Trapping the trap savvy dumped dog

[Djones]

She looks to be a young but mature heeler mix. Was dumped near my place. We set our havaheart and it false tripped and hit her topline and she got out. She is now 100000% wary of anything resembling a carrier or cage or trap.

I took my big wire crate to her 3 days ago, in the long term hope she’ll be tempted to step in and eat out of it and in time let me close it. I draped a towel over the top so it’s less scary, maybe? It is plenty tall and wide, it’s lots of space for her to consider.

Day 1 she stepped on the plastic floor and didn’t like the sound it made and flew out. She did agree to finally come eat a bite or two off the floor of it. I put a towel between the floor and the wire to dampen any sound. She’s incredibly flighty. I left kibble scattered on the floor and tasty cooked chicken bit. It went untouched. She’s guarding the crate, but won’t enter.

Day 2 I sat by the crate and she ate a few small pieces of chicken out of the floor but will not step in. I tempted her with a can of chicken and dumplings and she is soooo tempted, circling the crate and touching it with her muzzle and paws but she is not going in. Left it overnight. It’s still there, she’s still guarding it.

Day 3 is today. Checked at lunch. Food is still there. Guarding crate and happy to see me. She will eat out of my hand, and lick my hands, but you cannot touch her. If I sit in a chair she’ll sit about 5 feet away.

I’ve been bringing her water daily and she is happy to see me. You can tell she was tied out, the marks on her neck are visible still (no wounds). She is sheltering behind a small church and hasn’t moved in the 2 weeks since we found her. We got her comfortable going in the trap (photo) and now she’s afraid of it.

Do I just wait her out? Tips and suggestions welcome. Note that animal control does not exist in this county, not in any form that would help.

[Ericthegreat]

Leave the crate with food in it but not able to trap her until she’s comfy entering the crate and eating. Once she goes in confidently, set it to trap her.

[Djones]

The crate is not a trap. It’s just a crate. The trap (shown) is so tight i fear she’ll just refuse to consider it. Maybe I am wrong? Any sure fire bait I should consider?

[trubandloki]

Yes, that trap is too small for that dog. You need a bigger trap, though now that it scared her I am not sure you will get her in.

Since she trusts you some, is there any chance to use a catch pole or a slip lead?

[Rackonteur]

Where on the crate floor are you putting the food? Try putting it at the far end away from the door where she has to go in all the way to get to the food. Don’t let her get any of the food unless she goes all the way in.

And DO NOT let her eat out of your hand. She must have to go all the way into the crate to get to the food.

[OzarksRider]

Hang in there and be patient. Three years ago we took in a stray hound mix that had been running wild in our area for at least 3-4 months. We put out word among our neighbors that we would take her if anybody could catch her. All the neighbors started watching out for her. It took a couple of months, but eventually someone caught her, put a leash on her, and literally dragged her to my house. Now she’s the friendliest dog ever and thinks everyone is her new best friend.

[Djones]

She is only getting tiny morsels out of my hand, like slivers of chicken so she’s like awww helll the rest is in the back half of that scary cage thing.

[Djones]

She’s a typical heeler. Her neck is bigger than her head. My gut says wait her out until I can close the crate. Once I take her home, I have a completely secure small pen to let her out in

[Simkie]

Trap savvy cats often require a drop trap. Are dogs similar?

A catch pole might be another option?

[endlessclimb]

What about a larger fenced area made of a few chain link panels? Have a rope to you on the gate so you can close it once she’s in. I’d put the crate in the chain link area, so she thinks the “game” is the same and then blam! caught.

[luvmyhackney]

She’s a heeler. Gotta be smart. Drive your car around and put chicken in the backseat. Chances are the dog will get in.

My heeler mix hates any confined space. She tolerates a crate. We had to use a slip lead for weeks before I could get a collar on her.

Try getting a slip lead on the dog and forget the crate.

[trubandloki]

A trap pole or a slip lead are choke style so unless you do not let it tighten, she is not likely to be able to slip out of it.

Thank you for the reminder @Simkie. The people in my area that catch stubborn loose dogs use a drop trap.

[Djones]

yeah, I think y’all are right. I need to build her confidence in me and in time slip that lead over her head. We have time, she’s not budged from that church and eagerly greets me every day. I’ll keep baiting that crate (I had hoped to build her willingness to go in and just shut it and transport her home) and spend time sitting on the ground with her holding the leash and getting her used to seeing it. She’s a pretty thing.

[OzarksRider]

Maybe you’re already doing this, but when you’re sitting in your chair have your back to her and ignore her. Maybe have some food in your hand and let her take it, but don’t make any moves toward her. Let her make the decision to come to you. I bet you’ll be petting her pretty soon.

[trubandloki]

Your scary cage might be more inviting if there was an obvious way out of it. Right now the dog has to go into a dark tunnel to get to the food you put inside it.
You know what happened last time it went into a tunnel, the tunnel attacked it.

[Djones]

Yes we’ve gotten to me touching her muzzle. I just need to do more.

[candyappy]

@Djones

I have a completely secure small pen to let her out in

Can you make a really small pen ( high enough she can’t jump out) where she is now and feed her in it? Get her comfortably going in to eat and just lock her in? Once she is caught you may be able to get her home or think of a way to get her into a bigger crate?

Otherwise I would wait her out and just feed her and gain her trust .

She isn’t aggressive I assume?

[Djones]

Not aggressive at all. Today I visited at lunch (yea, WFH for the win) and sat on the concrete. She walked up and ate little slivers of chicken out of my left hand and I was able to gently stroke her cheeks, chin and top of her head with my right. She is just incredibly flighty, as in a bird flew in the pavilion and she flinched. I carried a short rope leash that’s stiff with me and was able to touch her face with it and rub her face with it a little. I will go get a good slip leash at TSC today, all I have are the dinky ones the vet uses and if she bolts she’ll fry my hands with it.

I did manage to secure the back wall of the wire crate open and tied off the ‘walls’ to a pillar so it’s stable. She may elect to eat the food that’s in there now that she can see through it.

I think the leash is my best hope. There’s a chain link bound playground that I could leverage, but once I put her in there would dare not let her back out, and there’s no shade or shelter. If I mess her up in trying to leverage a wall of it or a corner, I’m starting back over again.

Once I have the leash on her, it’ll be a fight til she stops and thinks, but then I am confident we could get her IN the crate to get her home. Once here I have a small secure (old coop) that is about 10 X12, I’ll have her.

[luvmyhackney]

Coolest breed ever and fingers crossed you can catch her.

What worked for me is a likit mat with smeared liverwurst and getting dog to put her own head in slip collar. Gave me time to slowly tighten the slip lead.

My reflex’s are no where as fast as a cattle dogs.

[Djones]

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