Are your Hunting dogs a cherished investment?

[Guest pfries]

OK for all of you with hunting dog’s,

Are you dogs a cherished investment? I ask because it is now almost 4:00pm and this morning just before 7:00am, an English /redtick coonhound showed up on my doorstep. When it had not left by 8:00 I went out to check it out as it had both a GPS and another collar on it. A man’s name and number was on it so I called. He stated that she had gone missing Saturday while he was running her and would be over in a couple hours to get her. Well she is still here; I had nothing to feed her so I recently ran to the corner store and over paid for some food. She is got a great temperament and the kids have been enjoying her, however a short while ago my youngest picked up a stick (he is three) he did not come at her in any way but she ran (tail low), kind of alludes to things. So 8 hours no return calls or contact?

Just looking for some feedback.

[VERO1]

I think you are thinking about the same thing I am, about the owner!

[Guest pfries]

Wondering if he deserves her back and what the legal premise is?

Not to mention a few other choice things?

[babelt]

Well he is not breaking any laws by her being out, but I don't know the laws on how long he has to come pick her up after contact is made to where she is located.

[Guest pfries]

Well he is not breaking any laws by her being out, but I don't know the laws on how long he has to come pick her up after contact is made to where she is located.

Bluff city area, in my house, at my feet, he is only 10-15 min from here by the road he said he was on.

[babelt]

Sounds like the guy doesn't need the dog to bad if it's been 8 hours and he hasn't came and got her. I mean what does this guy think? Are you suppose to be his personal dog sitter?

[Guest pfries]

Sounds like the guy doesn't need the dog to bad if it's been 8 hours and he hasn't came and got her. I mean what does this guy think? Are you suppose to be his personal dog sitter?

This is not the first time by far that hunting dogs have shown up here.

In the past owners have been genuinely concerned, most have even been apologetic and thankful. I do not find it to be an inconvenience of any real sorts, and if he had said he could not get by until tomorrow, I would have happily made accommodations. He seemed distant and bothered almost when I called him but I pass no judgment on that end, as I do not know him and that may well be the norm. He did not make mention of being at work or anything so I do not know.

I know from a personal perspective that if I had the time and money vested in her or any dog for that matter it would be important to me to see her safe return.

[tnhawk]

I've got a few bluetick coonhounds but I consider them as family members, not as investments.

[Guest pfries]

I've got a few bluetick coonhounds but I consider them as family members, not as investments.

Thats kind of where I am at with it you would not have left her here or would have touched base.

[Timestepper]

So call him back and tell him that she ran off, then take the collar and GPS off and drive a few miles in the other direction and throw 'em in the ditch and Bingo! Your kids have a great dog to love on and spoil rotten.

I mean, if she went missing on Saturday and has a GPS and he STILL hasn't bothered to track her down - let alone take the time to drive 15 minutes to pick her up at your place... Well, I'm guessing he probably doesn't want her very bad. Plus, it sounds as though there might be good reason on her part not to have found her way back "home" by now.

Luck!

...TS...

[TNFF319]

So the dog ran tail low when a stranger approached with a stick? Many dogs receive discipline. Some owners may take it too far, and some dogs can’t handle pressure. More times than not it is the trainers fault. I know many people who train and run dogs. Some are pets and some are tools. I know one guy who told a man to just tie the dog to a power pole, and he would be by sometime that day. I don’t agree with him, but people vary with the way they view a hunting dog. My lab is my hunting partner and friend.

[Murgatroy]

I have some land way out in the sticks. A popular hunting area. We have had a few dogs just 'show up.' We generally ask around and we have gotten several of them home where they belong. There have been a few odd ones though. I eventually came to the conclusion that my mother has garnered a reputation as being a caring person. As she seems to get a 'new' animal weekly. Dogs, cats, even a ferret once. One that showed up out o the blue was a Dalmation. Best I could tell full blooded. Showed up without a collar and just made herself at home. Dozens upon dozens of cats. I am certain that a fair percentage of these animals are abandoned. Doesn't make a whit to my mother. She has become the proverbial Crazy Cat Lady. She spends the majority of her money on pet food.

