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dogs and cats

Dogs found and one gone again

John F Dean

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Both of my dogs (Australian Shepherd and Border Collie) vanished Thursday evening. Coyotes were my first thought. Also, the Aussie was in advanced years. He may have died, and he partner could be sticking with him. They were well liked by all neighbors. They stayed off roads, but did roam neighboring fields and woods, always returning in a couple of hours. Three honks on the truck horn always brought them home. Searches have turned up nothing.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Anne Miller

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I am sorry to hear that your dogs vanished.

I am hoping that they will turn up at some point.

My neighbor told us about his dog going missing and one morning a couple of years later he jumped into the truck with him. Who knows where that dog had been?

My suggestion would drive around honking the horn ever so often.

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Carla Burke

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Damn, John; the summer you're having! I hope your pups come back home, soon. Maybe they're on the trail of some sweet little thing in heat... Or tracking rabbits...

"The only thing...more expensive than education is ignorance."~Ben Franklin
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." ~ Plato

randal cranor

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howdy,

Sorry to hear, John

My best friend, companion, Kona, siberian husky, wandered off 2 nights ago, wasn't here yesterday,old in years. I figure just wandered off, had his rounds, and caught off guard. I wandered around looking in some of his "places".

In the past he had treed mtn. lions and bears not far from the back door, I even walked back to the house, got camera and took photos. I watched and followed Kona one time when he was herding a bear off the property, away from the house.Very exciting times. Neighbors say they didn't even know I had dogs. I border BLM and USFS boundaries, wild land.

Just this morning, I'm in my "fenced garden"( fence keeps dogs out, dogs keep deer away), and there is a deer inside the fence. I chase him out, can't find where he got in. 20 mins. later I'm around the other side of the house and there is a deer, standing in the open. I get myself a "real noise maker", shoot in it's direction. 30 mins. later, back eating peas...this is gonna stop!

Though Kona was old 14-15? yrs., he was still the OGD, Old Guard Dog, faithful to the end.

My heart goes out to you John, and all you others, good companions, far and few between,....

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John F Dean

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posted 1 year ago

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Hi Randal,

My thoughts run like yours. These guys had one hell of a great life, and, for them, life was one never ending party. There was adventure after adventure. I will continue to search for a few days, but no tears will be shed. They had a far better life than most people.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

John F Dean

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Hi Randal,

Once again, as I reread your post, you approach another good topic. With the dogs still gone, I am becoming concerned about deer and predators. At 73, I don’t see getting a pup as a good investment for me or the dog. I am thinking in terms of an older dog from an animal shelter. That would be the most likely arrangement to turn into a win/win for both the dog and me.

And, before I post this, did your dog ever return?

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

randal cranor

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Howdy,

Good Morning, John

No dog returned. At his age and his ailments, weak in the rear legs, he was slow getting around.

And at 71, I don't think I want a pup. Was thinking of a shelter or rescue one. After 50 years of pets, I finially don't "have to come home to take care of the animals", which has been my reason for not being out over night or late at night. Kona was to big to ride around in my subaru BRAT.

Deer was here last night.

Inmate, Natures Asylum, Siskiyou Ward

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Dan Fish

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posted 1 year ago

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Well that sucks...

There is a guy in my neighborhood, around the same age as yourself, that lost his dog to old age about 4 years ago. Now what he does is "foster" dogs from the shelter. He takes an older dog home for about a month and works with it a bit to help the dog become more adoptable. Basically just taking it out of the shelter and interacting with it does wonders for it's "adoptability" I guess. He also posts on facebook and whatnot to kinda advertise the dog, showing how good/happy/cute it is and dispelling any myths of a full grown dog being too hard to deal with. Helps him out since he is a retired old miner, nam vet guy who could use the company and it sure helps the dogs and the shelter! It's pretty awesome cause other than all that, the guy is a total dick, hahaha.

