Stray Ladies arrive....

[behle]

Hi everyone! :hand:

I've been swamped with my job this year plus being on two very active committees for school so I've been lurking when I have the quick moment or two but not posting...sadly.

Anyhoo.....The reason for my post today is the arrival this morning of two lovely little stray dogs here on our property. We let Ben and Jerry out into their new fenced yard off the deck as usual early this morning after their breakfast (yes!! finally we have a fence...). Suddenly we heard much excited barking so knew something unusual was up. A quick look out the dining room window showed them with their noses pressed against the chain link toward the back yard. My husband popped out the back door and there they were.....two young females. Both rather small (according to our criteria :lol: :lol: ). One is black and gray with "husky" like markings and the other white with butterscotch patches and freckles - and a hound look about her. Neither of them could be more than 35 pounds.

My husband reported what was there, so while I took a shower he fed them. Their ribs showed and the hound moved slowly and stiffly as if she was injured. After they ate they wandered off towards our woods, so we thought they were moving on. So we went to the grocery store in the next town, arriving back two hours later to find them both sleeping in the flower bed! Okay, so now what to do?

Our county humane society was closed and wouldn't reopen until Monday. The "hound" mix was obviously uncomfortable and wanted in the worst way to get in the house. She let me run my hands over her without complaint and didn't make a sound. The other little girl was bouncing around, excited we were back.

So....after some discussion, we decided that they would have to come in the fence and we could keep the boys inside the house and potty them out back like we used to....watching all the time! So, we did that.... once! The girls were both so little they just slithered under the gap in the drive through gate! Our boys being so big, we never expected that. So they met!

Jerry got a little nip on the nose for his rude nosiness, but it taught him to back off! Meanwhile the little husky mix was hopping around like popcorn popping. Eventually everyone settled down.

I caved....as I type this we are all in the house. The girls are snoozing in the living room laid flat out on the rug with Jerry snoring only 6 feet away. Everyone has had their supper and been out for their constitutional. I will have the weekend to figure out what to do; I know I will have to at least call the humane society to ask if anyone has reported a lost dog or two. The hound mix is uncollared and the husky has a red woven collar that looks old. We've been outside several times with everyone and the girls follow us around closely as if they are afraid we will disappear.

My husband said, "Aren't dogs amazing? What other animal would accept us and each other so quickly in the space of an hour after meeting?" I have to agree! :D

It will be interesting to see what tomorrow brings....

[courtnek]

Hi Behle! welcome back

I would call the police. When my dogs occasionally get out, that's the first place I call. to report them missing. and when I find strays, I call them to see if they have been reported. Most police departments have an animal control department that would take them if you want to give them up (and it doesnt sound like you do... :lol: :lol: ) and they keep track ot reported missings.

[behle]

Thanks for the welcome back, Courtnek!

Good suggestion about the police. Since we are out in the country I guess I will have to call several area police departments....

The hound mix is feeling a bit out of sorts right now. She is on a spare dog bed I pulled out of the closet. For some reason she is not happy about Ben in the past 30 minutes or so. He is peeking in from the dining room and she is expressing her displeasure. Hmmm.....She almost bayed once. I am hoping it is just because she is hurting and not because she has dominance issues.

Last night we heard a ruckus from a few houses down the road by a small lake. I'm wondering now if it was this pair. She has a small tear in her ear and a couple of tiny divots in her forhead as if from teeth. If she did have a fight with another dog it sure would explain her symptoms.

Thanks for the advice. :D .....and the welcome! :wink:

[courtnek]

if she is hurt I would suspect that is making her cranky///hounds, as a rule, are very social around other dogs. depends I guess on what she's mixed with though.

[Horsefeathers!]

Behle! The Gang and I are all so glad to see you back posting!! As for the pair... I'm probably not the best one to offer input as most people know what I would do. :oops: The more, the hairier, we always say.

[behle]

Hi, Horsefeathers! Yes, I know for sure what you would do! :wink: :angel: They are cute...However they seem a trifle small.... :wink:

Hmmm....theoretically, they both together wouldn't equal one big dog would they? 8)

[Horsefeathers!]