One dog in particular that stands out was a fellow we came to call 'Tick.' Tick was a redbone that just showed up when I was bout thirteen. He was a little malnourished, but not bad. He was a friendly sort, always met me at the end of the road when I got off the school bus. He had a loud deep bark that just carried and carried. I asked around for a while, and never could find where he came from. He made it clear though, he lived with me. Tick was there till I moved out a handful of years later, and did well. He filled out well and was a very very polite dog. Whenever he saw me come out of the house with a rifle, well, let's just say my five year old daughter reminds me Tick around Christmas time. He would chase anything that moved. Even miles away. He would come home smelling like skunk a lot.

When I moved out, it always warmed my heart when I came back to visit, and Tick would come running to meet me at the driveway. I always greeted him the same way, 'Whatcha say ol' Tick?' Over the years it came out as 'Tao Tick!' I could stand on my back porch and holler 'Tao Tick' and hear him braying a mile away.

Tick never was an indoor dog. He didn't care for it. He loved to be outside. Didn't care a lick to get wet. That old bastard was a traveler too. After I moved out, the plot of land across from ours was bought, a couple from Michigan moved in. Tick took right too 'em. He was just as oft found there as he was at my cousin's house, a few miles down the road. Come to find out, Tick had a good dozen houses up our holler where he would find food, and a scratch behind the ear. He was well known. Well liked.

I guess I was about twenty-two or twenty-three the last time I saw Tick. He was getting on in years. After all he was a full grown and filled adult by the time he found me. He was rather grey around the edges, had an obvious bit of age on him. I came home to visit one day and it didn't matter how loud I yelled, I never heard that bray.

I am sure that is how Tick would have wanted to go out. As suddenly and abruptly as he arrived. I just wish I would have known so I could say good bye.

That damned old cur was the best dog I ever had. And a damn fine friend at that.

[Guest pfries]

That damned old cur was the best dog I ever had. And a damn fine friend at that.

That is how I feel about my animals,

and thanks for sharing your experience.

[laktrash]

I have some land way out in the sticks. A popular hunting area. We have had a few dogs just 'show up.' We generally ask around and we have gotten several of them home where they belong. There have been a few odd ones though. I eventually came to the conclusion that my mother has garnered a reputation as being a caring person. As she seems to get a 'new' animal weekly. Dogs, cats, even a ferret once. One that showed up out o the blue was a Dalmation. Best I could tell full blooded. Showed up without a collar and just made herself at home. Dozens upon dozens of cats. I am certain that a fair percentage of these animals are abandoned. Doesn't make a whit to my mother. She has become the proverbial Crazy Cat Lady. She spends the majority of her money on pet food.

One dog in particular that stands out was a fellow we came to call 'Tick.' Tick was a redbone that just showed up when I was bout thirteen. He was a little malnourished, but not bad. He was a friendly sort, always met me at the end of the road when I got off the school bus. He had a loud deep bark that just carried and carried. I asked around for a while, and never could find where he came from. He made it clear though, he lived with me. Tick was there till I moved out a handful of years later, and did well. He filled out well and was a very very polite dog. Whenever he saw me come out of the house with a rifle, well, let's just say my five year old daughter reminds me Tick around Christmas time. He would chase anything that moved. Even miles away. He would come home smelling like skunk a lot.

When I moved out, it always warmed my heart when I came back to visit, and Tick would come running to meet me at the driveway. I always greeted him the same way, 'Whatcha say ol' Tick?' Over the years it came out as 'Tao Tick!' I could stand on my back porch and holler 'Tao Tick' and hear him braying a mile away.

Tick never was an indoor dog. He didn't care for it. He loved to be outside. Didn't care a lick to get wet. That old bastard was a traveler too. After I moved out, the plot of land across from ours was bought, a couple from Michigan moved in. Tick took right too 'em. He was just as oft found there as he was at my cousin's house, a few miles down the road. Come to find out, Tick had a good dozen houses up our holler where he would find food, and a scratch behind the ear. He was well known. Well liked.

I guess I was about twenty-two or twenty-three the last time I saw Tick. He was getting on in years. After all he was a full grown and filled adult by the time he found me. He was rather grey around the edges, had an obvious bit of age on him. I came home to visit one day and it didn't matter how loud I yelled, I never heard that bray.

I am sure that is how Tick would have wanted to go out. As suddenly and abruptly as he arrived. I just wish I would have known so I could say good bye.

That damned old cur was the best dog I ever had. And a damn fine friend at that.

Good story you teared me up on this one. Had a ole lab alot like tick everybody around knew him.

Edited November 23, 2011 by laktrash

[VERO1]

Don't know how many times I have gone walking,bike riding, and driving in endless circles around the neighborhood looking for one of our air-headed mutts from the humane society! It would never cross my mind to leave one somewhere if I had any idea where to find it.

As mentioned prior, our dogs are family members.

[Murgatroy]

It has always been said around our house, if we have a choice of how to come back, it would be as one of our pets.

They are family, through and through.

[10-Ring]

I used to have a Walker I hunted coons with. Never left her in the woods. Stayed up till the sun came up looking for her a couple of times but never went home without her.

[Guest WyattEarp]

So the dog ran tail low when a stranger approached with a stick? Many dogs receive discipline. Some owners may take it too far, and some dogs can’t handle pressure. More times than not it is the trainers fault. I know many people who train and run dogs. Some are pets and some are tools. I know one guy who told a man to just tie the dog to a power pole, and he would be by sometime that day. I don’t agree with him, but people vary with the way they view a hunting dog. My lab is my hunting partner and friend.

most dogs don't cower in fear and turn tail and run when disciplined. dogs cower in fear when they've been abused, and from the sounds of it, when the stick was picked up the dog became afraid, and it was more than likely because it's been beaten by it's owner for whatever reason.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

IMO the average dawg is better than the average human.

I have one coon hound that might easily cower if someone picked up a stick, though I know for a fact he has never been beaten. He is just a high-strung ADHD dawg. In addition have noticed that dogs who have not been socialized around small kids, don't seem to understand that tykes are in fact little humans, and can be friendly toward older kids or adults but distrustful of the tiny tykes. Not making excuses, just devil's advocate.

One time I found a lost young lab and called the owner, who seemed very indifferent about coming and getting the dog. He seemed so indifferent I was thinking about just keeping the dog. But when they finally arrived, the dog lit up happy wagging all over and the guy's wife and kids were happy to get the dog back even if the old man seemed ambivalent about it. Even though I might have potentially been a better owner, the dog forgot all about me as soon as the family arrived, and I might as well have been chopped liver.

I wouldn't mind adopting another coon hound, but the current two are so jealous I doubt if they would put up with it. As best I can tell, their attitude would be, "there are already one too many hounds in this house and we certainly don't need another."

[wewoapsiak]

most dogs don't cower in fear and turn tail and run when disciplined. dogs cower in fear when they've been abused, and from the sounds of it, when the stick was picked up the dog became afraid, and it was more than likely because it's been beaten by it's owner for whatever reason.

+1 to this. My ridgeback is decently disciplined and doesn't cower when I have enforce the rules, whether by a tap on the neck / butt or the "no no" sound. Only dogs I've ever seen cower were ones who were owned by abusive idiots or who were kept tied up without any contact. That's my guess for this d-bag, he abuses the poor thing to get it to do what he wants and then just ties it out back. Hunting dogs are tools, they can be part of the family, but they shouldn't be slaves.

[peejman]

Well he is not breaking any laws by her being out, but I don't know the laws on how long he has to come pick her up after contact is made to where she is located.

Actually he is breaking the law. Dogs are not permitted to run at large in TN. I'm sure there's some flexibility in a hunting dog gone astray.

So did he come get the dog?

[Guest pfries]

Actually he is breaking the law. Dogs are not permitted to run at large in TN. I'm sure there's some flexibility in a hunting dog gone astray.

So did he come get the dog?

Not yet

[babelt]

Actually he is breaking the law. Dogs are not permitted to run at large in TN. I'm sure there's some flexibility in a hunting dog gone astray.

So did he come get the dog?

TENNESSEE CODE ANNOTATED© 2011 by The State of Tennessee

All rights reserved

*** CURRENT THROUGH THE 2011 REGULAR SESSION ***

Title 44 Animals And Animal Husbandry

Chapter 8 Fences and Confinement

Part 4 Running at Large

Tenn. Code Ann. § 44-8-408 (2011)

44-8-408. Dogs not allowed at large -- Exception -- Penalties.

(a) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, "owner" means a person who, at the time of the offense, regularly harbors, keeps or exercises control over the dog, but does not include a person who, at the time of the offense, is temporarily harboring, keeping or exercising control over the dog.

