# I got my Puppy Back!! i need some advice...



## Coco23 (May 2, 2014)

I need some advice but before i just wanted to give a little bit of my story, so moved back home and brought my pup with me of course, it was a long journey and over 20 hours of flying back to the states (my puppy had to stay in Hawaii on the fly back for a day because it was too many hours poor baby) but am glad to be finally back home in the states for good with my little furry best friend. After a few months of been back one day while i was in school my puppy was in the backyard and apparently the gate was open and he ran off, last i heard from from one of my neighbors that someone took him (my neighbor didn't know it was my puppy since i never let him outside in the front yard) and that was that. I was desperate put up fliers went driving around, myself, my parents, my family pitched in and we did everything we could to find him and nothing. I honestly started to just give into the idea that he was gone after almost 2 months, my best friend was gone. It was so heartbreaking and hard and honestly i was starting to talk to my family to just start taking down the fliers because it hurt every time i would see them up driving by knowing he won't be returned :smcry:.

Well two days ago i received a random call very early in the morning. The lady that had my dog was going to pass by, i did not want to get my hopes up because i got so many calls and none of them were my dog when i saw them in person but i felt it was him it had to be she said to me he has two yellow spots (his lemon marks!).

When she passed by i saw his little furry face and it was him he came towards me and i was the happiest could be!! I was so happy i cried my eyes out honestly i became a mess in front of this lady hugging my dog and even the lady started crying i was a hot mess omg the happiest day of my life it was honestly a miracle! I thought i would never ever see him again! Words can not describe it :wub:

After i got my dog back the lady called me twice in the morning and really late at night but i was at work (i work night shift) then the next day she just appeared at the house :blink: it was really strange to me but i saw nothing of it and i showed him to her and she was telling me how much she misses him and how he was always with her and how much her kids miss him (they have like 6 dogs and a tiny shitzu puppy that would always play with him )that she cried so much because she misses him and she kept kissing his face and i felt uncomfortable because i went through a lot with him and i felt kind of pressured in a way i don't know if it makes sense. Also, I found so strange this person's story though the few times i did speak with her like it made me and my parents feel as though they saw the fliers a long time ago and until now was when they decided to give him back i don't know.

Regardless, I am forever grateful that he was returned and he means so much to me and through one of the most difficult part of my life he made me smile and kept me the most company and i just am so grateful he was returned.

But, Ever since this lady's visit he has been really anxious wanted to run off in a way and always by the door he kind of whines a little by the door and constantly comes to me like letting me know he wants to go outside (the front of the house), he hasn't been acting himself he is not even eating he just lays by the door unless i call him and pet him. I feel really bad i don't know what to do i feel as though he forgot about me and doesn't love me as much he still very sweet and friendly but its as though he is confused im not sure, please help any advice? He isn't acting himself almost depressed-like Do you think he will get better with time? My mom says he is probably going to need time to re-adjust since he was gone for so long. But im just worried how can i help him feel more comfortable? He is 10 months old already. Please any advice would be highly appreciated.

sorry for the long post :blush:


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## bailey02 (May 1, 2009)

Give your dog some time I think he will eventually come around like his old self again. He probably misses playing with the other dog. Take him out to a dog park so he can have play time.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Is this lady a neighbor? I am a bit confused. I would keep a very close eye out that he isn't taken again. Were you home when he was outside before when he was taken? 
Please realize that a maltese should never be outside alone for many reasons---one of which is theft! Is your pup microchipped & registered w/the chip #?
People don't realize how quickly a pup can go missing. I would suggest not only microchiped & registered but also a small collar with the name & phone #s of where the dog can be returned, if needed. Some people even have the name on the collar w/a phone # sewed into the collar. 
I am sure your pup misses the other family---maybe they were very attentitive & he loved the company of other pups? I hope he settles quickly!


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## Coco23 (May 2, 2014)

I took him to get microchipped today later in the day and he seems to be getting better like he hasn't tried to leave and he is seems a lot better, i guess he just needs to time to adjust since he was gone for so long. 

Bailey02: Thanks, this does sound like a great idea!

edelweiss: This lady was not a neighbor, apparently her husband drove by our street that day when he happened to see him loose in the street and took him. It was all so very quick! I did microchip him but i was not properly informed since the dog shelter near me is kind of a mess :huh: but the initial fee does include my address and name right? the online registration that is a monthly fee in the homeagain website is extra if i want it right? Any thoughts, i was kind of rushed and not really explained very well.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Normally there is a fee for getting the micro chip, you must go on and register him online asap, do not wait. You can then pay a yearly monthly whatever fee to get bonus services-some send out alerts if your dog goes missing, some have special numbers you can call for poison control type things but even if you do not pay, he should always be listed on their data base-and you should always be able to go back and update your info.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I don't live state-side so not sure how it all works here. Maybe some of the other members can jump in on this.
We have a local registration & then we belong to a national one where we registered pups for maybe 20$ one time fee. 
I guess it was a good thing the man took him as he might have gotten hit by a car, but it doesn't sound like he was overly eager to find the owner. I would keep an eye on him since they may want to claim him if they feel he isn't being closely supervised, but that is my critical mind thinking & I may be way off.
As someone else said, he may be missing animal companionship so it would be imperative to try & get him together w/some other pups for play sessions.


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

There is a *free* registry that I learned about -- it's on the site www.foundanimals.org 

One of my local shelters uses that site now. In the past, another local shelter and my vets have changed chips and registries from time to time. I went ahead and double-listed on foundanimals.org as well as on the sites that I had already paid for. 

Do you think the woman who brought the dog back was hoping for a reward (and didn't get it and so wants the dog)?


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

You can look on this "lookup" site to see if your dog's chip has been registered. Microchip Search | AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

I'm glad to hear he is calming down. It may be cynical of me, but I think that woman came back all teary eyed, because she was hinting at a reward. If I found a little dog on the street, I would make it my business to find his real family...well, I have done so a few times.

I think there is a central data base for micro-chip registry no matter which service you go with. Home Again tries to trick you into paying for what seems a pretty useless additional service, but the registration is part of what you pay for when you get the chip.


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

You're so lucky too have gotten him back...I hope he settles in again. Poor little guy,I bet he was so confused.


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

We had a similar incident happen with one of our cocker spaniels. we lived in a trailer court and Al let our cocker puppy out to potty, then the phone rang and he went in ,not thinking and came back outside and a woman was putting Buffy into her car..Al stopped her and she said she almost hit her on the street.. Al didn't believe it but after that he let her out of a leash and never let her out of his sight after that.


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## Coco23 (May 2, 2014)

*UPDATE: Worrysome and kinda freaked out honestly*

My puppy is back to his old self again, happy go lucky playful etc, HOWEVER, the people that had my dog keep passing by my house unexpected looking for my dog i am not happy about this, one time is okay, second time weird, third and fourth i feel like calling the cops honestly. It just makes me feel realllllly uncomfortable is as though they are keeping an eye to see if he runs away again or something, they pass by the house nearly every day! :huh::angry:

I wasn't home today and my parents told me that the person passed by again and saying to my mom we saved his life you know (the story sounds so wrong each time) They took my dog from the front of my house and they claim that they found my dog nearly 4 blocks away, then they say that they pass by my street nearly every day on their way to work and yet we put up the fliers minutes after he went missing and had them up until the day he was returned and they never bothered to return him when they claim they pass by there obviously they saw the flipping fliers we had like 10 all over the front yard and all over our street!! 
They keep passing by, today they passed by with two children looking for my dog like wtf seriously! Its freaking me out i don't feel comfortable, like i don't even know where they live at but they know where i live and are showing up unexpectedly. Also every time my dog hears the stranger's truck he gets uneasy all over again when he is finally re-adjusting to us and returning to his old self! I am very upset i feel like telling my parents to tell them next time that i moved out and no longer live there so they stop, this has to be harassment!

They made it seem like i don't care for my dog, i PAID A FLIGHT TICKET to fly my dog ACCROSS the world with me in the same plane as me and paid an extra amount to have him stay in Hawaii to rest a night and feed him high quality food and microchipped him and he is constantly been watched and is up to date with all his vaccines and even has high quality shampoo one incident does not make me a bad owner, dogs run off all the time, these people have 6 dogs i am sure they will manage but they show special interest in my dog and it is freaking me out i feel i have to keep an extra eye on my dog more than i do now! I love my dog so much that this is scaring me.

