Need some input/opinions. I found a lost dog this morning while driving through my neighborhood. The dog came up to the car and had to stop the car to avoid hitting it. Since the dog has no car fear, I couldn't just leave him so I put him in my car and brought him home, having no idea how I was going to handle the situation between him and my dog Lear.

I tried to bring the dog in from the garage, Lear went berserk. Fortunately he was in his crate. I stood at the door with the dog trying to figure out how to get this dog in my backyard, knowing that putting the dog in the house for ANY period of time was not going to happen.

Finally after trying to open my back gate in the dark, I managed to get him in there. I have to wait till 8AM to call Animal Control to pick him up.

So for my concern - now this dog who elicited such a response from my dog is in the backyard, leaving his scent all over the place. This is something I've tried to avoid, having a lost dog in my backyard because of the scent left behind and my dog's territorial behavior. Is there anything I need to be concerned about with another dog's scent in my dog's backyard? I know it's MY backyard, but it is also my dog's backyard.

I know it's maybe a silly question, but since I don't know the answer....I'd also like to be able to bring in a lost dog if the situation arises again, rather than leave it to fend for itself in traffic.

I would probably guess that once this dog is gone and you turn out Lear in his yard, he will do a lot of sniffing and marking and possibly be particularly standoffish to strangers, both human and canine, near his yard for the next few days.

I think Lear and Caleb must be pen pals. He exhibits the same exact behavior, and in nearly 4 years, it's gotten no better, but no worse. I own the house and the yard, so I bring home whoever I feel like bringing home. Yes, he goes absolutely postal Cujo on them at first sight, but he's pretty obedient in that if I force him to leave it, he will. Yes, he pees that really rancid "I own the world" pee, super high up on anything upright, but that's really all he does. Once the intruder has left, he makes his rounds, marks everything he might've missed during the intruder's stay, and then all is well. I really wouldn't worry about it. I do it all the time, and I think he even understands the difference between the ones who are staying and he must cohabitate with and the transients. He's to a point where he kind of ignores them except for marking. I don't think he even attempted to investigate Stark the whole 6 weeks he was here. Cocky s.o.b.-knows how I feel about showlines -no threat from a black and red, he reasoned.

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Cocky s.o.b.-knows how I feel about showlines -no threat from a black and red, he reasoned.

LMAO!!!


My dogs react the same way if I bring in another dog. They go crazy barking, snarling, foaming at the mouth when they see the dog walk up to our home, but once I lead it in and tell them to knock it off they calm down. They sniff the newcomer but know not to be stupid about it. Lol.

Then again I know my dogs and am sure that they will not start a fight in my presence. If I had any doubts, I'd take safety precautions for the newcomer's sake!

Thanks ladies. Lear is learning to ignore other dogs on neutral territory like the park we train at, amongst the dogs that go for training. But I knew on his turf it would be another thing altogether.

Before I posted, I read Ed's article on introducing a new dog to look for clues on what to do, but nothing really applied.

Turns out I was able to keep Lear in the bedroom with me so he wouldn't be alerted to the dog outside, but he needed a drink and when he was in the kitchen drinking, he noticed a movement on our porch and almost went through the sliding glass door, berserko that he is.

Animal control just came and picked up the dog and Lear went out back and did just what Jenni said about Caleb. Not only pen-pals, but twin pen-pals . He marked everywhere, sniffed enough for a year. The other dog was trying to get out through my wooden gate, pushing the slats outward so have to reinforce that. Don't want Lear getting any ideas. THAT became a huge concern for me when I saw the dog at the gate digging and pushing, pioneering a road for Lear so to speak. Dang. That, and of course any possible disease risk.

Lear is finally satisfied that the dog is gone and is laying down in the house. The pacing is over! Oops, spoke too soon, he just growled at the back door again. As Robbin told me, I was tending to over-think the whole thing, worrying about Lear. Still the gate thing has me worried now. Lear has never approached the gate and the lawn mower is in front of it, which didn't stop the other dog.

Keep in mind the other dog was lost and probably panicked. Though he didn't know where he was going, he knew he didn't want to be stuck in that unfamiliar yard. I would reinforce it, but I wouldn't be too paranoid about Lear wanting to bolt as desperately as this lost pup (but I'd watch for any mail w/black fur in the envelope glue-might have a chisel inside-he watches a lot of prison shows).

Brenna figured out watching the lawn crew at my house that she could force open the backyard gate...I have a double fence on two sides so she hadn't been able to dig out, yet, but she has torn down several pieces of the fence only to find the other fence on the other side--that sort of shut her down since she really couldn't get to it...however, she got out of the gate twice even with me reinforcing it. My solution? heavy duty tie downs!!! 2 of them..one up high on the gate and one down low. She can push and jump all she wants now and she can't budge it...heck, I can't budge it. Unless she grows thumbs the only way out now is up and over...I'm hoping she doesn't figure out how to do that anytime soon!!!

good luck, Sandy

 Quote: Jenni Williams

...(but I'd watch for any mail w/black fur in the envelope glue-might have a chisel inside-he watches a lot of prison shows).

:laugh: I'll be on the look-out for Caleb's mail! And thanks for the peace of mind, Jenni. I hadn't thought of it like that.

I just put bags of Lear's poop in front of the gate too, as a further deterrent. Good grief.

Mike, I can't picture what you mean about the tie downs?

I was sorry to see the lost dog/pup go...the officer said he looks like an Irish Wolfhound mix. Sure did. In the dark he looked like a Giant Schnauzer mix. But the light of day showed otherwise. Hope he gets found or another good person adopts him. He was so sweet.

My dogs are fine with other dogs in neutral territory but freak out at home too. I used to bring home strays all the time but started thinking twice about it once a stray infested my house and yard with ticks! It was a HUGE pain in the butt to get rid of them.