Our dog bolted Saturday afternoon. Has not returned home. Any ideas for what we can do? Update! Abby’s home! See#110

[going_gray]

I am presently watching my favorite PBS detective shows tonight, trying to stay awake. DH(Dan) headed off to bed around 7:30, feeling the exhaustion of climbing a lot of North Carolina hills today. I don’t need to do any more hills for some time either.

Abby is finishing up a cup of white rice, boiled with diced chicken breast with part of a boiled egg on top. She is very happy! So are we!

She is acting and doing her normal behaviors. Around 5:00 I got ready to head out to feed our two horses. She saw me put on a jacket and barn boots. She and Nikki were both at the door waiting to go out and help me with chores. I told her no, not tonight.

She has been resting on our bed this afternoon, stretched out and relaxed. Each time I checked on her, she rolled over and said, please, rub my belly. So we do that and she closes her eyes.

We have been so busy tonight answering phone calls from friends, neighbors, church members, and family back in MI. It’s been lovely to have good news.

So glad she is home, safe, and warm. It’s going to get cold tonight and Tuesday we have rain coming in with colder temperatures. But I am at ease, finally.

I will upload pictures soon when I can catch my breath. Thank you all for your support! What a blessing!

[Mango20]

I’m so happy for you all!

Now that it turned out well, I have to say it was pretty funny to imagine two vegetarians who have never used a grill suddenly setting up shop and grilling bacon in some stranger’s yard!

[stargzng386]

Great news I shed s few tears too! I’d invest in a good dog gps tracker. My terrier can bolt and we put an air tag on her since we’re close to enough people with iPhones. It’s been a big reassurance for us.

[yaya]

@Mango20

I’m so happy for you all!

Now that it turned out well, I have to say it was pretty funny to imagine two vegetarians who have never used a grill suddenly setting up shop and grilling bacon in some stranger’s yard!

I was thinking something similar - if she had never smelled cooking bacon before would she be attracted to it?

[OverandOnward]

@yaya

• if she had never smelled cooking bacon before would she be attracted to it?

I have a feeling the answer is yes. The doggie is not a vegetarian.

Especially as this dog was very hungry. But as it happens we didn’t have to find out!

[Jenerationx]

@yaya

I was thinking something similar - if she had never smelled cooking bacon before would she be attracted to it?

Yes.

[Casey09]

I had nothing to add, so I hadn’t posted, but I have been watching this thread and hoping for this result. I bet she sleeps well tonight! So glad she’s home.

[skydy]

Do plan to call Animal Control, the Sheriff’s Dept, the feed store and anyone else that you notified of her disappearance to let them know that she has been found, so people don’t keep looking.

What a wonderful outcome! I’m so glad that you don’t have to imagine her cold and frightened anymore. I think I can safely say that we were all worried, and that we are now very relieved and very happy for you all.

[cilla1]

I am so happy for your and Abby!

[trubandloki]

Please call up all the places you took fliers to and ask them to take them down, while you gleefully share the great news that she is home!

[going_gray]

Yes, so many places we need to visit or call! Started yesterday and have a neighbor helping us with all the Facebook postings. Signs to pick up. Lots of flyers to get at local gas stations and our feed stores and TSC too. Post office and newspaper office. Need to call radio station too. Wow, oh, wow!

Abby’s getting lots of rest/sleep. Like an exhausted child or a dog that’s been in a marathon. Which she has!

Tail wags like crazy when she sees her food coming. What a great sight.

I hope we can get her into vets today.

Looking at dog tracking devices now. Need to set up a thread on this idea. Thanks, everyone, for all your happy, happy, tearful replies! So wonderful!

[Bluey]

The collective COTH has been feeling a sense of relief since you found Abby.
We were worried and scared for Abby right along with you, so happy she is back home.

Getting a tracking collar would sure be a comfort.
Don’t want to repeat this, bet you and DH are very happy but bushed.
Take care.

[Sandysmom]

FWIW, a lot of coon hunters and hog hunters use the Garmin tracking collar. I think they have the longest range. Check out a company called Nite Light or Huntsmart. They sell a lot of hunting dog supplies including tracking collars.

[Zu_Zu]

A wonderful reunion ! So glad your beloved Abby is home ~

[MorganMaresVT]

My English Shepherd has bolted after deer a couple of times, and that was the motivation we needed to get a GPS tracker. My biggest piece of advice, particularly if you’re in a rural area with limited cell networks, is to be sure you read all the fine print about what cell carriers the tracker needs to transmit. We live in an area with no AT&T coverage and weak Verizon coverage, and that simple fact meant most of the popular brands were out for us. We’ve had Tractive for a couple of years now and it’s been really wonderful for us. Good battery life, fairly reliable satellite GPS network when there’s no cell/wifi signal. The initial cost ($50) plus access plan ($215/year) is very reasonable.

I’m embarrassed to say that Hugh actually took off out of the barn a couple of nights ago while I was closing up the chickens, and a fox or fischer was crying in the woods behind us. (I thought of this thread immediately!). As soon as he bolted, I turned on “live mode” from my phone, and saw exactly where he was headed. I went down the road after him, and was more than relieved to see his “moving dot” reverse direction and come back to me once he heard me call his name. Without the tracker, I would have been walking and calling him in the exact opposite direction because of where he looked like he was headed exiting the barn.

[Horsecrazy3]

I’m so happy that Abby has been reunited with her loving family. Add me to the list of happy tears.

[OverandOnward]

@MorganMaresVT

Without the tracker, I would have been walking and calling him in the exact opposite direction because of where he looked like he was headed exiting the barn.

This is the thing that scares me – identifying where to look. Abby is a great example of an energetic type of dog that can cover an amazing amount of territory in a short time. And the farther they can go, the exponentially greater is the area to look for them. It’s like pond ripples spreading out.

The GPS tracking collars have come a long way from when I was first looking at them in 2011.

I have a friend whose indoor house cat manages to get out and get lost every 2-3 years. At times of cold wet weather, of course. It is desperately hard to locate her and my friend is in a panic for a week or more. The cat classically ends up being spotted by a neighbor tucked away in a garage or shed corner they never look at. Last year my friend got the GPS for her cat and it has already located the cat once, underneath a slightly raised shed.

[MunchingonHay]

I have been watching this waiting for Abby’s return. I am so glad she is home!!!

[blue_heron]

@going_gray

How do you feed a starving dog? We have given her a small amount of kibble but not much. I am going to give her some chicken boiled with rice, small amounts. Will call vet tomorrow!

So glad you found your dog! Rice and pumpkin are easy on the stomach, would give her that and 1/3 of her usual bikkies for a few days.

[glitterless]

So happy she’s back!!