digits missing..hurts so bad

digits mama · 06-13-2007, 08:07 AM

I went out of town this weekend, and my son and boyfriend take care of my 16 year old cocker mix. He is frightfully afraid of thunderstorms.On Saturday dear son let Digit out of his kennel to romp and run. When it was time for him to go to work he forgot to return digit to his kennel. Sometime around 3 o clock a mild thunderstorm came through. That was the last time we have seen him. Today is day 4 that he has been gone. I have searched the woods viciously. Posted over 200 flyers everywhere! I am so sad, all these years and he is gone. I adopted my son 16 years ago 3 days after adopting digit. A huge part of me is missing. I dont cry easily but the last 3 days have been excruciating. The fact of not knowing is worse. I would rather know where he is at. THIS HURTS SOO BAD!

borzoimom · 06-13-2007, 08:37 AM

I am so sorry honey.. Maybe someone has him and just hasnt seen the flyers yet?

digits mama · 06-13-2007, 08:57 AM

thank you borzoimom. I sure hope so. i live in the country on 10 acres. i do have subdivisions close by and so I am hoping for the best. My other dog Dozer a Mastiff/ labrador mix is so sad also. We been searching together. It is amazing to see him frantically search for Digit. Dozer was Digits baby. when I adopted him, Digit took him under his wing. Dozer with his massive size cuddled up to little ole Digit is an amazing site!

This site is a godsend....

borzoimom · 06-13-2007, 09:04 AM

DID you call the local vets or animal shelters? And in our county, the lost and found ads are free.. Place a ad maybe in your local papers?

digits mama · 06-13-2007, 10:13 AM

Yes I have contacted 3 humane societys in the three countys i am close too. i have visited them also. I have also went to the vets office and the desk clerk offered to set up alerts to all the vet offices within a 200 mile radius. That I am optimistic about.

When Digit would get frightened from a storm he would run to the nearest door. Any door that was opened in fact. It didnt really matter whos door as long as one was opened. It only happened 2 times and the last time was about 4 years ago. Did I mention that he is partially blind and deaf? I am so worried that he is trapped in the woods in briars. he has a very keen sense of smell so I have done alot of smelling up the yard.

Ever since he lost his hearing 2 years ago, He seemed to have quit barking. And my efforts in calling him are fruitless. Even though I still scream at the top of my lungs. Thanks for your concern. It feels nice to have someone care about this. seems like everyone keeps reminding me he is just a dog. He isnt Just a dog. he is my baby.

borzoimom · 06-13-2007, 10:21 AM

Bizarre idea- if you have a local search and rescue group they might be able to help track him since he is deaf and can not hear you call. Our local search and rescue does this as a training exercise, but its worth a call. The sheriffs office would know the phone number of the local chapter.

tirluc · 06-13-2007, 06:18 PM

i know this may sound extreme, but check to see if there are any tracking dogs in the area.....i know that a lady who had lost her dog once trained her Bloodhound to be a tracker for lost pets (can't remember what city/state) so there might be someone to help close by (check w/ your local dog club if you have one)......another thing is getting in touch w/ a "dog-talker" (don't know if you believe such things).....

hope you find your baby soon (good thing it's not winter)......and, no, he's not "just a dog"....

digits mama · 06-14-2007, 09:40 AM

Hi Borzoimom and Tirluc,
I called the sherriffs office and they laughed at me. But they gave me the number anyways. i called them yesterday and I am still waiting for a call back from the search and rescue team. Lady told me that they had enough training in the days following Katrina. I have no idea what that had to do with anything now but thats what she said. Not expecting a call back either.

I called The local humane society and some local refuges for infromation on the trackers of lost animals. And there is nothing available in these areas. I Live in Biloxi MS and I do remeber tracking dogs everywhere after the storm but seems most of them were volunteers from all over the country.

I walked all over the place yesterday and stayed outside again last nite to see if i can hear anything from him. For the first time in my life I prayed for the birds to stop singing and the earth to stop moving so i can hear something. Today is day 5 of him missing. I am still not giving up but my hope is fading. I am not ready to quit. Went to the humane society yesterday and was falling in love with all the babies in there. I want to take them all home.

Had a bright idea though yesterday. I MAY start my own refuge for animals. I have acreage that needs to serve a pourpous. I am contacting a concrete man today about pouring a slab. get me some kennels built. and do something with all this pent up energy that needs to escape. All in Digits name. Not that I am jumping into something like a madwoman, Im just rolling the ball around.

THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! You have no idea how much I needed you to give me some light.

borzoimom · 06-14-2007, 10:14 AM

Well here they use the search and rescue teams as a training exercise. If they could give you the number, you could call and see if they would. I am still hoping that someone has taken the dog in, and just hasnt gotton to a store or something to see the flyers yet..

digits mama · 06-14-2007, 11:47 AM

Yea me too.... I pray thats the case.

Tirluc.. I forgot to address about the dog talker. Yes I do believe in that. My mom seems to think she has that ability. I never wanted to admit it growing up because my freinds always thought she was nuts. But now I am older she has amzed me in so many ways. My mom and I and Digit took a road trip a month ago. And while we were out having a blast she kept saying she felt dread with Digit. I brushed it off as "Yea He is an old man" I know the enivitable would be near because he was so old. But now....I never thought it could be this way.
After speaking with her, She thinks Digit had left us naturally. She thinks he ran so fast from the thunderboomer that came through that he expired. But she told me not to give up hope because she could be wrong. Either scenario would be great. If he left me to die. I can have closure. Not knowing is the worst part.

digits mama · 06-15-2007, 10:58 PM

Today around 4 pm Got a call from a family that Digit hung out on thier porch and the husband of the family drove up and down looking for digits owner but only around thier house. Digit was last seen 7 miles away from home. He disappeared day ago after another thunderboomer. they are on the edge of red river national forest. I have drove more today , put out more flyers on anything and everything. But there is more hope and thats sooo much better than nothing at all! Tommorrow I look more,walk more tlak more. I know hes looking for home but, he cant seee, he cant hear. man this sucks. today is day 6

SunSiberians · 06-16-2007, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digits mama

Today around 4 pm Got a call from a family that Digit hung out on thier porch and the husband of the family drove up and down looking for digits owner but only around thier house. Digit was last seen 7 miles away from home. He disappeared day ago after another thunderboomer. they are on the edge of red river national forest. I have drove more today , put out more flyers on anything and everything. But there is more hope and thats sooo much better than nothing at all! Tommorrow I look more,walk more tlak more. I know hes looking for home but, he cant seee, he cant hear. man this sucks. today is day 6

What bittersweet news! It's wonderful that he was seen - he's so close - almost touchable! I really hope you find him tomorrow. I'll be thinking about you two. Please keep us updated.

CrzyBritNAmerica · 06-16-2007, 01:40 AM

You will definitely be in my thoughts tonight and I do hope that you have good luck tomorrow! What great news that he was seen! Good luck and we'll all be thinking of you and Digit!!

Renoman · 06-16-2007, 09:54 AM

I can only image what you must be going through. If one of my guys was lost like Digit, I'd be going insane.

If you believe in animal communicators, there's a woman by the name of Colleen Nickerson who a friend of mine swears by. I haven't any personal experience dealing with her but she seems to have great abilities. She's got a website that may give you more information.

One more thought, several years ago a friend took his dog to the state forest for a walk. The dog took off after a squirrel or something and couldn't be found. Long after dark this friend finally left the park. Before he left, he took his jacket off and put it on the ground. At the crack of dawn he was back at the forest and found his dog, lying on his jacket. Point being, try placing some personal items in different locations. Digit may catch the scent and make his way toward the item.
Since dogs rely on their sense of smell more than any other sense, it might work.

Good luck. Hope you find Digit soon.

digits mama · 06-16-2007, 10:18 PM

Hey Eveyone..and thanks for all of your kind words. That is what makes this world so beautiful. Folks like all of you make saddness smile for a bit.

