Maybe AC will set up a trap. Probably not but maybe. It might just be a neighbor's dog. My neighbors let their dogs out to P and S on everyone elses yards without any regard to speeding cars or other dangers. I might start leaving treats for it on a daily basis in the hopes that the dog would return some time that I was there.

We did think that it was a neighbors dog and if it is, then it isn't anyone nearby. Our next door neighbor has two dogs and they do not let them roam. Then noone else on that side, where the dog was roaming, has a dog. if it is a dog that came from further away (which is possible) it should be picked up by AC as it could get hit by a car and obviously the owners need a warning call.
I think treats may get picked up by other wildlife. We have alot of wildlife in the area so I am not sure if I could do that. i don't want to attract a skunk by mistake! I wish I could see the dog at least once, so I know what to look for and I want to see if it has a collar or not.
Maybe I will try to call AC and see what they have to say.

Are there any farms/acerages anywhere near by?? It might be a farm dog making a daily escape and returning home so no one knows he's gone. If there is a farm/acerage near by, maybe go over there and ask if they've got any big dogs that seem to be dissapearing during the day?

Also, try calling your local vet/shelter to see if anyone has reported a big dog missing in your area. Even though you havent seen the dog, you might get lucky and hopefully there is only one big dog missing and only one owner to notify. Tell them of the times you're away from home so they know when the dog appears, and maybe they'll be able to catch him.

Do you know if any of your neighbors are around during the day a lot?? Someone else may have seen this dog and could tell you what he looks like.

And you COULD set up a webcam at a window (if you have one) to record only when there is movement, to try and catch the dog while you are gone. If you REALLY want to see it. However if your street is busy during the day, might not be the best idea.

I think I'd call animal control and tell them you have evidence of a loose dog during the day. They will come out...if the dog has collar-tags, let them contact the owner.

I betcha this is a farm dog whose family has no clue he is travelling miles on his daily jaunt.

We have farms, but they are a great distance away. I can't imagine that a dog could safely travel so far. They are probably more than 5-10 miles away.
Most of the undeveloped land around my house is swampy, so no farms are within walking distance.
I do have a "noisy neighbor" behind my house. I was wondering if she has seen the dog, as she is retired.
Hopefully animal control will know what I am talking about when I call.
thanks!
-renee

When you walk your dogs, carry pepper spray. I always did when I walked my little dogs. Because I live in an area where people used to let their dogs run wild. Just in case, you need to protect yourself and your doggies.

Never leave your dogs tied up outside without you there outside with them. They are susceptible to attacks by larger dogs and wild animals.

Around here several little doggies were attacked and carried away by coyotes.

Could it be a coyote? Although with big paw prints probably not.

Chances are, the owners would not care if their dogs were disappearing during the day anyway. So finding and talking to the owners is likely not an option.

Good luck.

I think that wandering more than 5 or 10 miles each way is quite doable for a smaller dog that's in shape and should pose no problem for a larger dog. (Our 50-pound collie got out through the fences twice in her life and went visiting at least 5 miles away to our kind neighbor who rescues dogs and cats.)

You might consider visiting the farms and asking if anyone owns a dog, what it looks like, and mention your concerns. Even people who don't think their animals will get hurt by wandering (and a surprising number believe that the animal will be OK no matter what) don't want problems with their neighbors and will do something if they know you are seriously considering calling Animal Control. Or, as cindyb said, the owners might have no idea their dog is roaming so far every day and will be glad you told them.

When we moved here 12 years ago our farm neighbors warned us they would shoot to kill any dog they saw going after their livestock. (That position didn't make them wildly popular but people did keep their dogs in.)

On a lighter note, my father solved a stray-dog problem when we were little and lived in a neighborhood where everyone let their dogs out to run. Our house was on the corner and ALL the neighborhood dogs would mess in our yard all the time. He politely asked the neighbors to keep their dogs in and was mostly ignored. He took drastic action when he had to stop a stray German Shephard from chasing my little sister.

The next afternoon (Sunday) he put a 100' log chain between the two biggest trees in our yard. Every time a dog came into the yard, he called it to him (or bribed it with treats) and fastened it to that chain (or he rigged a collar and attached the dog to the chain. He was an engineer and had devised a dog-safe fastener that only he could open.) He monitored the yard, and by mid-afternoon there were at least 15 dogs out there and many very upset owners telephoning, yelling at him in person, or trying unsuccessfully to take their dogs off the chain. One furious fellow even called the cops to complain, but the officer who responded ended up watching the scene and getting the design for the dog-fastener from my father!)

People kept their dogs in from then on.

"When we moved here 12 years ago our farm neighbors warned us they would shoot to kill any dog they saw going after their livestock. (That position didn't make them wildly popular but people did keep their dogs in.)"

In alot of areas it is legal to do this...

I love the story about the dog fastener.... that is hilarious!!

What makes you sure it is a loose dog if you haven't seen it? It could be a late night dog walking.

Mystery poo kept showing up in my front yard and my dog only goes in the back. Plus it isn't possible for her to make a poo that size.

We have a lot of wildlife in our area and I honestly thought it was the Coyote.

One gorgeous summer night, around 1am, I couldn't sleep, maybe fresh air would help so I was sitting on the front porch in my jammies listening to the Owls and smoking a cigarette.

The neighbor two houses down was walking their big dog. The dog wanted to play and walk and have fun. Dog lifted its leg on hubbies truck tire, no big deal and it tried to go on. Then I heard the neighbor say 'Hurry up, it is bed time, go over here'. The dog took a dump in my front yard.

Not the dogs fault so I waited until he was done. I scared the dickens out of the neighbor when I stood up and said would you like a bag so you can take that with you?

My guess is they missed the fact that our giant dog left us a year earlier and we wouldn't notice.

Having been caught they don't walk their dog in anyones yard anymore. LOL

I love that story about your father, Anita.

What happens on the weekend, or on the days you don't have to go off to work? If this dog is visiting during the day, could you watch for him/her then?

Sally