Wandering off to die?

Smyth

My springer spaniel is 14 years old. He's in great shape and still really lively. He hasn't shown any signs of being uncomfortable or sick.

He's been missing for a day and a half now. He used to wander off when he was younger with other dogs, but he hasn't done that in years. He would lie in the sun during the day at times, but he always sleeps inside and loves the company.

It's known that some dogs can wander off to die. I don't know if this is the case though. I've searched all around the house and surrounding area. I heard if they wanted to die, they don't go that far. Is it uncommon for dogs his age to go walkabouts?

The thought of him dying on his own

kylith

The JRTx I had growing up escaped from the garden and went away to die. I still miss her, and I really hate that I will never be able to bury her and say goodbye.

Sigma Force

Dogs shouldn't wander off to die because dogs should not be allowed to wander. Your dog could possibly of being picked up by someone thinking he was straying or he could of been stolen.

Since you say he's still lively he could of seen something of interest and ran off after it.

Dogs don't escape to go off and die dogs escape and get killed on the road, or taken. Perhaps some dogs have been feeling ill and so disorientated they wander off and die and perhaps there has been the odd case of a dog actually going off to die but it's certainly not a common thing.

I would be putting posters up and ads in vets and on the radio etc.

boxerly

What area did your dog go missing from?You should contact all the pounds in the area ASAP,rescues,vets,guards and put up posters everywhere in the area aswell.Put a post and a picture on sites like petsireland,irishanimals and lostdogs.ie xxx

gimmick

Sigma Force wrote: »

Dogs shouldn't wander off to die because dogs should not be allowed to wander.

Ya, they should be locked up in the kitchen :rolleyes:

andreac

gimmick wrote: »

Ya, they should be locked up in the kitchen :rolleyes:

No, they should be fenced in properly in a dog run or have the garden fenced.

Who said anything about locking them up in a kitchen??

gimmick

Dogs should not be allowed wander? Does the person who posted that know where OP lives? He could live in the country side, or a quiet estate. There is a dog in my park and he wanders everywhere. Id often see him 3 miles from home on his daily constitutional. Lock him in a yard and he would go spare.

WIZE

Dogs should not be wandering the streets

You are responcible for your Dog

Tell me this

If I was driving down the road and Knocked down your dog and killed it

Is it my fault or yours

Dogs (All Dogs ) Should be kept on a Lead when out and About with you .

Not just left to wander .

I hate when bringing my dogs out for a walk and next think a dog runs over and starts Playing or following my dogs .

Its nice to see when the owners are there to control the situation but not just opening your door and off your dog goes :mad:

andreac

gimmick wrote: »

Dogs should not be allowed wander? Does the person who posted that know where OP lives? He could live in the country side, or a quiet estate. There is a dog in my park and he wanders everywhere. Id often see him 3 miles from home on his daily constitutional. Lock him in a yard and he would go spare.

Sorry, but no dog should be allowed to wander regardless of where they live.

Dogs that wander are a danger to livestock and drivers as they can kill livestock and cause accidents by running out in front of cars, so its very irresponsible of any dog owner to let them wander. If a farmer sees a dog on his land he will shoot it, no questions asked, so do you think its fair on a poor dog to put him in a situation like that?

DBCyc

In fairness, the OP is concerned if his dog is dead. I don't agree with dogs being left to wander either but I empathise with the OP.

I hope he turns up alive and well.

Wolfe Tone

Dogs (All Dogs ) Should be kept on a Lead when out and About with you

Bollux. No need to keep a well trained dog on a leash.

Smyth

He would have wandered with a pack of dogs when he was younger...as was I. I got him when I was 9, So lay off the lectures you group of sanctimonious, inconsiderate shower of ****es.

The furthest he'd go in the past 5 or 6 years is down the driveway or over to our neighbours. That's it.

Thanks to the few who did provide an answer.

kylith

andreac wrote: »

Sorry, but no dog should be allowed to wander regardless of where they live.

I agree with this, but as I said upthread my dog escaped from the garden one day. The garden has a 7' wall all the way round and I very much doubt that a 20 year old, deaf, half blind, lumpy terrier was stolen. My father is still upset about it, swearing that the only time the gate was open was when he put the bins out and that he was certain she'd been asleep in her kennel, but the only explanation that makes sense is that she'd spotted her moment and slipped off. It's not unheard of for animals to slip away to die.

andreac

Dogs dont wander off to die.

I would call into your neighbours and call the local garda station, vets, pound etc to see if someone has found him.
Put up posters in the local shop, garage etc and as many locations as possible in your local area.

I would imagine he has been picked up by someone, hopefully a decent person and are minding him until they can find the owner.
Is he microchipped?

andreac

kylith wrote: »

I agree with this, but as I said upthread my dog escaped from the garden one day. The garden has a 7' wall all the way round and I very much doubt that a 20 year old, deaf, half blind, lumpy terrier was stolen. My father is still upset about it, swearing that the only time the gate was open was when he put the bins out and that he was certain she'd been asleep in her kennel, but the only explanation that makes sense is that she'd spotted her moment and slipped off. It's not unheard of for animals to slip away to die.

My reply wasnt to your post , it was to Gimmicks one who thinks its ok for dogs to be let out to wander the streets.

anniehoo

Another example of a thread where the OP has been lynched from the off. Im taking a break from this forum for awhile its wrecking my head. Ill probably be given a break anyway for "back seat modding" or whatever again :rolleyes:

Hope your dog turns up alive and well OP.

gimmick

andreac wrote: »

My reply wasnt to your post , it was to Gimmicks one who thinks its ok for dogs to be let out to wander the streets.