( The owner of a dog commits an offense if that dog goes uncontrolled by the owner upon the premises of another without the consent of the owner of the premises or other person authorized to give consent, or goes uncontrolled by the owner upon a highway, public road, street or any other place open to the public generally.

© It is an exception to the application of this section that:

(1) The dog was on a hunt or chase;

(2) The dog was on the way to or from a hunt or chase;

(3) The dog was guarding or driving stock or on the way to guard or drive stock;

(4) The dog was being moved from one place to another by the owner of the dog;

(5) The dog is a police or military dog, the injury occurred during the course of the dog's official duties and the person injured was a party to, a participant in or suspected of being a party to or participant in the act or conduct that prompted the police or military to utilize the services of the dog;

(6) The violation of subsection ( occurred while the injured person was on the private property of the dog's owner with the intent to engage in unlawful activity while on the property;

(7) The violation of subsection ( occurred while the dog was protecting the dog's owner or other innocent party from attack by the injured person or an animal owned by the injured person;

(8) The violation of subsection ( occurred while the dog was securely confined in a kennel, crate or other enclosure; or

(9) The violation of subsection ( occurred as a result of the injured person disturbing, harassing, assaulting or otherwise provoking the dog.

(d) The exception to the application of this section provided in subdivisions ©(1)-(4) shall not apply unless the owner in violation of subsection ( pays or tenders payment for all damages caused by the dog to the injured party within thirty (30) days of the damage being caused.

(e) It is not a defense to prosecution for a violation of subsection ( and punished pursuant to subdivision (g)(1), (g)(2) or (g)(3) that the dog owner exercised reasonable care in attempting to confine or control the dog.

(f) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution for a violation of subsection ( and punished pursuant to subdivision (g)(4) or (g)(5) that the dog owner exercised reasonable care in attempting to confine or control the dog.

(g) (1) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by fine only.

(2) A violation of this section is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by fine only if the dog running at large causes damage to the property of another.

(3) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by fine only if the dog running at large causes bodily injury, as defined by § 39-11-106, to another.

(4) A violation of this section is a Class E felony if the dog running at large causes serious bodily injury, as defined by § 39-11-106, to another.

(5) A violation of this section is a Class D felony if the dog running at large causes the death of another.

(h) Notwithstanding subsection (g), a violation of this section shall be punished as provided in subsection (i) if the violation involves:

(1) A dog that was trained to fight, attack or kill or had been used to fight; or

(2) The owner of the dog violating this section knew of the dangerous nature of the dog and, prior to the violation of this section, the dog had bitten one (1) or more people that resulted in serious bodily injury or death.

(i) A violation of this section, where one (1) or more of the factors set out in subsection (h) are present, shall be punished as follows:

(1) A Class C misdemeanor if the dog running at large does not cause property damage, injury or death;

(2) A Class A misdemeanor if the dog running at large causes damage to the property of another;

(3) A Class E felony if the dog running at large causes bodily injury to another;

(4) A Class D felony if the dog running at large causes serious bodily injury to another; and

(5) A Class C felony if the dog running at large causes the death of another.

HISTORY: Acts 1901, ch. 50, § 1; 1903, ch. 419, § 1; Shan., § 2853a4; Code 1932, § 5086; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), §§ 44-1408, 44-8-108; Acts 2007, ch. 533, § 1; 2007, ch. 556, § 1.

The way I interpret this is that Hunting dogs are an exception at the running at large law.

[peejman]

... The way I interpret this is that Hunting dogs are an exception at the running at large law.

I remembered something like that but was too lazy to look it up. Interesting that there's no time provision for recovering the dog. Particularly after having been contacted by the person who found it.

Not yet

You might call the owner this morning and tell him if he doesn't come get it by noon, he can pay the local animal shelter to get the dog back. His reaction to that might tell you if you've got yourself a new pet.

[Guest pfries]

You might call the owner this morning and tell him if he doesn't come get it by noon, he can pay the local animal shelter to get the dog back. His reaction to that might tell you if you've got yourself a new pet.

The thought has crossed my mind, I can't imagine the radio/GPS collars are cheap if nothing else you would think he would want that back?

I will call animal control in a bit for their input.