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?

You’ve been adopted.

Either you return the dog every single time he appears and make such a nuisance of yourself that he either sorts out the dog’s escape routes and starts being a proper owner, or he signs over ownership and you’ve got another dog.

Or you be like mr heckles and deny all knowledge if he comes looking for his dog and claim his as your own from now on.

Photos

One of mine is an ex Romanian street dog and she would love the opportunity to roam about all day long! I'm careful to never give her the opportunity. This bloke is not a responsible dog owner, there is no excuse.

Agree with others, you should keep the dog.

Yes, photos please!

So if the dog gets out before he goes to work he just leaves it until he gets home?

Perhaps he just lets it into the garden & it mostly does get out?

Poor thing.

He doesn't sound as if he cares at all about his dog.

When mine ran off once whilst on a walk I was frantic.

@WhatATimeToBeAlive

He's yours now. You have to keep him :)

I'd keep him. He's not escaping (especially in this cold weather) - he's being chucked out into the garden and left, and is ex=scaping to somewhere warm where he gets fed.

Keep him. If the bloke comes round, deny everything - say he must have got run over (and whatever you do, don't shout "SHUT UP, BLACKIE!" at him if restarts to bark . . . )

There's been a massive change in perception about dogs over the past few decades. Letting them wander the neighbourhood was fairly normal in the UK, and remains normal in quite a lot of the world. Dogs would normally only be kept in if they needed to be for health reasons. Most dogs are pretty chilled out and sociable both with each other and with other living creatures including humans. The trouble is that a few dogs do not behave sociably in these circumstances, just as a few humans don't. There was a fascinating documentary about this a few years ago, called The Secret Life of Dogs, following family pets as they hung out with their doggy friends around a town in (I think) Italy.

I'm only here for the photo, not going to pretend otherwise!
I have a little terrier, she's the most loyal dog I've ever known. Congratulations on your new arrival 😉

Keep him, you said he is no bother to you and your dog seems to like it’s company. As pp said the owner is probably leaving the wee dog on his own all day in the garden and that’s not right, especially in the winter.

Poor dog the owner can't be very responsible to think its Ok for it to wander on its own. Please feed the dog and if it can fit through the cat flap then it is free to leave when it wants to. See if the owner will come looking for him. Dogs should not be allowed to roam on their own, he could be killed by a car or taken for dog fighting. Keep him safe if he is happy at yours

Aw how beautiful, hes clearly in love with your dog. Think I'd feed him and leave him to it, if hes not any bother.

Why does this never happen to me?

I think you should involve the dog warden. If his owner wants to keep him, he needs to be kept under proper control. If he decides he wants to relinquish ownership to you, it needs to be done properly (so that he
belongs to you and the owner doesn't suddenly decide he wants the dog back).

The dog warden will likely liaise with the owner for you. Stray dogs are the property of the local authority and there are procedures to be followed. There's no reason for this dog to go to kennels if you're happy for it to stay.

I have similar.
The local farm dog is allowed to roam. Apparantly he is street wise, so allowed to just wander at will.
He IS a nice little dog, but has taken a shine to one of minem so we cant move without him when we go for a walk. I dont even mind that. What I object to is him sitting in my porch for hours on end, hoping to be let in, but peeing there.
It bloody stinks.
It is just so irresponsible. But I am on my own herem everyone local 'knows'him and insists he knows his way around.
He may do, but he us a pain in the arse 😁

PHOTOS OR IT'S FAKE.

Why does this never happen to me :(

I'd take the dog round and tell him if his dog comes to your house again you'll be keeping him.
He's very lucky he hasn't been taken by someone to abuse, kill or use as a bait dog.
I remember a dog near where we used to live was taken from outside a shop, dragged to a river and thrown over the bridge into the river.
No matter how nice he is, he's not looking after his dog. Your dog could have killed his dog.
Give him one chance to start looking after it. When it turns up again give it a bath and keep it. You'll need to get it tested for heart worm and stuff though. If he's not protecting it from wondering is he protecting it from fleas, ticks and worms?

As you seem such a wonderful dog owner, please keep this little terrier rather than calling the warden. He sounds such a lovely little soul, who has finally found canine and human friends after a period of loneliness. God, it would break my already struggling little heart to think of him being PTS. for you.

Is there just me that would deny all knowledge if the sackless bloke comes knocking...?

We had a dog turn up one day at our office. I got someone to come and check his chip and after going through three owners after the one on the chip we found the current one. Took him round and she said "oh ya found the dog then" couldn't have given a shit. I gave her my number and said if you ever decide you dont want him ring me. 4 weeks later and I got the call, he now lives with DHs friend and his family.He's lived with them 4 years now, and is 5yr old. He couldn't live with us as our rottie isn't good with little dogs. But I wasn't letting him stay with someone who didn't protect him. He actually went to another two homes before she rang me.

clearly the dog wants company, poor thing, left alone all day.

I have zero advice, I’m just here for the picture

The funniest part it it’s a tiny terrier and it’s fallen in love with my dog... and she’s a Rottweiler

This is so sweet. Please post a photo.

I really think the authorities should know about this, if you don't want to keep him. Wandering on main roads is a danger to him, but a danger to others too. How would you feel if there was a crash due to him walking about on the roads?

Could you put a bit of mesh along your fence? It wouldn't have to be very high to keep little shortie in. Then he'd be safe whilst you decide what to do. Letting him go home is putting him at risk again, isn't it.

Difficult situation. MN will need to be kept updated. I, for one, will wonder what's happening for the poor little chap.

I wouldn't go back to the owners house again. He knows where his dog is. If he loves it as much as he says he'll be round to pick it up. But I suspect he likes the idea of having a dog but not the practicality of owning one. That dog could be run over, get injured, even stolen by someone unscrupulous. As was mentioned already, there is the fact this dog will be pooing several times a day which is not being cleaned up.

Hold out OP. Just feed it a terrier sized amount of your dogs food. With how it sounds outside here currently, it's better off being under your kitchen table with his love. Oh, and post some photos

In part he is probably left out all day and now he's old he's feeling the cold!!

I would keep him until his owner turns up/starts searching for him. Your dogs clearly want him there 😍

if the guy knows where you liv,i would just keep the doguntil he came knocking!

clearly the dog likes you more!

I imagine the owner would be happy for you to have the dog and the potential vet's bills.