There ya go! Now, if that ain't logic, I don't know what is! :D

[courtnek]

Horsefeathers! napisał(a):

Behle! The Gang and I are all so glad to see you back posting!! As for the pair... I'm probably not the best one to offer input as most people know what I would do. :oops: The more, the hairier, we always say.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[kendalyn]

Oh that's so cool! Good luck in whatever you decide to do :-)

I hope the little hound starts feeling better. Have you named them at all?

[mouseatthebusstop]

welcome to the world of multible dog ownership by monday you will be attatched to them
nice to see you again too

[courtnek]

at 35 each....at 70 lbs they would "officially" be a
medium-size dog"....so Laurel, or freebee...


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[bk_blue]

WB Behle :D :D

[behle]

Awww...Thanks for your warm reception everyone! :great:

Two piles and one puddle later we have all made it through the night! Why is it that dogs feel compelled to have their "accidents" on carpet instead of nice, smooth, cleanable tile? Oh well, it's cleaned up - thanks to all the wonderful new products on the market. :o

Now....how to handle breakfast once everyone is awake.....

I'm getting a taste of multiple dog life; pre-planning seems to be the key!

It's good to be back here with you all. :D

Edited to add:

We think the hound mix is probably sick. This looks more and more like a "let's take our dogs out to the country and dump them" situation. This morning we were able to check her out thoroughly while she was sleeping. Her pads are HOT! Dang.... Mark is going to take Monday morning off and see what can be done. :(

P.S. Her appetite is good, perhaps she's not too sick yet. Just had a good breakfast and looking for more.

[Daisysmom]

Wow, looks like they came to the right yard :D It is good to see you again Behle. (I haven't been around much myself :oops: - it's hard with work and school....) Any way, speaking as a owner/lover of three dogs, DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!! :lol: If I only had a crystal ball..... Two dogs are soooooooooooo much easier than 3 (or 4)!! I love them all so much, but you should really think about a few things before taking the plunge. Twice as much um... poo to clean up, twice as many walks to take, twice as many bills to pay, the hair, the hair, the barking, the barking, the "pack" issues, the barking, the hair. Did I mention the barking, like now with a lovely cool morning (finally) and the open windows.....

Don't hate me everybody, but I just had to bring in the other side!! :lol:

Good luck, and good luck to your two new roomies!!

[courtnek]

nose warm and dry too? Sounds like an infection of some sort. Dependning on when she got roughed up she may have a bite wound infection. Incisor bites infect really easily. Is the tear in her ear red, and swollen?

poor puppies...Sometimes I hate people, that's so cruel!!!

:evil: :evil: :evil:

[Lucky Chaos]

Poor girls, looks like they picked just the right people. Good fo you for rescuing them and probably saving their lives. :D

[behle]

Hello Daisymom & Lucky Chaos! It's been an interesting day.

Courtnek - I took a look at her ear and it doesn't look infected, and she seemed more lively than yesterday.

In fact she's been a lot more lively today. She definately does not like male dogs (even neutered male dogs). With a few feedings in her and a good day outside in the sunny fenced yard and deck she was feeling better.

Just now I've come in from outside. We had Ben and Jerry outside and they were playing with the husky mix in the larger unfenced portion of our yard. We had them both in and out of the fence today and they stuck like glue. The hound didn't want to come out, but while they were playing I heard a bay of complaint from inside the house. I could see her through the kitchen window because there is a bench the boys put their front feet on to see out. So I let her out.

The minute she was out the door her nose went up in the air and she circled round to her companion collected her up and trotted off purposefully due east! No amount of calling brought them back.

We hung around the yard feeling at a loss. Then I went inside and my husband went out to his "shop". He said they stopped by to say hello one final time, and then were gone again in a flash.

So....who knows if they will be back. :o

I guess having more than two dogs is now a moot point! We've been talking about why they showed up, stayed for two days and one night and then took off. It makes me wonder if they live somewhere relatively close and wander off to find a handout meal or two when they don't get fed.

We will never know. No way to keep up with them in our dense woods.

It's a mystery.

:( Thanks to all who took an interest is our temporary house guests! I just hope they remain ok.... :cry:

[courtnek]

i am SOOO sorry....Hounds are hard to keep in line. I know MINE has been. They want to be "out and around" - mine has finally gotten to the point where I could trust her enough to take her to a dog park...it's been almost a year since i got her...

I hope someone claims them. or they come back...


:cry: