lost black lab

[Gadgetman]

It really pains me to write this, but on Saturday during the storm my 9 year old lab took off on a walk about as is her morning tradition. It was very cold and windy to say the least. We live in the country on a lake so she can go for quite a ways with no traffic or people this time of year. We are still waiting for her to come home...I have driven aroiund the area for hours and hours and have had friends looking on their snomobiles and everything else you can think of. I guess my question is do dogs get lost like people or do they always know their way home? I also wonder if it is reasonable to expect that she can survive out in the open in this kind of weather? Anybody have any rays of hope to send my way or ideas to help us find her. We really miss her

[machohorn]

She might have "Holed up" during the storm, lets hope.. Good luck

[BLACKJACK]

My Mom's dog was gone for five days in early November - during deer hunting, and then was found trotting along a road about 8 miles away. Where had it been for 5 days??? Luckily she had a collar with their name on it and the dog was returned by a nice person. After a few days, I thought it was a goner, so don't give up hope!!

You didn't say, did you have an id on the dog? Was it an inside or outside dog?

Contact the Sheriffs office and local shelter, get it on the local radio, and local paper, maybe it wandered up to someones place. Contact people that get out on the local roads a lot like the mailman and the guy that delivers fuel oil. Do your best, hopefully its sitting on someones step mooching chow.

[LOTWSvirgin]

Well good luck finding your dog.

[Dave S]

Labs are very durable in harsh climates/cold temps. Chances are either the Sheriff's Dept. picked her up or someone else took her in.

My old lab ran off one day. The day before we were supposed to go out pheasant hunting with some friends from out of state. He never did come back home.

It turned out he was hit by a car and the state patrol was dispatched to the area about a car/dog incident. They arrived to find NO DOG. He disappeared. It was a few days later a neighbor thought he saw him out in a field. I thought I saw something also in the same area and it was gone 20 minutes later when I returned so I was thinking it was him.

I went home, got the wife and we went for a drive, sure enough, there he was, walking down the field road, a mile from home and in rough shape. He looked back to see the truck nad he knew who it was and just put his head down in what seemed to be embarrassment. I hopped out, called him and he came to me bruised/battered nad seemingly delirious.

I reached down and picked him up to put him in the truck and he looked at me with a look of appreciation. Took him home and called the vet to get him in for a check up. To my surprise, he had no broken bones or internal injuries. Only a broken tooth and a cut lip.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is don't give up. If you have to, go door to door. There's a good chance that someone has seen the dog somewhere.

On the flip side, be it in the country or in the city, one should never allow the dogs to roam free at their own will.

[brittman]

Hope you get her back! For other rural bird dog owners on this site

Quote:

On the flip side, be it in the country or in the city, one should never allow the dogs to roam free at their own will.

....... This goes for my brother too! Bird dogs can live on farms, but bird dogs are not farm dogs!

There are simply too many dangers out there: fast cars, trucks, anti-freeze, traps, snares, idiots, families looking to adopt an abandoned dog, dog nappers, dog fighters ...

[Gadgetman]

She was an outside dog with a collar and brass info tag riveted on to it. As for roaming at will, she was always kenneled unless we were outside. The kids let her out when they went out to play and shovel. They figured that she had just gone over to the neighbors to panhandle her morning treat and then she would be back, but it didnt work that way this time

[fishroger]

Labs like to roam. Dont give up hope. These dogs have a great smeller. My young neighbors lab ran off for two weeks, he gave up hope. One day I went out to my fish house to check it out. Its a good 2 miles out on the lake. It was -20. There was a yellow lab sittin next to the door, he looked cold. I thought he looked familiar and sure enough the tags confirmed it. I called my buddy and he rushed out to the fish house. That was a happy dog and dog owner. That dog had to smell his masters scent in the house, he had been there a month earlier. Unfortunately there are many hazards out there, traps, cars and varmints.

[bottomdweller]

Hope your friend finds its way home

[Iambjm]

My friends Labradoodle ran away in January 2 years ago, some one-who-thinks-I-am-silly was blowing off firecrackers and it scared him. They searched for 6 weeks and he was finally found by a guy who rescues critters in northern Minnesota. We had had a two week stretch of subzero weather, and he was really skinny and beat up but he was glad to be back home. Don't give up, and post a lot of posters. They did and had numerous calls with sightings but by the time they got there he was gone. By the way he was nearly 50 miles from home.

[Scott Stein]

There are simply too many dangers out there: fast cars, trucks, anti-freeze, traps, snares, idiots, families looking to adopt an abandoned dog, dog nappers, dog fighters ...

my uncle lives by New Ulm and a couple yrs ago he let his black lab out while he was doing horse chores...and he noticed a van by the drive way and his dog always runs to the end of the driveway when someone is coming up to the house....the road is 400yds from his house and all of sudden the door swung open and the guy was wistling for the dog and the dog started running for the van and my uncle seen this got in the truck and started to drive down there and the guy took off,luckily w/o the dog!....look out for the dog nappers!!!!!

good luck finding your dog man,dont give up labs are some tough dogs!!!

[fishnhooks]

What your going through makes me think of how I would feel if something like that happenend to me with one of my dogs. Good luck on your search, thoughts are with you. Hopefully you find your buddy soon.

Best wishes,

"hooks"

[hitthebricks]

This probally is not your dog, but my wife told me this evening that the animal control people picked up a older black lab with a green tag on its collar this morning in front of her work across from the State fair grounds on Como Ave in St Paul early this morning. if you know anyone in the area with a missing dog please relay the info.

[mthunter]

Will keep an eye out for her, I would put up a flyer at the Tesero station in town and maybe mom's.

Hope she finds her way home.

[Gadgetman]

SHE'S BACK!!!!! Went out and looked in her kennel this morning and there she was like nothing had ever happened! Very thirsty, she drank nearly a 5 quart pail of water and hungry as well but other wise in great shape. This is with out a doubt one of the best Christmas gifts our family will ever receive! So for others with a lost dog keep the faith. she was out for over three days in way below zero temps with major wind chill and seems just fine. Thanks guys for the mostly encouraging words. Merry Christmas all!

[Hard617]

Glad to hear she came back. That is an awesome Christmas present.

[TeamXtreme]

I was sick reading this story... I would be totally lost if one of my "boys" went missing. I am OVER JOYED that you get her back. Merry Christmas.

[setterguy]

What a great start to the Christmas holiday. Great to hear. I bet someone gets to sleep inside tonight huh?

[grab the net]

Awesome !!!

[CJH]

The hunting breeds are tough as nails. When I was a little tyke, my grandparents golden retriever went on a two week "walk" from their cabin in Hayward. Eventually he made it back home through the dense woods. He had been injured, but nothing some food and rest wouldn't take care of

Glad to hear it worked out. That's a heck of a Christmas gift.

CJH

[fishnhooks]

That is great news! No doubt a great Christmas present.

"hooks"

[icehousebob]

I truly love a happy ending. I've had them vanish for me before. not a good feeling.

[BLACKJACK]

Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mthunter]

That's great news gadgetman, can't imagine a better x-mas gift.