Sunsiberians.....Wanna know what is sweeter? i ran into 100 folks today and every single one of them were as nice as you. This tragedy has made me realize alot of things I didnt know existed as much as I seen today. The help and concern of strangers was incredible today. i feel there is a bazillion eyes out there watching for him

crzybrit....Same goes to you..thankyou thankyou thankyou...

renoman...Thanks for the tips! I have been told to put some of my other dogs pee on rags

and drop them at various points from where he was seen last. But I like the idea of my clothes better. Maybe ill do both

I will check with the ms nickerson as soon as i type this up. I am willing to try anything at this point. As you can tell

Thanks for the stories, It really helps...I retell them to myself over and over again all day long as I walk for him. Tommorrow will be the day.

Renoman · 06-17-2007, 05:54 AM

Her name is Colleen Nicholson (sorry

) Her telephone number is 315-652-4964.

digits mama · 06-17-2007, 07:19 PM

Hi! Today is day 8.......no more new leads today. I left articles of clothing around where he was seen last also around the desolete roadsides that he could be traveling. I have such severe nightmares of him lost in the woods. Coming across snakes and other larger critters. He cannot see or hear and if he is on his way home i feel something ends up throwing him off track. I have cried so much today. The temps have been in the 90s last few days and more thunderstorms on the forecast for our area tommorrow. I know for a fact he will be moving if the weather gets bad. maybe Ill have more luck.Hopefully he got food and water on someone elses porch

Renoman, Thanks for that info. I called the numer this afternoon and I got a voicemail. I will try again tommorrow. I did manage to email ms.nicoleson so maybe ill get ahold of her soon..Thanks for your help.

Renoman · 06-17-2007, 07:33 PM

I hope you left her a message saying this was urgent with your tel # as well as an email address. I don't know what her office hours are but hopefully you'll hear from her tomorrow.

Are you able to go out daily and check where you dropped the articles of clothing?

I have been thinking about you all day. I checked every hour to see if you'd posted hoping to hear that you'd found Digit today. I hope you are not the only family member out there looking for him. Are others helping you?

I know you said he can't see or hear but he can still smell. He can smell danger, he can catch a scent of one of your articles of clothing.

Just a thought... have you contacted any local dog clubs asking for people to help you search? How about a schutzhund club? Tracking is part of their training and they might want practical experience. I'm grasping at straws trying to help....

digits mama · 06-18-2007, 12:07 AM

HI! Yes I did leave my contact information with her. I will call again tommorrow. And I have a way to check everything I left. I have been traveling within a 30 mile radius leaving posters and dropping clothing talking to everyone I come in contact with. Going down every road,dirt road, loooooong driveways. I have probably put 400 miles on my truck in the last week. Its country out here, And i drove the red river forest today. There is so much of it. tooo much of it. I have only lived here 5 years. I am not that seasoned when it comes to navigating here, so I am going down every opening my truck fits in.

thanks for reminding me that he is aware of danger. It felt good to read that..Its near midnite and I just got home from looking again. Hoped he would be moving while it was cooler out.It was hot today.
I am having trouble getting help from anyone. I get lots of sympathetic people telling me that they cant help. I followed borziomoms advice and tried to get the nearest rescue squad to come and help(for training). Even offered donations to no avail.. Found a man in Alabama that trains his dogs for search and rescue but he just got of the hospital. everyone else seems to think I am too far away or the scent is too weak as days go by.
Went to convience store today, saw a poster for a missing girl. Made me understand why. There isnt anything more important than digit to me right now. I guess i shouldnt expect help like that.
i am still meeting lots of folks while im searching that are extremly nice, I know ive got folks looking out for him. I have no family here and a handful of friends that are really busy people. My son has been big help when he isnt working. Plus friends like you

Renoman · 06-18-2007, 04:22 AM

I would try any avenue available to find Digit - that's why I'm going to suggest again that you try a Schutzhund club in your area or a working dog club. Tracking is part of Schutzhund training and these are dog people. They would understand. You could help them by providing a real life training session and they could help you find Digit. It can't hurt to try. Let me know how you make out with Colleen.