To not know what to do with this dog

[Unexpecteddogmum]

So in the past i had seen a small dog roaming around my street on his own but it never came near anyone, and people said it lived nearby. One of my neighbours said she saw it walking itself every day pretty much.

On Monday I came home to find it in my garden with my two dogs, so I posted on FB and asked all my neighbours, eventually someone walking past said they knew the owner and would send him up.

2 hours later a man knocked (the dog had been at my house all day at this point) and the little dog went straight with him and he took him home. Said he was 15yrs old and a Houdini, who escapes out of the fence all the time.

Cue me coming back from the school run yesterday morning and I find the dog in my kitchen, turns out he can fit through my cat flap! He’s a lovely little dog and absolutely no bother to us so I just left him there while I tried to find out where the owner lives.

I finally got the mans house number and knocked, I told him his dog was at my house and he said “he’s alright kick him out he’ll come home when he’s hungry, he’s done this for years sorry”. He said the dog got out in the morning but he had to go to work so he just left it and “knew he would come home eventually, he always does”.

The thing is no matter how much I put the dog out, it always comes back to my house. I dont think it went home at any point in the past couple of days. The man hasn’t come to collect his dog but I’m confused because he seemed to love and care for it, and has clearly had it a long time.

The dogs still at mine, I’ve tried walking it back to it’s house and it just comes back minutes later. I’m not putting big planks across my fence to stop it fitting through the gaps (it’s a small terrier) and if it wasn’t at mine it would be out wandering the streets anyway. Several people had seen it streets away over the main roads. However it doesn’t seem interested in wandering anymore, just loves my dogs.

It’s a lovely dog and if the man didn’t want him anymore he would be welcome here, but also I’m not feeding it or anything currently and I put him back out regularly. He never gets in my house further than the kitchen which he sneaks in and I don’t fuss him. I’m not trying to take him in any way and have always been available to the owner.

We would take him if it came to that, but on the other hand I don’t want to end up being this man’s free doggy day care

I’m not sure what on earth to do?

Another here wanting a photo!!!

Does your other dog mind the new visitor? I’d definitely keep him, pop a note through the owners door and say as the dog keeps coming back to yours you’re going to let him stay during the day and to come and collect him when he’s done with work. I bet he doesn’t bother

One of our cats adopted a neighbour . We were at work and they were at home and gradually she spent more and more time there . Occasionally she would come through our house walk through , stick her nose in the air and just look at us in distain and just walk out again . As much as to say you really are not paying me enough attention.

When we moved the neighbour asked if they could keep her and we said yes . She was obviously happier there . She lived for quite a few years after we left.

I’d just be a bit wary as he is so old. You could very shortly have an elderly dog with lots of extra health needs and possibly no insurance.

Yes this was one of our worries, if something was to happen to him or if he got sick/end of life. Will we end up paying his vet bills potentially even if he’s not technically “ours”

If the owner relinquished responsibility for him I would take him on financially, but I’d feel uncomfortable if the man was still carrying on as the dog is his

As it stands our little friend has been with us since 8am Monday morning, went home Tuesday evening but came back first thing the next day and hasn’t been “home” since. I keep waiting for a knock on the door from the man, I’m not keen on going to knock for the 3rd day in a row

Awwwwwww I want to be adopted by a terrier!

Seriously though OP, if you're able and up for it maybe float the idea of you keeping the little Chappy to his 'owner', who actually doesn't care for the dog because if he did not only would he keep an eye on the dog while he's in the garden but also pick him up from your house.

We had a cat that decided to move in with girl oppipsiste when I was pregnant - we did ask her not to feed our cat and let it out etc but she decided to feed her and keep her. It was soul destroying being heavily pregnant and seeing my beloved cat in someone elses window.

Thankfully after baby was born our cat moved back in with us - she turned up one night - and made the baby's crib her new home and didn't leave us again until she passed away at 17. She would regularily sit outside the house and meow to be stoked by people passing by. She was a very independent cat.

No wonder the poor thing wants to be with you. I'd be going out of my mind if one of my dogs had gone missing for that amount of time.
Keep him.

There’s a lady who lives in the house opposite dc school who has a little wandering terrier. It comes out every morning and sits near the gate greeting everyone. It then spends most of the day wandering around all the neighbouring houses before being back at the gate for pick up. It never bothers anyone or moves from its spot. Just sits there happily watching and waiting for people to stroke it. The old school head complained to the lady apparently but the new head is awesome and came with 2 dogs, which he brings to school, so he’s more than happy for it to sit there. I used to worry it would get hit by a car as it’s a busy main road, but it’s 15 now and has been doing this since a puppy. Dh is convinced it’s a human trapped it a dogs body 😂

If the man knows where you live let home come to you. The dog is obviously happier at yours. I can’t believe anyone who loved their dog would be okay with it disappearing for days at a time.

He’s chosen you!

I imagine a more direct convo with the owner would be fine.

Still the other guy's dog but welcome to stop at yours, just that you would like the other chap to keep feeding it & covering any medical bills.