Time nor the place to argue it. But I agree witht he above poster.

Smythy, hope your dog shopws up alive and well.

R P McMurphy

Hope your dog shows up in good form.

kylith

andreac wrote: »

My reply wasnt to your post , it was to Gimmicks one who thinks its ok for dogs to be let out to wander the streets.

I know I don't agree with dogs being let wander either, though it's very common in rural areas. I live in the city and I have problems with territorial dogs who are let out to roam the streets.

andreac

gimmick wrote: »

Time nor the place to argue it. But I agree witht he above poster.

Smythy, hope your dog shopws up alive and well.

I wasnt arguing with you, i was replying to Kylith's post.

WIZE

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Bollux. No need to keep a well trained dog on a leash.

Granted in a Field or Park let them off for a run as long as your there to supervise them

But let out on there own to wander where they want is not a good idea

Wolfe Tone

WIZE wrote: »

Granted in a Field or Park let them off for a run as long as your there to supervise them

But let out on there own to wander where they want is not a good idea

I agree, I would be afraid my dog would be nicked. Although my dog wont leave the garden.

antomagoo

Dog on or off leash and wandering about, not the thread for it TBH. OP is just looking for a question answered

Morgans

Our dog, a small non-wandering dog who would max go into next doors garden was suffering from old age and did wander off to die. No two ways about it. After 15 years, he knew his way around his home and never ventured far enough to be knocked down by a car or to be stolen. So, some dogs defintely do wander off to die. I found it somewhat noble (of course anthropomorphising, for some reason not wanting my little sister who was his best pal to see him dead) but little sister was upset regardless. Sincerely hope your dog shows up.

boxerly

OP can you upload a picture of your dog and ill post it on the rescue sites I do be on :)Someone hopefully has your dog sitting in the house right now xx.Wether its right or wrong...the dog is old and missing and needs to be found.It would be far better if people posted the dogs details on other sites instead of sitting here giving out.OP if you want to pm me the dogs pic and his details ill put them up x.Facebook is a great place aswell,so mant people see it

Steve30x

For gods sake people have a heart instead of having a go at the Original poster.

It is possible your dog might have gone off to die on its own , but it could also be possible that the dog might be picked up by somebody or by the warden or worse still he might have been run over. Anything is possible.

PS: I think this forum should be pre moderated because some people do nothing but go on the attack here.

Discodog

As a caring owner I am sure that you have a name tag on his collar & a microchip. Cats will occasionally seek seclusion if they are ill but dogs will usually do the opposite.

Your dog is probably alive & well. Now you have show how much you care by putting a maximum effort into finding it.

boxerly

pmd you about a dog that was found

convert

andreac wrote: »

Dogs dont wander off to die.

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one, andreac. Nothing personal, but from my experience of dogs wanting to die, they do tend to remove themselves from the most frequented area and go off to find somewhere quiet to die.

One dog went from the yard at the back of the house to a quiet and somewhat secluded area at the front of the house overlooked by her human's bedroom window to die. We buried her there, and there's now a lovely garden seat marking her grave.

Another dog started to wander around the fields (which she didn't normally do unless accompanied by one of us) the day she died. My mum found her and brought her back to stable with warm bedding because she didn't think she looked well. She went in to ring the vet to ask if they'd take a look at her, but when my mum went back out she'd passed away, but was still wrapped up in her blankets on a warm bed.

Although both dogs were old, they were in good spirits and as good shape as can be expected for 12-14 year old dogs.


Oh, and before any of you go jumping down my throat for allowing the dogs to wander, at the time we were living on a farm, and the house and yard were in the centre of the farm, about half a mile from the road. Because we were with the dogs all the time during the day they never wandered (apart from the day they died), and they were left in a big run at night. (The run was actually bigger than the entire garden of the terraced house I was living in until recently! :eek:

Hope you manage to find your dog, OP. Even if you find him dead, at least you'll know where he is and what happened to him. It's not knowing which makes things so unbearable.

The Sweeper

Smyth wrote: »

My springer spaniel is 14 years old. He's in great shape and still really lively. He hasn't shown any signs of being uncomfortable or sick.

He's been missing for a day and a half now. He used to wander off when he was younger with other dogs, but he hasn't done that in years. He would lie in the sun during the day at times, but he always sleeps inside and loves the company.

It's known that some dogs can wander off to die. I don't know if this is the case though. I've searched all around the house and surrounding area. I heard if they wanted to die, they don't go that far. Is it uncommon for dogs his age to go walkabouts?

The thought of him dying on his own

OP do you live at home with your parents or older siblings?

I have heard cases in the past where well-meaning parents have taken an elderly dog they felt was being unfairly kept alive, because of the childrens' attachment to him, to the vet to be put to sleep. They've then told their kids that the dog simply disappeared and could have 'gone off to die' because it was his time.

I agree that you should put up posters and ring around the vets, gardai and the local shelters/pounds (you should be able to get contacts from your local council), and if you're not the resident adult, as it were, ask your family members to try and establish the dog's last known movements.

Whispered

OP I hope your dog turns up safe and well. Please don't assume the dog wandered off to die, while you're busy grieving for your "dead" dog, where you otherwise would be out looking for him, he could be close by, trapped in a shed, been taken in by a well meaning passer by etc.

The Sweeper wrote: »

They've then told their kids that the dog simply disappeared and could have 'gone off to die' because it was his time.

I think the OP is about 23, he got the dog when he was 9 and the dog is 14 so if the parents DID do that I'd be very suprised and questioning the health of the relationship :pac: