There's a dog in my house

[Freezby]

There's a Labrador in my house and I don't know where it's come from. DH appears to of left the back door unlocked by mistake, but it was shut? He's at work and knows nothing about it, I've just got home from work and I have acquired a dog. Collar but no ID tag. What is going on?! How did it get in?! Can labradors open and close doors? My little King Charles cavalier spaniel seems to think he's his new best friend so has obviously enjoyed this unplanned play date (thank god a friendly dog decided to break into my house and not an aggressive one) no idea how long this lab has been here but house has been empty besides our dog since 11am. Someone please tell me how this is possible. I'm baffled. Waiting for DH to get back with the car so I can get him to a vets before they all shut and see if he's chipped.

This rocked up in my garden just after Christmas I did consider Santa clause but it turns out she escaped from a neighbours she came back a few days later unfortunately he rehomed her after that good for the dog but I miss my little bouncy visits although my cats don't!

He'll be back. He knows where you live now and he's probably had the best afternoon of his life. Every time he escapes he's going to be heading to yours.

Thanks, Freezby, that makes sense.

I do hope that the situation gets sorted without any distress to the old lady or her dog.

That's a well exercised lab ( look at his nails)
Cinnamon Trust is an excellent call, whoever suggested them.
I feel so sorry for the lady but not sure what you can do if she refuses help.
My mother has dementia and is still living at home, but her condition fluctuates. Some of the stuff she has done recently I think on reflection may have been a call for help. Perhaps this was similar.
Beautiful doggy. Hope he had a good afternoon at your house

Reminds me of when we were teenagers we had a farm and someone abondoned 6 black lab pups in 1 of our sheds on Christmas Eve!

BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!

I wonder if she uses him as a help dog, OP, In which case that woukd explain how he can open and close doors.

They can do all sorts of amazing things if trained to do so

I had a Staffie bound into my house a couple of years ago. He was full of fun (knocked my DH over!) and looked like he was smiling whenever he started panting

I phoned the number on his tag and the conversation when like this...

Me: 'Hello? I've just discovered your dog in my house and rang the number on his collar'.

Woman: 'OMG really? I'm so sorry'.

Me: 'Not to worry, he can't have travelled far. I'll bring him back to you. Where abouts are you?'

Woman: 'I'm in Ireland'.

Me: 'Huh? Blimey, he's travelled further than I thought.'

Turns out She'd gone on holiday and left him with her brother, who lives in the next street to me

I have a Labrador that can open and close doors. Her best friend is a German shepherd who can also open doors. I found out the hard way when i came into my bedroom from the shower to find the German shepherd on my bed!

(He’s walked with my dog but decided to go ahead and come to the house whilst his owner walked behind.) She was mortified he had let himself in!

I need this!

I hope the dog is safe with her. Are you going to keep in touch and keep an eye on things? I don’t mean to sound heartless but if he can take himself into peoples houses he can wander along main roads and nobody will see a black dog in the dark. I hope they’re both ok.

I used to live above a small town vets when i was much younger. They had a German Shepherd in overnight and he was to big for the cages so he was left in what they thought was a secure room. He got lonely, i woke up at midnight to find him 6 inches from my face looking very happy to see me, that was a fun phonecall to the on call vet, and then a fun morning explaining to the dogs owners what he had done!

Bless the old soul! I wonder if her family are aware of how she’s managing. A Labs a big dog for someone who’s not as fit for trailing walks any more.
I know I’ve had a weird run in with a large ginger cat.. neighbour knew I had a cat (Black n white short hair) and seen a large hairy ginger fellow sitting miaowing on my door step. I was out the back door so I never heard them open the door and the cat had wandered in upstairs n made himself comfortable
I found him at around 8pm when he sauntered down stairs like he owned the place.. cat lived a few streets over, owner was mortified, I was baffled thinking how did a cat get.. then discovered the next day from said neighbour he’d let the cat in and “hoped I didn’t mind”.

Aw sorry about the lady with dementia. I didn't see the pic but somebody said it looked well exercised, so I'm sure someone is watching out for them?

