dog filter: getting a very skittish stray to come inside?

May 10, 2018 9:51 PM

I came home tonight to find a cute, skittish little dog with no collar hanging out in my backyard. Closed the gate, posted a photo on every neighborhood group I could think of, no response. I've given the dog food and water, but I need it to come inside for the night. How?

i don't know if this little dog is on the run from someone's home or is a long-term stray, but it's suuuper skittish around me, only slightly less skittish around my sweet three-year-old, and will not cross the threshold of our house or garage for anything, including food. It's going to be in the 40s tonight and dog-owning friends are aghast at the idea of this dog sleeping outside. I live in a neighborhood with a lot of property crime and leaving the house or garage door open at night is not an option. How to I get this obstinate, freaked out fluffball to come into my house quickly, and how bad is it if I can't?

posted by centrifugal to Pets & Animals (29 answers total)

If you have a big enough cardboard box, put it out with blankets inside and piled over it as a makeshift doghouse? It might be a less-threatening shelter.

By the time you go to bed, it might get cold enough to lower the dog's inhibitions to come inside.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 10:07 PM on May 10, 2018

1. That pup will be fine outside if the temps are in the 40s.

2. If your yard is fenced and it can't get out. You might want to call animal control in the morning have them check it for a microchip and take it to a shelter.

3. If your intention is to rescue it, just keep putting food and water out for it until it gets used to you. But, even then, take it to a vet to check for a chip.
posted by HuronBob at 10:08 PM on May 10, 2018

Kentucky Fried Chicken is what’s always recommended when people are trying to live trap a lost dog, so maybe it might be enough to lure him inside?
posted by HotToddy at 10:10 PM on May 10, 2018

It sounds like the dog is enclosed in your yard? In that case, I would put your three year-old inside of the house and quietly, slowly approach the dog, perhaps with a high-value treat (piece of lunch meat, etc.) crouching down as low as possible. If it is enclosed in your yard, it can't get away, right? Also, try to talk in soothing, soft, quiet tones as you approach and if it starts, then stop or take a step back.

Other options might be: call your local animal control as they've got tons of experience dealing with these sorts of situations, and/or create a bed for it, preferably near the house or somewhere warm. (Though depending on where you are, 40 can feel very different, so it may not be too cold for the dog). A box with some towels and blankets or an old sleeping bag might be very attractive, especially if it is nearer somewhere warm and in the proximity of some treats. Good luck and please post an update!
posted by stillmoving at 10:11 PM on May 10, 2018

Seconding the suggestion to make a dog shelter/bed with a box and heaps of blankets. Put it under an overhang in a dry spot if you think it might rain. The dog will be okay in those temperatures. It's not ideal, but if it just won't come in, you can at least provide a bit of shelter that way.

The KFC suggestion is good! Or try frying up some bacon. You want something very fragrant.

It's a very cute little dog! Good luck with finding the owner or, maybe, congrats on your new rescue...?
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:18 PM on May 10, 2018

I understand the dog is small and cute, but if he's skittish and carrying any diseases (or just really really skittish!) he's likely to bite you or the 3 year old. Especially the 3 year old.

Put out a box and blankets. In the morning call animal control. Stay cautious, stay safe.
posted by jbenben at 10:57 PM on May 10, 2018

Update: thanks, all. Getting this poor dog to cross a threshold was a big no-go even with multiple stinky treats - it would sit right outside the open door and whimper. It's actually much more comfortable with my daughter, was willing to sniff her hand with a wagging tail and take food she put down, but fled in terror if I reached out a hand at all. (Kiddo generally has a way with animals, so this isn't surprising.) I built a little den on the back patio with a box and blanket and soft towels, put food and water next to it - and the dog has chosen to go to sleep in the open in the middle of the backyard instead. I think I'm going to keep it for a day or two (a neighbor dropped off a few days' supply of dog food) and see if it belongs to someone who lives nearby before involving animal control. I'm not supposed to have a dog but might not say a hard no to this one if no owner turns up.
posted by centrifugal at 11:27 PM on May 10, 2018

