1. Socializing feral/shy dogs

 Street dogs can be socialized… read how to do it safely:

• If the dog has been trapped, keep her in the trap and go directly to a vet's office or shelter. Remove the dog inside a contained room or kennel.
• Spay, vaccinate and vet the dog before taking it home. While the dog is anesthetized, have the vet place a harness, leash and martingale collar with ID tags on the dog.
• Transport the dog in a sturdy crate. Load and unload her in a contained area. 
• Keep the harness, collar and lead on her at all times. Never remove the lead from the collar.
• Use an escape proof 10x10' kennel to socialize shy dogs. The kennel must have a dig proof floor, reinforced wire and a tarp on top. 
• Don't leave a shy dog outside in a kennel unattended. 
• If you don't have a kennel, use a room inside a house to contain the dog. Place pee pads on the floor. Offer a full-time water bowl.
• Hand feed the dog. Offer high value food (liver treats, canned food, bacon…) She may not eat for several days. Keep a full time water bowl out for the dog.
• Praise any eye contact the dog makes with you.
• When you pet the dog, stroke her under the chin. This hand movement is less threatening than petting atop the head.
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• LEASH/RECALL TRAINING: 
• Once you evaluate the dog and find that she isn't aggressive, begin to leash train her. 
• Using the attached leash on the dog, softly call her and reel her in. She'll resist, so you'll need to drag her to you. Praise her as you pull her in. Really praise her when she is right next to you. Offer a high value treat while she's next to you. Pet under the chin.
• Do this leash exercise over and over while calling her to you. 
• As you reel her in by leash, this exercise begins to break her pattern of flight. This is the first huge step in socializing a shy dog!
• More tips to follow…….

CATCHING FERAL DOGS, OPTIONS:

As the economy declines, stray dogs increase. The 'no kill' shelter movement has impacted the stray population too. Shelters make it difficult for owners to surrender pets, so owners abandon their pets in remote areas. What should you do if you notice strays?

• First, set up a feeding station (wet smelly food and kibble in a bucket. Put the bucket inside a cake pan of water to keep ants out). The feeding station trains the dog to STAY in the area. 
• Contact your local animal control and ask them to humanely trap the dog. 
• If animal control isn't effective, borrow or buy your own dog trap (see my trapping tips, Dec 2010).     Listed below are other capture options:

• Move the feeding station into a contained yard or shed, gradually training the dog to enter an area where she can be safely captured. 
• Hand feed the dog and attract her into a car or home.
• Provide a dog house (with hay for warmth). Leave food inside the doghouse to train her to use it. When the dog is sleeping inside the doghouse, quietly sneak up and tip the doghouse up, so the door is above her. Place a piece of plywood over the door to contain her.
• Consult with your vet on a powerful sedative for chemical capture of the dog. Euthasol (used in a half dose) has been most effective in my chemical capture of ferals.
• Once you capture the dog, haul the trap (with dog inside) to a shelter or vet where they can safely remove and sedate her for sterilization and vaccinations. Bring a harness, ID tag and martingale (no slip collar) to attach to the dog while she's sedated. These tools will help you socialize her. 

DOG TRAPPING BAIT FOODS

Stray animals are common after disasters. Many pets are scared and won't come to strangers. Live traps are life savers for strays. The following are good bait foods for trapping dogs or cats... (Oily/smelly foods are best!) 

smelly bait foods

• tunafish in oil 
• canned cat food
• bacon (and bacon grease soaked biscuits) 
• bbq brisquit 
• sardines/canned fish
• deboned fried chicken
• deviled eggs 

FEEDING STATION FOR TRAPPING STRAYS

feeding station

Devastating Texas wildfires separated many animals from their homes. If you see a stray dog in your area, try to coax it into your yard. If she's friendly, take her to your local shelter, where she'll be reunited with her owner. If the dog is shy, set up a feeding station to provide food/water until you can get a live trap to catch the dog. Call your local shelter to borrow a trap or obtain one online. See the December 2010 posting for 'Dog trapping' tips...

DOG TRAPPING TIPS: How to catch a shy street dog.. 

• Set up a feeding station in a protected, shady spot where you often see the animal. The food will keep her in the area. Fill a a cake pan with water (a moat) and put a food bowl with smelly wet food in the middle. (This station provides food/water and keeps out ants.)
• Call animal control and report the location of the animal - (if they're effective.)
• Borrow, rent or buy a humane trap. Traps can be ordered online, purchased at feed stores or borrowed from humane societies. (www.trucatchtraps.com)
• Inspect your trap to be sure it is functional. Oil it, test the trap plate, inspect the welds to be sure the wire is secure. You often get only one chance!
• Third, remove the feeding station a day or two before you replace it with the trap. Post a notice asking other people NOT to feed the animal.. its very important that the animal be HUNGRY! Set the trap where you had been feeding.
• Find a flat surface so the trap is level. Place a chunk of wet food outside the trap door. Line the walkway of the trap with newspaper and drop chunks of wet food to entice the animal to walk in. Place a big portion of food on the trap plate. (If ants are a problem, dust the trap area with sevin dust.) Keep the food fresh and smelly. Oily food works best. (tunafish in oil, bacon, bbq, brisquit fat or deboned fried chicken works great!)
• Once you trap the animal, keep her IN the trap. Go straight to a vet or shelter. If you choose to foster the animal, have the vet remove the animal from the trap. Get her vaccinated, spayed and have the vet attach a harness/tags and leash while in surgery. 
• When the animal wakes, it will be ready to go to its foster home. Slowly acclimate it to a quiet room and secure yard. If its a dog, keep her on a leash at all times. Do not let the dog into an unsupervised yard until you KNOW she will return to you.