My neighbour once heard a strange noise upstairs and investigated, to find a gleeful, gruffling terrier rolling around with wild abandon on her bed.

The dog had vaulted the back gate between two gardens, slipped through an open door and through the gaps in the metal gate keeping the neighbours dogs in the utility room, and run rampage through her house. The neighbour turned up at my door with the dog in her arms and said, "I think this is yours."

Er, yep she was mine.

My dog also once shot through an opportune gap between me and the front door when she spied next doors cat. She chased it out of our garden, into the neighbours garden, and then all the way through the neighbours house (open front and back doors in the summer). It was a different neighbour, I had to go round and intervene as she was doing victory laps of their back garden.

My snappy little bastard of a terrier is not as popular as a friendly lab.

Her dog is still here at the moment. She was rushing DH out the house saying she's fine and a few things that didn't make any sense. DH waited outside and rang me and I said just to try and go back in and just ask for the dogs name or something, I just wanted to be sure as she hadn't mentioned the dog being missing and was being evasive to questions. He knocked and she turned out all the lights and closed curtains rather than opening the door. We aren't sure what to do now but he won't go back as she seems scared/overwhelmed. He's just asking around a few locals if anyone knows who might care for her, we only moved to the area last year so aren't entirely sure of her family situation. If we don't get any joy we might just ring 101 as we aren't sure who else? I don't want to cause trouble if she's ok but it's all a bit weird. I'm surprised she lives independently as her dementia seems quite advanced but I'm no expert so may well be wrong.

You’re lovely, OP.

I would take doggy to the vets tomorrow and see if they can contact her and discuss how she's getting on with the dog, make sure it's being walked and looked after and see what she wants to do.

Is this the right place to tell about the cat and the kettle,? I will anyway...neighbour had a white cat he kept invading my home trying for food sunny windows etc so I scouted round my house daily before locking up my back door (in the kitchen) country see the cat locked the door turned around and my kettle kept off the side onto the floor I screamed so loud they came running I was a gibbering wreck talking about kettles and shoved the cat at them and asked them to take him home PLEASE! they thought I was a nut but lesson learned always put your glasses on before looking for a white cat especially if you have a white kettle he can hide infront of

My dog can open and close doors as well, unless I’m in bed, in the bath or having a shower.
Hope your canine visitor and his owner are ok.

Place marking 😁

Really really want you to end up keeping the dog

We have had this twice. We also live rurally.

One morning Dh was going to work and as he open the front door a big German Shepherd pushed past him into the front room. He was beautiful and clearly a house dog. When we put him out he went round the back and jumped up to try and open the back door.

A few weeks ago, we had some furniture delivered and were in a hurry to go out. We didn't realise next doors retriever puppy had followed the delivery guy in.

Ex police here. Please phone 101 as a concern for her welfare. They may have contact details for a NOK, carer, care service etc. They may not, and may end up unable to do much except contact social services tomorrow. But at least it would be a start.

Wouldn't help with the dog much though...

Is it possible if you have only been there a year that the old lady knew the house's previous owners and used to visit with her dog - this might have led to her getting confused over houses, or the dog going to a house he knew.

I think phoning 101 is a good idea - they can check if she is Ok. It may be that she has carers coming in a couple of times a day (my Dad did although he would have denied it if asked)

Rather a sad situation - I hope both dog and elderly lady are OK. (Well obviously dog is fien with you, but may be that his owner can't cope with him any longer)

Still waiting to see if the dog can open doors! He may well be able to and just doesn't want to share his talents with me. I'm hoping it's that rather than she walked all the way up here and put him in my house as that raises a bit more of a concern about her wellbeing 
good point @KurriKurri you may be on to something there.

Thank you @MotorcycleMayhem That's very helpful we will call now

In other news I fed him from my KCs bowl and what takes him 10 minutes to eat takes this lab just 2 mouthfuls

Can you phone the GP in the morning? As you are rural, I'm guessing not too many GP surgeries around? They might be able to go around and make sure she is ok or know who to contact - family, carers, social services, district nurse etc.
The dog might actually help to keep her safe - give her companionship, someone to talk to, and keep her active.
You are doing great things OP and OP's DP.