"I think I'm going to keep it for a day or two (a neighbor dropped off a few days' supply of dog food) and see if it belongs to someone who lives nearby before involving animal control. "

At least call the shelter and let them know you've found it -- if it's lost, frantic owners will be calling the shelter with a description.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:33 AM on May 11, 2018

I wish I had seen this question last night, but in any case, I’ve read that a good way to get dog to come over to you is to lie on the ground and feign injury. Here’s a couple of pages with some tips about exactly how to fool a dog into coming to you.

Lie down and curl up with your back to the dog

Try a potato chip bag

Good luck! And please post an update when you have time, that dog is freaking adorable!
posted by MexicanYenta at 5:56 AM on May 11, 2018

Someone took in my runaway dog and I was bereft until we were reunited. In my case, he had a collar and a tag with my number. This dog may be microchipped, animal shelter will be able to tell.
posted by theora55 at 6:25 AM on May 11, 2018

I would approach this /very very cautiously/, but sometimes a nervous dog can be persuaded to do something scary (like cross a threshold) if they can see another, nonthreatening, calm dog do the same. Could one of your dog-owning friends come over to test whether something like that might help? Ideally introduce the dogs through a fence or in another controlled situation (if you can get a slip lead over the stray, that's ideal) in order to gauge initial reactions and body language and avoid any potential danger to either pup.

It's also worth testing whether this dog may be more toy-motivated than food-motivated. It's unlikely but possible.
posted by mosst at 6:37 AM on May 11, 2018

I wonder if this dog had a bad experience with an adult of your gender, particularly since s/he is ok with your daughter, who may be reminiscent of another kid with kind intentions. What if you show the dog mutual affection with your daughter? Or have a friend of the opposite gender give persuading the dog indoors a try? I've known dogs that came from abusive backgrounds that had automatic visceral reactions to people with certain traits, e.g., men with beard, blonde women, etc. but not others.
posted by carmicha at 6:53 AM on May 11, 2018

Sit on the ground, do not loom over the dog. Do not make direct eye contact with the dog. Sit just inside the door way with your body turned slightly away from the dog, offering it the delicious treat, just outside the door. Do lots of extravagant yawns (this is dog language for I'm not going to do anything to you please relax). Do this as long as it takes until dog seems calm eating from you there, shuffle back 6 inches & repeat. It will take you longer than you think. Think hours. Other option, don't be there, leave door open with delicious treat just inside the door, keep well back. Repeat throwing treats ever so slightly more inside the house.

Whatever you end up doing please get it scanned for a microchip, if you want to avoid animal control most vets & rescues will be able to do it too.
posted by wwax at 7:14 AM on May 11, 2018

The owner, even if a neighbor, is almost certainly calling the shelter every 60 minutes in fear and distress. That’s the best way to get this little guy home.
posted by amaire at 7:20 AM on May 11, 2018

N-thing please don't just keep this dog. There is a good chance that someone is looking for it. Please contact your nearest animal shelter, as that's the most likely place that a worried owner would be looking.
posted by Kriesa at 7:31 AM on May 11, 2018

I want to be clear that I don't plan to "just keep this dog," I plan to knock on every door in the surrounding blocks and see if they recognize a photo. There's no way I'm getting this poor thing into a car at this point and I don't want to subject a neighbor to dealing with animal control if I don't have to.
posted by centrifugal at 7:55 AM on May 11, 2018

Not animal control, people are suggesting you get in touch with local animal shelters. You can describe the dog, send them a picture, ask them if anyone has gotten in touch looking for a dog of that description. They may also have more suggestions on how to take care of him in the mean time.
posted by like_neon at 8:30 AM on May 11, 2018

Check your local animal shelter website. When my mom's dog went missing, she sent pictures to the animal shelter and they posted it on their website. Would be worth describing the dog to them.

Also check the local newspaper, local facebook lost and found, and Nextdoor. Call your local vets and describe the dog to them, too.

I plan to knock on every door in the surrounding blocks

A dog can travel pretty far from home. Would be worth driving around looking for posters if that's possible for you to do.

The person who found my mom's dog took him into the animal shelter, where they scanned his microchip and called my mom right away. They knew who she was because she was calling them every day. It took three months to find him, btw. He was found over 1.5 miles away from the house.
posted by vivzan at 8:32 AM on May 11, 2018

Please also do call the shelter and report the dog found. They might ask you to send them a picture. If someone's dog is missing, they'll be calling the shelter to see if the dog was picked up and turned in there.
posted by mccxxiii at 8:38 AM on May 11, 2018

If you have a neighborhood or city Facebook group, there will also often be a page for missing animals. You should check that.
posted by praemunire at 8:46 AM on May 11, 2018

My local animal shelter has a lost and found page on their site - have you checked to see if yours does?

Hypothetically, if my dog slipped its collar, ran away, and had been missing overnight, I would be pretty frustrated if whoever found it was spending the next few days going door to door rather than contacting the animal shelter. If the shelter says the dog needs to come in, and the only way you can do that is through animal control, I would much rather that my dog be temporarily frightened and that I have to navigate whatever bureaucracy that entails, than have to worry about my dog for several days longer than necessary.

If no owner turns up, and you want the dog, you can likely officially adopt through the shelter after a holding period.
posted by Kriesa at 9:32 AM on May 11, 2018

Do you have a neighborhood or area Facebook? Local pet stores with bulletin boards?

I have found dogs that were almost ten miles from home and had crossed busy 4-lane streets.

If you make it nervous, don't try to interact with it too much. Both for the dog's comfort and to protect yourself. Fear will retreat when possible, but when fear is corned, fear reacts.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 9:52 AM on May 11, 2018

Oh also yes, I posted a photo in multiple neighborhood groups (including one for the nearby very popular dog park) and a neighborhood blog with a pet lost and found section. Lots of people in this neighborhood are elderly and/or don't speak English, so online outreach might just not be how to find them. I'm making signs and calling the animal shelter when it opens - but the shelter is run by Animal Control here, hence the concern.
posted by centrifugal at 12:16 PM on May 11, 2018

I don't really understand why you don't want to let Animal Control know you have the dog; in my town, that's who would know what dogs are missing.
posted by katinka-katinka at 12:32 PM on May 11, 2018

In a lot of places, Animal Control is a pretty risky place for a dog to be. I'd honestly rather I had to stand another 24 hours separated from my pet than to risk that pet being at the local ACC.
posted by praemunire at 2:26 PM on May 11, 2018

There's also PetFBI.
posted by Poldo at 4:34 PM on May 11, 2018

I've let the local shelters know when I found a dog on a couple of occasions and I've said I'd watch it for a few days. The first thing an owner will do is inquire at the shelters, so I think that's a more fruitful first step than putting up paper or online notices. Also, it may have jumped out of a car, so it would make sense to report it to shelters outside your immediate area.
posted by bonobothegreat at 1:46 AM on May 12, 2018

A heads up on the KFC. Do not give the dog the bones. Only the meat.
posted by falsedmitri at 7:18 AM on May 12, 2018

Oh my god, yes, never give a dog chicken bones! It can kill them.

I think Animal Control will be happy for you to keep the dog for a bit while everyone searches for the owners...they won't come and apprehend the dog if it's, well, under control. It's not going to be like their resources are so plentiful they'll insist on you bringing it in if you're willing to feed and shelter the dog for them. But if they're the shelter in town, they should have ways to spread the word of this dog to other shelters in their network. As said above, dogs can roam surprisingly far.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:35 AM on May 12, 2018