You could see it as a neighbourly thing. I'd put the conditions you'd like on the table to chat about.

ps: we need Pic

Here for the photos

@nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut

If he's in the house with the door shut it shouldn't matter how much of Houdini he is – this man may love his dog but he's not being a responsible dog owner. 🤣🤣🤣 This cracked me up. You should meet one of mine, she can open yale locks. Luckily she doesn't do it much in her old age but the lengths we had to go to keep her in when she was younger!

Laugh all you like, but you went to those lengths, right?

You didn't just say 'sod it', and let her roam the streets all day unsupervised? That's your difference.

I've worked with all kinds of animals –I know exactly how smart they can be – and I know that if you're responsible, you do what you need to do to handle it.

... you're the chosen one... op.

Here for the photos as everything that needs to be said, has been! Lol

Hi Op aww I think this is such a uplifting positive story quite refreshing to hear a story like this, this doggie visitor of yours has clearly decided to adopt you and your roteillweir dog.

If you are quite happy for your doggie visitor to come and see your family, your doggie visitor is obviously happier being with you

No brainer why your doggie visitor is happier being with you and your family than his owner.

If you tell the warden that he wanders constanly and doggie owner does not seem that bothered about your doggie visiting being like this,

Your doggie visitor could be put to sleep and you know you would regret this happening...😢 !!

Congratulations you and your pet dog have a new companion,
Which is lovely.😊

Aw I love this. Little doggie is obviously lonely when is owner is out and he's found himself a new family. My dog, also a terrier, is very much a homebody, he doesn't wander, but his bestie, my friend's terrier, is a proper escape artist and whenever I've been dog-sitting, I've had to seal up the catflap and close the windows otherwise he'd get out.

We had a dog like this when I was growing up, back in the days of white dog poop and it seemingly being common to let your dog out unsupervised. He was proper street smart and used to follow us to the school bus and pick us up at home time 😂. He’d wander about the village at his leisure and go out to play with us and all sorts. I don’t think he had a lead, my parents certainly never walked him anywhere. I miss having a dog like that, he was a great little mate, but it’s not the done thing nowadays. I’ve also never come across another dog quite like him either. My Current dog has no road sense for a start, but I wonder if most dogs are like this now as they aren’t allowed to free roam.

All together now.... PHOTO PHOTO PHOTO

Pooch is 15, probably been wandering for years no issue. The thought of him locked in a house alone makes me sad.

I think if you and the owner can come to an arrangement where you are both happy and pooch is happy then go for it xxx

PS photo!

Luaanna lovely story. I bet he is cute. We had a cat well actually two but not at the same time who used to wander to the school. DS3 had a ginger cat that used to wait in the church yard opposite the school every school day. He used to hide behind the tree or up one of them and when DS3 ran across it used to spring out at him. He was tiny for his age and for over a year this happened with DS little legs running fast and the cat hiding and jumping out. It would go up several trees. It was hilarious. Sometimes DS would hide but the cat always found him. Unfortunately the cat was hit by a car on a quiet road coming home for tea. Later 10/11 years later DD had a tortie That also went to school into the playground and in the summer two or three times I had a phone call. DDs cat had jumped through the open window and was wandering around the classroom much to the delight of the children. Luckily the teacher was an animal lover and we knew her quite well as it was a small school and her DS and my DS1 were friends and her DD and DS2 were in the same class too. I think she got the children to write a story about the day the cat visited the school.

OP
You’re very patient some people would be very annoyed. It doesn’t seem like his owner loves him that much. I can’t imagine not looking for him.

what about a cat flap that only opens for your cat (responds to a tag on the collar)?
But i feel a bit mean suggesting that, as your doggie visitor sounds very earnest.

We used to have a cocker spaniel who despite being a bit fat, could sneak through a mouse-sized gap, in a split second. I was constantly bringing bunches of flowers or bottles of wine to people who had him, while we tried to figure out his exit point. Eventually we had to get a six foot wall built!

Because he was a very cute, very friendly dog, people would feed him and he knew exactly where to visit. One elderly man would ring me to say he was enjoying a bacon sandwich with him, then I could collect him. (That guy got a bottle of whiskey after multiple bacon rolls!)

I wouldn't put it out in the street, it could come to harm by car or by someone not as nice as you. Just tell him where to find the dog and it's his job to come and collect it! At least you can keep the poor thing safe in the meantime.

@Wolfiefan has just hit the nail on the head and put exactly what I was going too!

By law dogs are required to be under control in a public place, a dog wandering around with no owner is not under control. Dog fowling is also subject to penalties of up to £2,000 if its roaming the streets for 8 hours a day its going to be crapping on them.

This bloke sounds like a shit owner, lots of people have small dogs and manage to keep them contained.

In your shoes I’d be speaking with the dog warden. Their first port of call won’t be to remove the dog if you know who the owner is and where they live but to instead go and speak to him and make him aware of his legal obligations as a dog owner.

Now I need to know if the old guy has said you can keep the dog! It sounds like he has found his perfect home with you 😁

Poor little baby - let him stay with you - he doesn't sound as if he's trying to escape when he's not with neglectful owner.

we need a photo, he sounds adorable.

aww poor baby, just keep him, he clearly has found where he wants to be, and the owner doesn't give a toss so hardly going to come looking for him.