Our Lost Dog Project

We have been feeding this lost/abandoned dog for three months now in the hope of bringing him in from the forest. Despite posting pictures on all the local lost pet pages nobody has claimed him or reported a similar animal missing.

He's is so timid that we canot get within 50 metres of him before he bolts, which is hearbreaking. The closest I've got is about 15m when he turned in at the bottom of the drive as I was walking down  - he fled so fast he fell down in the road   You have to wonder what has happened in his life to leave him like this.

We're working with a local charity and have decided the only way forward is to trap him as the weather is starting to get worse. Poor guy.
We've called him Didi and I still hope I might find him waiting at the feeding spot one evening. He rarely comes before dusk  - this picture was taken by the trail cam.
   

I've been leaving bits of clothing out that smell of me - tatty gloves and socks - all of which have been taken away, and he once brought us a ball!

So not exactly a pet, but an animal I worry greatly about.

He's a fine looking boy, hope you succeed PP

As Jen has said best of luck PP.

Best case scenario are you planning to try and keep Didi?

What a beautiful dog! His coat doesn't look too bad considering he's been living rough for a while. Hope you manage to build a rapport with him soon.

I know its not the same but we had a stray cat hanging round the house for months. He'd come and eat the crusts of bread that we put out for the birds but wouldn't come near us. We started putting cat food down for him and watched and waited. He was around all through winter, sheltering under the car or in the log store.
I was determined to win his trust. Each time I put food out for him, I'd sit nearby, waiting for him to come and eat, no movement or sound. As he got used to me being there, I'd move a little closer each day until I was almost within touching distance. I reached out my hand, ever so slowly, and he came closer. I touched his matted fur and he started to purr!! It was like a miracle - but it had taken almost a year before we got to that point.
Mr Scruffy was a long haired tabby and he became part of our family, with another cat and a dog. They all got on so well together and we had him for years.

I hope Didi becomes your friend too.

He looks like he has collie in him which may add to him being so timid. Trapping him wouldn't be so bad better than him out all winter. Good luck - I hope he comes around.

Oh I hope it goes well - what a sweetheart. How good of you to want to help him out. It's awful when they are so frightened, and I dread to think how bad it could get for him over winter.

Keeping everything crossed for you PP, he is a fine looking chap. As Scarlet says, it might not be such a bad idea to trap him especially as winter is on the way. Wishing you all the luck, it’s heartbreaking seeing animals so scared of us.

The charity has a foster home in mind for him with a an outdoor run and kennel so that he can hide away and take his time. I would take him but having never had a dog, I suspect he needs a more experienced home. I had expected to have got close by now (our current cat was born to a feral mum in a woodpile and is now a needy lapcat!! ) but there's been no discernable change in behaviour.

We had to take the drastic step of trapping Didi this weekend.
Despite lots of food and bits of clothing left out and time spent near the feeding zone talking to myself, I only ever saw him four times, he just kept himself so hidden.
We set up a large cage trap and have progressively moved the feeding bowl inside until it was right on the trigger board.
Last night we set up a live feed camera and set the trap. MrPP had replaced the standard door with a much lighter one because it acted like a guillotine - the thought of one hedgehog triggering the door while another one was in the entrance was terrifying. So we needed the camera to be able to dash out and replace the light door with the proper one before he found a way to push out.
Didi duly turned up at midnight and after managing to eat all the food without triggering the trap, he eventually stood on the board. He hurled around for maybe 30 seconds and then just withdrew into himself.
I gave him food and water, covered the cage (it's big) to keep him warm and dry and left him for the night, checking the live feed a few times. I think he got more sleep than me!
This morning a friend from the charity with a van took him and cage to the local refuge where he could be released from the cage directly into a pen. He was as good as gold, although clearly frightened.  He has to spend a week there (its the law) before going on to a foster home. Once he's  settled and the fosterer is happy I'll go and see him
Not quite the outcome we wanted, but at least he's safe now and once rehabilitated should be easily rehomed, he's such a sweetie.

Well done PP. He'll be warm and safe now and I'm sure he'll soon settle in the kennels and his foster home.
Thank you for caring xx