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John F Dean

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The dogs are still gone. I have verified what I already thought. They had a territory of a little over 1 sq mile. I have spoken with everyone I can both inside that area (all 4 households} as well as a little outside of it. I have spoken with all delivery drivers: postal, Fed X, UPS etc. I have spoken with all utility workers who work inside that area. I have personally walked the entire area … woods and fields. I have driven all roads within 9 sq mile area many times at different times of the day and night.. All animal shelters in this county and neighboring counties have been contacted. The dogs are pros at shedding their collars, but they are chipped. They vanished between 10 PM wed and 9 AM Thurs. This is a little earlier than I originally thought. The problem is that we had gone to the Big City, and it was difficult, at first, to nail down times.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Carla Burke

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posted 1 year ago

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Aww, John. I'm so sorry they haven't turned up. Hopefully, they'll find their way home - and sooner, rather than later.

John F Dean

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I went outside to water the herbs, opened the solid wood gate, and on the other side were the two missing dogs. After over 2 months, they returned home. They had been well taken care off…..at least they had lost no weight. Then again, as a pair, they are hunters and we’re very able to find their own food. The alpha had a patch of hair off his nose. I suspect that was from the great escape. I do not mean to imply that they were stolen, it could well be that someone found two stray dogs and took care of them.

So now we have three dogs. My inclination, at the moment , is to tie a concrete block to each of them to slow them down. I am sure I will drop that view by morning. But I am going to have to take some measures to better protect them.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Kyle Hayward

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Well, what a wonderful suprise!
I lost a dog for about two days and when he slinked back onto the porch, he really was acting all normal like, hey maybe he didn't notice I was gone and I won't be in any trouble, heh. Of course he wasn't and I could tell he'd likely been out sowing his seed, got cut the next week.

randal cranor

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Howdy,
I love stories like this, makes my day...
Now, if only "these guys" could talk"...Speak Lassie" Where what who...

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Douglas Alpenstock

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John F Dean wrote:I went outside to water the herbs, opened the solid wood gate, and on the other side were the two missing dogs. After over 2 months, they returned home. They had been well taken care off…..at least they had lost no weight.

Good Lord! That's incredible. A miracle!

I've had dogs disappear, and have done the fruitless search. It's not easy. The worst is not knowing. Did they at least die a quick, easy death? I felt responsible.

I'm not far from shedding a tear here. I'm glad your dogs found their way home, and perhaps were helped by kind people. Wonderful!

Carla Burke

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Yayyy!!! I knew they'd come home!

John F Dean

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I forgot to mention, each was wearing a new collar.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Douglas Alpenstock

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John F Dean wrote:I forgot to mention, each was wearing a new collar.

Hm! That's complicated. Somebody knows something.

John C Daley

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Good news and strange news.
How would you describe how you feel right now?

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John F Dean

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Hi Douglas,

I really don’t want to jump to conclusions, but you are right, there is more to this story. It could be that a well meaning person found what they thought were two strays. Of course, it could be the person was less than well meaning.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Douglas Alpenstock

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Personally, I would have them examined by a veterinarian who knows the story. Physical exam, any behavioural oddities, microchips checked.

John F Dean

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Hi Douglas,

The vet appointment will be made as soon as the office opens. To say the dogs are happy to be home is a serious understatement….they have not stopped partying since they got home. My wife fell asleep in the recliner. She woke up at 1:00 am with one in her lap licking her face.

It is past 3:00 am now. We are discussing putting an ad in the paper … Found…two dogs.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

John F Dean

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We have been having discussions on how to handle our two pups who have returned. We have swapped out the collars for bright red ones …. To indicate that they do have a home. We are getting tags for the collars with an address and phone#. That should address honest people encountering them. As for the dishonest ones, well we are all at a loss as to how to deal with them. We do realize there is a quality of life issue, and we really don’t want them kept locked up the rest of their lives. Though I am making a serious effort to better secure the back yard….that said, I also know they will find a way out if they are kept there too long….I am looking for short term security.

My wife is wanting gps collars. To me, that does not address theft. And, the dogs have clearly demonstrated that getting lost is not much of an issue.

The alpha (Border Collie) of the two concerns me. He has obviously learned a great deal about life. He is still very loving to my wife and me. He is also very tolerant of the cats and other members of our homestead. But, he has developed an edge to him that wasn’t there before. He tenses much sooner. He is more observant. He and the Australian Shepherd used to be pretty much equals, though the Border Collie always was in the lead. Now the Border Collie rarely rests. He is always checking the parameters. The only time he rests is when I put him in a travel carrier Inside the house.

Anything unusual is immediately seen as a threat. I suspect it was a long, hard trip home.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Jay Angler

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I'm in an area where a lot of animals get dumped...

However, when we did decide to "adopt" a stray cat that kept hanging around (my husband fed it turkey - it was very hungry - what did he expect the result to be???) the first thing I did was take it to a vet - it had been spayed, we got it all the shots expected just in case it hadn't had some. I would have expected that if it had a chip, the vet would have found it. No idea if it being "lost" was accidental or intentional.

My point - yes, whomever "borrowed" your dogs appeared to have cared for them, but to not take them to a vet to be checked? Rabies is a thing, people!!!

I totally agree with you about the quality of life thing - the cat was always a bit anxious around people, so when she needed geriatric care, it took me a bit to get the message across to the vet that she was semi-feral, vet visits are very stressful, I'm not going to support this cat beyond the care being more helpful than the stress. It took a couple of visits, but the vet got the message and agreed that I wasn't being an irresponsible pet owner, just a pet owner respecting the needs and wants of the animal.

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Anne Miller

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I am so glad to hear that the pups have returned.

Our daughter has a new resume pup. They had a DNA test and found that he is mostly German shepherd and chihuahua. She has a collar with her name and phone numbers on it.

Like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Moonsea-Personalized-Embroidered-Adjustable-Release/dp/B0814Q7R9X

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

John F Dean

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Hi Jay,

As with all of us, not all Vets are created equal. Some should never have decided to work around animals. Others appear to have been born for the job. We are fortunate, we stumbled on one who loves his patients.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

John F Dean

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My wife noticed the alpha's right ear is damaged. It no longer stands up. It could have been damaged in the escape or someone may have tried to control him by grabbing him by his ear. He is also suffering from PTSD. He is hyperviligent. The only time he settles down is when he is in a pet carrier. I am spending a good deal of time interacting with him. He does recognize me as his leader.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

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John F Dean wrote: My inclination, at the moment , is to tie a concrete block to each of them to slow them down. I am sure I will drop that view by morning. But I am going to have to take some measures to better protect them.

I'm so happy that the dogs returned. It may be worth mentioning it to your local police.....maybe no crime but the people that took them in might report them missing?
We sometimes harness our mastiff to an old car tyre with a chain. It doesn't really slow her down, but it means she can't jump fences and get away. Just be warned that the tyre can cut you off at the ankles if they run past, and of course you need to make sure they don't get tangled up. It's a good way of keeping the paths clear.....

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I'm so happy to hear your dogs are back and that you're all spending some good time together.
I feel for you because almost every aspect of your story has happened to me. I had a dog stolen (never got her back), I had another dog beaten and traumatized during that same event, I have a naturally hypervigilant dog who never rests and absolutely would run wild if he could scale my wall, and I live in a place where the first thing most people would do if they saw that kind of dog loose is to take it for themselves (and in many cases, tie it up to use as a watchdog). I like to believe that maybe someone meant well by taking care of your dogs, although the new collars make me raise an eyebrow.....
My traumatized boy was fine and turned out to be the most gentle, sweet dog afterward, although it took a bit of time before men approaching the front gate no longer set him off.
You seem like a person who already has a lot of plates in the air, but i imagine you'll be figuring out how to secure the perimeter a bit better and also maybe giving some extra treats and fun for a while to make sure the boys stay around. I look forward to hearing what the vet says.

John F Dean

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One of my frustrations is that my 11 acres are keyhole into a 500+ acre farm. And, to reach my driveway, one has to drive through an old cemetery. These dogs should be able to run around without anyone bothering them. And, we have lived here for 24 years without a previous episode like this. It would seem it was one unlucky moment. Of course I am notifying my neighbors and keeping a look out for anyone who seems to be prowling the area. If they were stolen, the person might return.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Dan Fish

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Very good! Happy for ya John.

So I have two dogs that work together to escape basically any confinement. I really mean any. Thy have unwound chain link, rolled away big rocks and dug under, or jumped over 6ft, inward rolled, fence. Climbed it in the corners too. Chewed each others collars off when tied. All kinds of stuff. I once had to go and get them in 3 feet of snow more than 2 miles away... WHY?!?! My new opinion is that if a dog has somewhere to be, they are going to get there. I have had tags with our phone number on them and someone always calls.

Finally they have calmed down. They still get out but now that they are 2 years old they just don't have the desire to run 5 miles away, just to see what's happening out there. They want to sleep in comfort and chew on some bones...

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Trace Oswald

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I'm very glad to see they are back. I may have missed it, but I didn't see that they are microchipped? I would do that first thing. At least if someone does take them and you happen across them, or one of your neighbors does, you can prove they are yours to get them back.

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John F Dean

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Yes, they are chipped.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

John F Dean

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Hi Dan,

My dogs have similar behavior. Actually, dog ….it is the Border Collie who is the escape fiend. I had told my wife that if they are alive, they would be home by the new year. My thinking was that whoever had them would slip up…and yes, my Border Collie has torn apart their chain link enclosure. For the time being, I am allowing only one outside at a time ( the Border Collie will never abandon his much older partner partner). They tend to act like 12 year old boys. One behaves. Two will take off together for an adventure. My concern is not them running off. I know that they stay within a mile of their home. The neighbors assure me they never get in trouble. I am concerned about someone taking them again.

Back to the enclosure, I am giving some thought to concrete block….at least the first 3 feet or so. There are times when they need to be secure if we are away for a day or two.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Jay Angler

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John F Dean wrote: Border Collie

Have you considered getting him a few Runner ducks to "herd"?

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John F Dean

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We have goats and Kunekunes.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Jay Angler

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John F Dean wrote:We have goats and Kunekunes.

We have a neighbor that trains dogs as sheep herders. Do that train for goat herding?

I think the idea of Runner ducks is they just keep the dog busy - there's a reason they're called "runner" ducks. The few I had drove me up the wall. Khaki Campbells are bad enough. The Runners were busy squared!

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John F Dean

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They can herd the goats, but they seem to be more protective. Border Collies are not Livestock Guardian Dogs, but they appear to be up to the task for southern Illinois. Coyotes are the main threat. I have seen my two dogs address a pack of Coyotes by herding them away from the livestock. The dogs in my neighborhood have a strong union. I have seen them show up to support one another when the Coyotes are out in force. I have seen my dogs handle a Bobcat. There are Bears and Mountain Lions in southern Illinois, but those are extremely rare. I have personally seen one Mountain Lion in the area and zero bears. However, there was an official sighting of a Black Bear within 30 miles of me.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

John F Dean

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While our two boys were missing, we picked up a female 1 year pup from a shelter. I gave some basic lessons with her. The boys have taken over much of the training. I watched with interest the car training. It has been upgraded. Normally, the older dogs teach the new pup to get off the road and wait on the far side of the ditch until the car passes. The new training is upon approach by a car to cross the ditch and go 20 feet into the brush. I have to assume that this is from recent lessons learned. The issue is no longer to just avoid being hit by a car … it is now to also avoid being dog napped. I am always amazed at how brilliant herd dogs are.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

Jay Angler

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John F Dean wrote: The issue is no longer to just avoid being hit by a car … it is now to also avoid being dog napped. I am always amazed at how brilliant herd dogs are.

Yep! Humans tend to encourage "dumbness" in animals, but I've seen Muscovy protecting young females by leading them away from flying predators into cover. That struck a very similar cord to what the older dogs are doing. The dogs know what happened, and know how to keep their new little lady safe!

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John F Dean

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Yes, and they seem to have worked out the People issue. People in the family are loved. People they already know are safe. New People are held with suspicion … and from a distance. I am pretty sure the Alpha would do everything in his power to avoid contact. If contact was forced on him, things could turn ugly. I have seen and edge to him that wasn’t there before. He is by no means aggressive, but I have no doubt that he understands he might have to kill more than bunnies.

Fighting …serious fighting…is also a new part of puppy training. I saw the usual display of him explaining he was the big tough dominate dog to the new pup. Of course, there is always the wrestling. But last week when the Alpha was making the rounds with me, the 30 pound pup came out if nowhere and leaped on top of him grabbing him by the throat and knocking him over. The Alpha screamed out “I’ve been murdered”. Then the two ran off bumping into one another. Clearly this was a lesson, and she had passed.

I learned a long time ago, that unless things are clearly out of hand, to never mess in dog business. They have their own culture, and it is important for them to keep it in order for them to survive in their world and ours.

At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.

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