My parents told them when they showed up that i wasn't home and that the dog was inside locked up. They keep saying they miss my dog so much and what not like he is my dog am sorry thank you for returning him but i will not give him away to you, you have 6 DOGS!!!! and a shitzu puppy wtf! I really don't like these strangers showing up at my house obsessively they really want my dog and is making me nervous its kind of scary honestly.

What should i do? help!?!?
Its as though they are keeping an eye to see if my dog runs off again and to take him when he does which is scary since i don't know where they live but know where i live i wouldn't even be able to track them down. I swear my dog is next to me 24/7 these people are scaring me now. What do you recommend and what would you do?


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## Ann Mother (Dec 18, 2013)

They sound a little nutty to me. Next time they come to your door do not answer the door.


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## Malt Shoppe (Jul 20, 2011)

That's terrible, I don't blame you for being uncomfortable. Please don't let your dog out by himself.

Here's an idea, next time they come by that you se them, wave them down and excitingly tell them you are ordering something as a thank you, to be sent to them so you need their address. Hopefully they will happily give it to you - now you know where they live.
Next file a restraining order for stalking on them and have them served. That should take care of the problem.


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## littlefluffbabies (Apr 17, 2013)

That is definitely a little creepy. It sort of makes me wonder where they got their other 6 dogs. 

I think that I would probably tell them that you appreciate that they took good care of your dog, and they returned him to you, but that you really think that it's confusing your dog to have them continue to come around to see him, and that you would appreciate it if they would allow him to settle back into your family now.


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## littlefluffbabies (Apr 17, 2013)

Also, I would try and get their license plate number ...just in case. If talking to them doesn't work , you could then have an officer go over to let them know that they are making you uncomfortable and that they need to stop!


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

I think you need to report this weird ordeal to the police... who knows, there might be 6 other people with missing dogs..


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## Coco23 (May 2, 2014)

Thanks everyone it is quite scary actually I was thinking about getting the tag number idea sounds like a good plan I should be able to track them down that way I just don't want them to see me. I just need them to back off I mean thank you for bringing my baby back I appreciate it with all my heart but what do you expect I am not giving him away to you!! It's not happening no matter what guilt trip I get! Sorry had to vent this is really upsetting me already! I feel a bit violated if they show up again it is crossing the line!
Also I feel guilty not showing them my dog when they come and ask but from now on I'm not home seriously I don't want to confuse my puppy even more and I don't want to be rude either but this scenario is creeping me out.
Now when my dog is in our backyard I tell everyone that while I am at work or not home to take him out on a leash I am so paranoid!


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

Personally speaking, I would get their License Plate # and then Call the Police. This is not a normal occurrence that they keep on walking past your home looking for YOUR Dog!! Do you at least have their name that you could so a search??


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## Dominic (Nov 4, 2012)

My advice is, stop feeling bad to start with. You're grateful to have your dog back and have said that to them. It's time for them to move on and stop harassing you. I'd get their info and call the police, file a report. Sometimes we have to be firm and we don't have to be nice or polite with those who are aggravating us. If you don't make a move they will keep on going. I'd answer the door (if there is other people in the house) and tell them to back off or you'd get the police, stand up for yourself and your dog.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Coco23 said:


> Thanks everyone it is quite scary actually I was thinking about getting the tag number idea sounds like a good plan I should be able to track them down that way I just don't want them to see me. I just need them to back off I mean thank you for bringing my baby back I appreciate it with all my heart but what do you expect I am not giving him away to you!! It's not happening no matter what guilt trip I get! Sorry had to vent this is really upsetting me already! I feel a bit violated if they show up again it is crossing the line!
> Also I feel guilty not showing them my dog when they come and ask but from now on I'm not home seriously I don't want to confuse my puppy even more and I don't want to be rude either but this scenario is creeping me out.
> Now when my dog is in our backyard I tell everyone that while I am at work or not home to take him out on a leash I am so paranoid!



I am sorry but I don't get this remark---do you leave puppy in the BACK yard? Please be careful---I would not trust doing this, if you are so doing.


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

I agree, don't have him outside alone. 

I might tell the woman that you and your family love this dog and he's going to stay with you and "here's the name and contact information for his breeder if you want one of your own."


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