Are dogs running wild normal where you live?

I wouldn't say it's normal but I see it from time to time. There is an old guy a few houses down that lets his go wild on a open piece of land near by and they will often venture well beyond that to my house and a little way down the street. Sometimes I hear him calling them but often he'll be ignored for a while, while they do their thing. With the mystery dog that has disappeared again, he just showed up. Sometimes I am driving and I see dogs walking leisurely down the street.

Still it is not the norm but you see it from time to time. Trellum, would Reba be called semi stray in your country since she stays outside most of the time? I know she frightens quite a few walkers.

 

Dogs can be so easy, that way. I have a few, but I find something chewed up, I automatically know who did... The one runs away when I pick it up

 

When my wife and I walk I carry a stick, golf club, treking pole or something. But we live in a semi-rural area but near a mid-sized city. So stray dogs are common, in fact I've seen more "Wild" looking dogs lately than I've ever noticed before. Running in 2-4,5 at a time. Plus, we have coyotes everywhere and such so a nice nine iron is a good thing to have.

 

Any stray dogs around here turns into a coyote. We do have real coyotes around here, just not as many as people think. I think that maybe why I am way out in BFE and have never seen a stray dog here.

 

This is the last one I saw and all he or she needed was some food. The little youngster was feeding him.We later heard he travels with a homeless man so he would not like us calling his dog a stray. He'd probably beat us up with his stick if it's who I believe it is, this vagrant walks around with his stick or staff looking like Moses

 

I've thought about getting a walking stick. But I would aim more for Gandalf than Moses.

 

Only a few, and these can often be quite threatening at times. The owner of one, had actually given it away after it had to attack me, and a few other people in the area. She now has the dog back and attempting to train it, even on leash w/her the other day, the dog wanted to come after me -it has me scared to say the least.

Also, another problem w/off leash dogs is that I walk my dog on leash and when they are off it's easier for them to attack - I fear this yet I still walk (the other direction from the problem one at least) though I always fear something is about to happen...

As such, we try to warn others, she wants to play and gets excited at times which others take as aggression - does anyone have a good suggestion for how to allow her to meet other on leash dogs at least, if not off leash without a problem -??? Thanks.

 

It's a very cute dog! I hope it isn't hungry anymore.
Homeless people here often have dogs too. I think they make them feel less lonely. If I lost my home, I'd do anything to keep Homer with me.

 

The city I live in, Huntsville, Alabama, has very good leash laws that are strictly enforced. You cannot even have you dog in your front yard if it is not fenced or he/she is on a leash. When we do see a stray if you call Animal Control, they are quick to come and get it and attempt to find it's owner if it has on a collar with a rabies tag, a city tag, or a microchip. I am so grateful for this law because I am a senior citizen and when I go for a walk early in the morning or late in the evening with my wheeled walker, I do not have to deal with strays that can be unpredictable in their behavior.

 

Apparently it gets a lot of scraps from passersby and I guess with the vagrant when he collects scraps for himself he includes the dog. The dog reminds me of Zola slightly bigger. I heard that the vagrant is very protective of the dog so I am surprise if it's his unless the mall is the dog's play park.

 

I had to do that Some of those dogs living outdoors are super territorial, like that dog I always had to face when I had to walk tru a certain street. He practically thought he owned the street, so I was invading his home. You don't want to see what he did when people passed by in a bike! Actually outdoors dogs are the reason I could never learn to bike here.

 

It's amazing when people who can't afford buying anything share food with their dogs Personally, I wouldn't let my Homer be hungry even if I was homeless.

 

Stray cats have our neighbors to stay with. She has a kitty dream land in her barn. Cats everywhere, come and go as they please, food, and heat in the winter. All the stray dogs around here will either be eaten or adopted into coyote packs. We actually have very few real coyotes around here. Its mostly wild dogs. If I found one, and he wasn't vicious, and he hadn't joined the coyote pack, it would take no more than a couple of days before he's joining MY pack. I can't handle strays that aren't being helped.

 

Lol, wow, really???? Are they indeed adopted into coyote packs??? How fascinating is that! I wonder why some of them are eaten and others are adopted into coyote packs? It never ceases to amaze me how complex and wild dogs can be, deep down they are still pack animals. Just amazing!

 

I've wondered the same thing... whats the difference between pack mate and dinner? They are more of a threat to cats and chickens than to dogs. I know how they act after the pack is formed, but I have NO clue how the pack gets formed.

 

I see! I guess it must have something to do with the dog trying to play hard and get eaten, because I have heard they have a hierarchy. So maybe those who got accepted behaved more like a beta instead of an alpha. It's just a theory.

 

That makes sense. If they aren't a threat to the alpha, and they're submissive it wouldn't HAVE to come down to a fight to the death.

 

Yeah, I think this happens with the dogs who suddenly have an Epiphany and their wild instincts kick in when faced with a pack of coyotes. Amazing how a dog behavior can change so much.

 

No kidding. to be able to go from having a home, to homeless, to joining a coyote pack is nuts! It makes me think of kids joining gangs.

 

Or people who once were lawyers or doctors joining ISIS. Actually I was just thinking about that analogy just now, it must be crazy just like that! Because ISIS is just nuts! I mean, all they have done and are still doing, still wonder why they (governments) haven't really taken this issue seriously.