhere, coming to look for food? I don't know at what point you give up hope but I'm certainly not ready to resign myself to losing her yet. Next step is to print out loads of leaflets and put them through people's doors, maybe offer a reward. J is not really sad and doesn't really understand... he keeps saying brightly "are we going to find Pup now?" He occasionally says he wants to see her and starts crying a bit but the main person who will be sad is me...
A fruitless search again tonight - in terms of finding Pup though it's never a waste of time as I talk to people, give them my number. A lot of people I speak to are already aware she's missing... people promise they will try to catch her if they see her.
In fact she was seen on the other side of the river than the one we walk on (another man confirmed the sighting). There's a couple of houses there and then a long country road, which I went down.
It's a big village. It seems like she is hiding out somewhere, coming to look for food? I don't know at what point you give up hope but I'm certainly not ready to resign myself to losing her yet. Next step is to print out loads of leaflets and put them through people's doors, maybe offer a reward. J is not really sad and doesn't really understand... he keeps saying brightly "are we going to find Pup now?" He occasionally says he wants to see her and starts crying a bit but the main person who will be sad is me...
Malika
Well-Known Member
It's just too frustrating. The man from the pizzeria in the village where Pup is rang me half an hour ago, saying that she was outside his shop and they were going to catch her. I just spoke to him and he told me that a dozen men had tried to catch her and she was so frightened that they could not get hold of her, and she has again run away... She seems to appear in the morning and in the evening - though not, of course, when I am there.
I'm going to get up really early tomorrow and go there, see if we can catch sight of her. I really don't know if she will even come to me now.
I'm going to get up really early tomorrow and go there, see if we can catch sight of her. I really don't know if she will even come to me now.
Hound dog
Nana's are Beautiful
These good intentioned people trying to "catch" her is what is scaring her so badly. If they don't stop.......(like all the men trying to corner her or whatever)......she'll stop approaching people at all.
It's really not hard to get a stray to trust you. A calm voice (maybe a little baby talk mixed in), calm body language......kneel down to their level (lowers the threat) offer a little food/water (bribe) and just be patient for a while. Often I just sit down and keep talking to them. Eventually.......they'll figure out I have no ill intentions and come up to me and then I'll pet them for a while to settle their nerves because I figure they've had plenty of folks trying to "catch" them. If it doesn't work the first time, I don't push it. I try again the next time they show up. I always let them come to me. Well, except in the injured dogs case......but even then I didn't push myself on him, I just talked to him like I would my own dogs if they were hurt and gave him the food and water. He came to me......and actually that sort of shocked me because it was the last thing I expected him to do. Now once they come to me, should I know someone is looking for it......I'll find a way to contain the dog until that person can get to me. (usually I'm petting while having someone else go for a leash, no change in my voice to give anything away) I'll probably have to use this method with the injured dog (we now know his name is Patches) because of easy child's neighbors harassing the poor thing half to death. IF he shows up and I can eventually get him to come to me I'll slip a leash on him and put him into the back yard........or since he's injured I might bring him inside and put him into the spare dog crate. Then I'll call his owner because I have her number.
Many actually dog owners know this sort of thing, but you'd be surprised at how many people don't. At least she's still being spotted and hanging around the same area. We went to yard sales today and watched for Patches the whole time and sadly didn't spot him.
Hugs
It's really not hard to get a stray to trust you. A calm voice (maybe a little baby talk mixed in), calm body language......kneel down to their level (lowers the threat) offer a little food/water (bribe) and just be patient for a while. Often I just sit down and keep talking to them. Eventually.......they'll figure out I have no ill intentions and come up to me and then I'll pet them for a while to settle their nerves because I figure they've had plenty of folks trying to "catch" them. If it doesn't work the first time, I don't push it. I try again the next time they show up. I always let them come to me. Well, except in the injured dogs case......but even then I didn't push myself on him, I just talked to him like I would my own dogs if they were hurt and gave him the food and water. He came to me......and actually that sort of shocked me because it was the last thing I expected him to do. Now once they come to me, should I know someone is looking for it......I'll find a way to contain the dog until that person can get to me. (usually I'm petting while having someone else go for a leash, no change in my voice to give anything away) I'll probably have to use this method with the injured dog (we now know his name is Patches) because of easy child's neighbors harassing the poor thing half to death. IF he shows up and I can eventually get him to come to me I'll slip a leash on him and put him into the back yard........or since he's injured I might bring him inside and put him into the spare dog crate. Then I'll call his owner because I have her number.
Many actually dog owners know this sort of thing, but you'd be surprised at how many people don't. At least she's still being spotted and hanging around the same area. We went to yard sales today and watched for Patches the whole time and sadly didn't spot him.
Hugs
Malika
Well-Known Member
Pup is home! Went to the village early morning, walked around all the places she has been sighted, calling her name - nothing. I decided to sit and wait in the park for a bit as she has been seen there several times; just before it, I got talking to a lady whom I've talked to a couple of times and who had taken my number. She was telling me various stories about dogs she has taken in/looked after. Suddenly J, behind us, cried "Pup!" and stood there with his arms open (clever boy, he remembered not to run to her). And there she was! She was very happy to see us, giving little yelps and trembling all over. She looked fine other than having loads of bits of grass and seeds matted in her fur - she must have been sleeping in a field. We went to thank a few of the people who had helped us and told them the good news and ran into the mayor's secretary, who has been so helpful and friendly. She was truly touched and glad for us, and even had tears in her eyes. As I write, Pup is sleeping on the sofa next to me, having been brushed and given some anti-parasite treatment.
I won't forget her again.
I won't forget her again.
tiredmommy
Well-Known Member
I've been following this thread the best I could from the beginning and cannot begin to describe the joy and relief I feel for you, pup and J!
