Is This Your Dog?
He was hanging out behind my house, about a week ago, and I made the mistake of petting him. So he began to spot me when I was walking over to the office, and would join me along the way, licking my hand and embarrassingly begging for some sign of attention. He caught my eye as a fine dog. Surely with such friendly ways, he would be someone's pet? So I put him in the backyard fence to keep him from being run over by a car, and considered how to find his owner. We put ads on craigslist and the newspaper. I drove around adjacent neighborhoods to look for signs, hopefully posted by the owners. So far, the only responses have been from persons who would like to adopt the dog.
Now, I like him. He seems to have latched onto me, and of course I like the attention. He is so much different from the little dog that I lost and for whom I continue to grieve, and I think such contrast will be important when I decide to get another dog. He is obviously starved, with ribs showing. However, he hesitates to eat dry dogfood. So I've gotten him a case of canned food, which I mix with the dry food, and he devours it. Right now, as I write, he is in the back yard. However, he readily leaps over the fence whenever he spies me in the distance.
I've determined that I just cannot quickly adopt him as my own, without first making an honest search for his owner. I think that is what someone did with my little dog- they found him, liked him, and kept him. And while that might have made the person happy, it sure did our hearts no good. So I'm going to post his picture and put up some signs, and see what will happen.
I call him Big Dog. Today I taught him the command to sit. Yep, he would make a fine pet for someone.
08.11.08 (9:59 pm) [
edit]
posted by:
ruined (
reply)
post date:
08.11.08 (7:29 pm)
Sounds like a fine dog, indeed. Did Big Dog have a collar, or any signs of licensing? Rabies shot tag?
Another thing to consider is to take him to a vet's office that has a RFID reader to see if Big Dog is chipped.
Good luck... either way it goes!
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
08.11.08 (7:53 pm)
Reply to: ruined
No collar, no tags. Ears are chewed a bit, and he has a bad eye. I'll take him to the vet to have him scanned for a chip. I'd also like to get his eye taken care of, but if he belongs to someone else, I'd prefer they pay the vet bill!
posted by:
barnabus1 (
reply)
post date:
08.11.08 (8:00 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave
By George...I think you've got yourself a new dog!!! Hoping you get to keep him!! he will get better care with you!!! Course you might have to baptise him!! hehe
posted by:
OldSchool (
reply)
post date:
08.11.08 (8:08 pm)
God works in strange ways. Maybe this is His way of giving you what you need.
I commend you for making every attempt to locate an owner, but I also pray that you do not find them because you deserve him (and this lucky dog deserves you).
posted by:
LadyG (
reply)
post date:
08.11.08 (10:17 pm)
You are now the owner of a dog that God sent to you, he knew that you were still grieving for your little dog, how wonderful, hope that it works out.
posted by:
squirrelzone (
reply)
post date:
08.12.08 (6:00 am)
What a gorgeous German Shepard.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
08.12.08 (6:16 am)
Reply to: barnabus1
Baptize him? I can remember, as a kid, playing church and baptizing all the neighborhood cats in a big washtub. They did not appreciate it. Indeed, this big fellow could use a bath.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
08.12.08 (6:27 am)
Reply to: squirrelzone
He's a good looking dog. He and I have matching eyes and hair. He's skinny, I'm not, but it's an attractive contrast.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
08.12.08 (6:29 am)
Reply to: LadyG
I've got a lot of dog issues right now! Oreo continues to go downhill, and the time for decision with him is very soon. This dog needs to see a vet. It would be a bit macabre to take them at the same time, one for healing and the other for_____________. Dogs. They're just animals, right?
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
08.12.08 (6:32 am)
Reply to: OldSchool
Down the road from our house was a Hispanic auto dealership. Well, actually, I'm not sure what they did with cars. Late at night a truckload of cars would pull into the place, "something" would be done to every vehicle, and then the next morning the load would pull out. This was going on quite regularly. Then, last month, they closed up shop, took down their signs and put-up a "For Sale" sign. They had a couple of German Shepherds inside the fence, guarding the place. I am thinking that Big Dog is one of their guard dogs. Perhaps the simply abandoned him.
posted by:
squirrelzone (
reply)
post date:
08.12.08 (6:33 am)
Reply to: PastorDave
I can picture the two of you sitting around in your lederhosens, eating fresh grilled bratworst, pom fritz and drinking Fanta sodas.
Ahhh, gutten morgen big dog, vas ist los.
posted by:
intricategirl (
reply)
post date:
08.12.08 (11:15 am)
Very wise. Try to find the owner, and if you can't, decide what to do after an extensive search.
posted by:
bawdy (
reply)
post date:
08.12.08 (11:59 am)
I hope you don't grow too attached, then have the owner show up.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
08.12.08 (6:48 pm)
Reply to: intricategirl
I'm searching. So far, no replies or phone calls. Big Dog is in the back yard, settled down for the night. He just had a good meal.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
08.12.08 (6:49 pm)
Reply to: bawdy
Yeah, I did that one time with a wallet full of money.
posted by:
fractalmom (
reply)
post date:
08.13.08 (6:00 am)
and, oh my!! Doesn't HE work in mysterious ways?
posted by:
auntconi (
reply)
post date:
08.13.08 (5:34 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave
"They're just animals, right?" ~ oh my, but they do grab on to our hearts, do they not?
You have Oreo and he has had your heart for a long time ~ now did the Mrs get another smaller dog since the loss of Bailey? My old mind plays tricks on me at times and I don't 'member at times. So my question is ~ how many doggies do you have in that window?
** I just checked back here to see if you found the owner of Big Dog, or took him to the vet to check for a chip reveal ~ but I think you answered that to another person above.
*** I also find it amusing that you used to 'baptise' the kittens as a youngster ~ your fate was made for you early on. I do believe HE does know what he is doing!
The best to you and yours ~ (hug)
posted by:
Barbara (
reply)
post date:
08.14.08 (6:10 pm)
Pets that adopt you always make the best pets. A cat did that to us once. The boys called it Kitty Wootie. I bet Baby Girl likes Big Dog. You've got very descriptive names for those you love.
posted by:
Robin (
reply)
post date:
08.23.08 (2:51 am)
Looks like you're the proud owner of a "Collerd"
or Collie/Shepherd mix?
I love dogs but im allergic ...
so pet him for me
