Today on the way home whilst cutting through the back path by the apartments behind me, the neighbors had a dog out. looked like a small german shepard mix of some kind, he had beautiful eyes. I stopped by him, and he tucked his tail under him a little bit and sort of got real still.

I put out my hand to him, because obviously these people wouldnt tie him outside right near a school and with several people sharing the yard. He was very hesitant, and then sniffed, and then backed off, then sniffed again, all the while i noticed his ears were flattened a bit like he was scared or something.

Well i came ahead a littl while talking to him quietly and he let me pet his head. I scratched his ears and such and talked to him a bit, and then he got up off the stairs and came down by my feet, and his tail was completly between his legs, and ears back again like he was scared.

Well I just kept scratching and as i scratched he seemed to relax a bit, and suddenly he jumped up on his hind legs and I caught his front legs with my hands, and his tail was still tucked and ears back llike scared, and he just quietly tucked himself as close into my body as possible and just gazed up at me with this SAD look in his eyes. Well of course I spent some time like that. When I went to break away, he whined, and tried to chase me, and then got REALLY PLAYFUL like bounding around and jumping towards and then away.

I laughed but when I came towards him he flinched and fell completely sideways 0_0 like, right over.

So, I decided to scratch his belly, and guys when I did I could feel ribs. Hes got good thick fur, but he was so so skinny... my heart broke because i had a suspicion from the way he acted.

I got up, and he jumped up, and i told him sit and he did, told him stay as I was walking away, he did perfectly.

So while perfectly trained it seems and well behaved im asking myself if this warrants further investigation.

Do you think it would be kosher to introduce myself to them and ask if it would be ok to walk the dog, under the pretense that I miss my doggie in the country (not a total pretense, and if im mistaken then i get to walk a cool dog anyways) If i can take him for a walk, I can get a better chance to look him over too..

I am concerned for him.

They never clean up his poop, Ive almost stepped in it I dunno how many times and his leash is SHORT like maybe 4 or 5 feet - this seems cruel today. I watched him roll in a bunch of his own dried poop that had been left behind the steps too. He had no water dish out for him, and no food dish.

Am i right to be suspicious?

[Sabrina]

You are so very right to be suspicious. The conditions you describe amount to cruelty in my book. I can never understand why people have pets and then do not look after them. I think it is a wonderful idea to ask if you can walk the dog. It is not intrusive or anything.

Wishing you the best of luck with this.

[Lexicon78]

That is just awful! Yes, you should be very concerned! Just by his behavior you should be concerned...and then add all the other things into it...sounds like an abusive situation to me.

Please let us know how it goes. I couldn't imagine someone hurting a life in such a way as that.

[bebop]

I would call the local animal shelter and tell them what you just told us. then it is in their hands and if they think it is needed they will take him out of that situation

yeah i thought so. I really did.

What a sin too because I could totally tell that he WANTED to be more social but was just afraid.

Im going to call tomorrow and discuss it with the spca.

[Sabrina]

Please let us know what happens.

[bipolar_bear]

Hearing about such cruelty breaks my heart. I think it would be wonderful if you did something to save that dog from those owners.

[SeptemberMorn]

Calling SPCA is the best way to go! Do it and please let us know what happens.

If the dog is being abused, I seriously doubt that they'll allow you to take it for a walk. I'm surprised they've let you spend time with it.

[darkeyes]

I'd report to the ASPCA,Humane Shelter or even Animal Control. I had a similar situation, a dog was walking along the road, and I knowing how easy they get runned over, was concerned, and got out of my car.
Another passerby did the same thing, we got her collar and sort of held her away from the road, such a sweet, dog.
She was so neglected, eye infection,matted dirty fur, smelled horrible, I called our vet and gave the rabie's tag (expired too) id number, they tracked down who the owner was, while we also called a guy that is the animal control guy for our town, he came looked her over, the owner stopped by and asked if she had been hit by a car and told us the dog was hers, the other lady and I remarked how she was uncared for and had a neglected eye infection, the dumb owner said she didn't have her groomed cause her groomer was sick with cancer. Lame excuse, we told her there are plenty of groomers in our area. Well she took her home to her roadside farm. Meanwhile the guy from animal control asked us about the tags, the 3 of us tried to think of a good reason for him to inspect the living quarters (the barn) and even sneak a peek at her cows and sheep that also are unkept, the expired tags was a valid reason so we were happy. This AC guy and his wife are terrific, his wife even works with cat adoption,they do not take and have the animals destroyed but foster and place them in good homes.
I think this woman got her act together, finally.
The dogs paws were so matted it looked like little spurs at it's heels, full of barn manure and straw.
Sickens me how people can do this to animals and children.