Rajah
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 17, 1999
- Messages
- 9,632
Well, I was late getting into work, but it was for a good reason!
Originally, I was only running 5 minutes late. But on my way out of the sub division heading towards McDonald's (so the back exit, C&T), I almost literally ran into a little dog. I haven't been able to identify his breed so he's probably a mutt, but he's definitely at least part terrier. Picture a Jack Russel with shorter legs and a slightly larger head. Anyway, he was playing in the street next to the last 2 houses (under construction) in the sub division, and heading toward the freeway. I almost ran over him, and when he ran into the street behind me, the person behind me almost ran over him.
Small dog, reckless, heading toward the freeway.
Yeah, like I can just look the other way on that.
So I pulled over and confronted the dog. He wouldn't come when I called, but he also wasn't aggressive. Barking, yes, but barking and running... right into a house under construction.
Okay, that's not safe for him either.
The next 10 minutes or so were spent with me using methods I've seen the Dog Whisperer use on National Geographic to calm a dog and gain mastery over him (yeah, so I ignored the "don't try these methods without consulting a professional"... LOL!). I followed him up to the second floor where he hid under a bathtub and barked and whined. Within 10 minutes, he decided I wasn't going to back down nor was I going to attack him and I was able to get him to slink toward me in an "okay, I've submitted to you" manner.
Let me interject here to say if I'd sensed any true hostility from the dog, he would have won and I wouldn't have pursued him. But I could sense he was all bravado, no aggression.
So once he submitted to my leadership and approached me in the proper manner, I was able to pick him up and take him home.
He's now housed in a pen in our back yard (man that portable pet gate has gotten a lot of use) with water and a big carrier where he can get in out of the sun. Or rain in the unlikely event that it rains.
DH is supposed to be posting signs at the entrances to the sub division so we can try to find his home. And my intention tonight is if it's not raining, I'll walk him around the neighborhood and see if I can find anyone looking for him. He had on a flea collar, and acted like he came from a family that loves him, so I'm sure someone will be looking for him.
His fur tone is a dun color, and he's definitely a lap dog. When I put him in the car, he sat on my lap the whole way home.
The way he was acting, he definitely has a family somewhere. I'm thinking he just escaped from the yard when Mom and / or Dad left for work. He may even have been following mom's/dad's car and that's why he was almost onto the freeway.
One of these days, this heart of mine is going to get me into trouble, but until then I just can't pass up a furbaby in need when I can help.
I'm just glad that I've been watching the Dog Whisperer, because before that I wouldn't have known how to catch him without getting bitten and I would have just left him and been upset about it all day.
Originally, I was only running 5 minutes late. But on my way out of the sub division heading towards McDonald's (so the back exit, C&T), I almost literally ran into a little dog. I haven't been able to identify his breed so he's probably a mutt, but he's definitely at least part terrier. Picture a Jack Russel with shorter legs and a slightly larger head. Anyway, he was playing in the street next to the last 2 houses (under construction) in the sub division, and heading toward the freeway. I almost ran over him, and when he ran into the street behind me, the person behind me almost ran over him.
Small dog, reckless, heading toward the freeway.
Yeah, like I can just look the other way on that.
So I pulled over and confronted the dog. He wouldn't come when I called, but he also wasn't aggressive. Barking, yes, but barking and running... right into a house under construction.
Okay, that's not safe for him either.
The next 10 minutes or so were spent with me using methods I've seen the Dog Whisperer use on National Geographic to calm a dog and gain mastery over him (yeah, so I ignored the "don't try these methods without consulting a professional"... LOL!). I followed him up to the second floor where he hid under a bathtub and barked and whined. Within 10 minutes, he decided I wasn't going to back down nor was I going to attack him and I was able to get him to slink toward me in an "okay, I've submitted to you" manner.
Let me interject here to say if I'd sensed any true hostility from the dog, he would have won and I wouldn't have pursued him. But I could sense he was all bravado, no aggression.
So once he submitted to my leadership and approached me in the proper manner, I was able to pick him up and take him home.
He's now housed in a pen in our back yard (man that portable pet gate has gotten a lot of use) with water and a big carrier where he can get in out of the sun. Or rain in the unlikely event that it rains.
DH is supposed to be posting signs at the entrances to the sub division so we can try to find his home. And my intention tonight is if it's not raining, I'll walk him around the neighborhood and see if I can find anyone looking for him. He had on a flea collar, and acted like he came from a family that loves him, so I'm sure someone will be looking for him.
His fur tone is a dun color, and he's definitely a lap dog. When I put him in the car, he sat on my lap the whole way home.
The way he was acting, he definitely has a family somewhere. I'm thinking he just escaped from the yard when Mom and / or Dad left for work. He may even have been following mom's/dad's car and that's why he was almost onto the freeway.
One of these days, this heart of mine is going to get me into trouble, but until then I just can't pass up a furbaby in need when I can help.
I'm just glad that I've been watching the Dog Whisperer, because before that I wouldn't have known how to catch him without getting bitten and I would have just left him and been upset about it all day.
(Fortunately, this one had a collar and was reunited with his family. They'd only had him a few days, and he had gotten lost in the woods.)
