Pets can't find their way home in Irvine.

[quote author="qwerty" date=1253587006]I dont buy the whole pets getting lost and cant make out their homes because of the cookie cutter designs. I know cats and dogs are domesticated but in the wild they travel very long distances and find their way home using scents or some other method. Ive always tested out my dogs knowledge to see if they know which home is theirs and when i have tested them they always turn into our driveway (granted its not a very difficult test).



Our neighborhood only has a couple of entrances so it makes it harder for a dog to leave the neighborhood, but i change our walk every three to four days to make sure i have taken them down every street in our neighborhood on a routine basis in the event that they get lost.



Im not an animal expert, but i doubt the cookie cutter design has anything to do with pets not finding their way home. When i was a about 5 years old my dad took our cats and dropped them off miles away from our house and they managed to find their way home.



one time when i was driving home i saw a dog walking by itself around a couple of blocks i followed it thinking it was lost and sure enough he walked back to his house. When i pulled up the house the frond door was wide open, which is how the dog got out in the first place, i rang the door bell and the owner came out and i asked if that was his dog, it was. He didnt even know his front door was wide open.</blockquote>


There are pets like the toy varieties. They are not scent sensitive especially Chihuahua and cats both rely by landmarks.

You are lucky to have a driveway. Many houses are set into a maze of jigsaw puzzle confusing for humans. Try explaining why cats ended up going home to different plan 1? or 150 lost dogs and cats in Northpark?



Chinese cuisine is not an answer!
 
Let me challenge you to an experiment. Drive and drop off your dog or cat to a neighborhood park that requires at least 3 left and right turns at the opposite end of the village. Then drive out and cross a very busy and high speed road before returning home. Then wait for your pet to come home.



Territorial dogs drip pee at various spots as markers to label their route. Toy dogs do not have that type of instinct. An escaped cat likely would not find her way back.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1253588156][quote author="qwerty" date=1253587006]I dont buy the whole pets getting lost and cant make out their homes because of the cookie cutter designs. I know cats and dogs are domesticated but in the wild they travel very long distances and find their way home using scents or some other method. Ive always tested out my dogs knowledge to see if they know which home is theirs and when i have tested them they always turn into our driveway (granted its not a very difficult test).



Our neighborhood only has a couple of entrances so it makes it harder for a dog to leave the neighborhood, but i change our walk every three to four days to make sure i have taken them down every street in our neighborhood on a routine basis in the event that they get lost.



Im not an animal expert, but i doubt the cookie cutter design has anything to do with pets not finding their way home. When i was a about 5 years old my dad took our cats and dropped them off miles away from our house and they managed to find their way home.



one time when i was driving home i saw a dog walking by itself around a couple of blocks i followed it thinking it was lost and sure enough he walked back to his house. When i pulled up the house the frond door was wide open, which is how the dog got out in the first place, i rang the door bell and the owner came out and i asked if that was his dog, it was. He didnt even know his front door was wide open.</blockquote>


There are pets like the toy varieties. They are not scent sensitive especially Chihuahua and cats both rely by landmarks.

You are lucky to have a driveway. Many houses are set into a maze of jigsaw puzzle confusing for humans. Try explaining why cats ended up going home to different plan 1? or 150 lost dogs and cats in Northpark?



Chinese cuisine is not an answer!</blockquote>


Here is an excerpt from the link below:



Some dogs are just born to run. Although the reasons for running away are varied, there are a couple of common themes. Dogs run away either a) to get to a better place where something rewarding may happen or b) to escape from a real or perceived danger.

It is useful to remember that dogs' living ancestors, the wolves, roam for a living. For them, roaming is a natural behavior that involves scouting, hunting, exploration, and discovery. Home, the den is reserved for family affairs but all other good things in life are procured by skillful exploitation of their home range. Typically, a wolf's or wild dog's home range covers several square miles and nature has equipped them (and their domestic dog descendents) with a "Cadillac" North Star navigation system that enables them to create and store mental maps. Essentially, they never get lost and can always find their way home.



<a href="http://www.petplace.com/dogs/dealing-with-dogs-that-run-away/page1.aspx">Dealing with Dogs that run away</a>



My guess as to why dogs get lost and dont make it back home is either they get run over, become food for prey, or they end up at the pound before making it back home and are not chipped or dont have have tag. Although im sure that some dog's "Cadillac North Star Navi system" fail and they do get lost.
 
Shoplifting dog identified; family makes restitution



<A href="http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5523675">http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5523675</A>



To get to the Smith's store in Murray, she must have walked from Cottonwood Heights, crossing under two freeways. It was a trip of measuring 5.9 miles. After ripping off the bone and returning home, it's nearly 12 miles.
 
Here is another excerpt:



British biologist Rupert Sheldrake, author of Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home, and Other Unexplained Powers of Animals (1999), has compiled a database of similar stories--29 homing cats and 60 homing dogs. In most cases the pet was transported from its home to an unfamiliar location without having a chance to learn the smells or landmarks en route, and typically it followed a different route home. Sheldrake doesn't state the average length of the journey or how well the animals knew their environs previously, but he does tell of dogs used in cattle drives that were sent home on their own and traveled 100 miles, admittedly over a familiar route. On the other hand, in experiments conducted by himself or others, the distance is usually much less--six miles, five miles, three miles. Not all animals have the gift; some dogs, left on their own, head in the wrong direction or park themselves on the nearest doorstep and look forlorn.



Link below:



<a href="http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2323/can-dogs-and-cats-really-find-their-way-home-over-long-distances-as-in-incredible-journey">Can dogs and cats really find their way home?</a>
 
We have all heard of amazing stories about dogs and cats finding their way homes. Not all pets will return safely. Majority of pets today are pets that fit into a postage stamp size lot and microchip size home. They are the small toy dog varieties. There are more sad endings out there than miraculous stories. We lost our beautiful cat in Irvine and have seen many others posted fliers of other pet owners that their pets never came home.



Our pets are free to roam now and we now have a peace of mind.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1253591599]We have all heard of amazing stories about dogs and cats finding their way homes. Not all pets will return safely. Majority of pets today are pets that fit into a postage stamp size lot and microchip size home. They are the small toy dog varieties. There are more sad endings out there than miraculous stories. We lost our beautiful cat in Irvine and have seen many others posted fliers of other pet owners that their pets never came home.



Our pets are free to roam now and we now have a peace of mind.</blockquote>


You are right, there are more sad endings with pets, which is sad. Over the past couple of months i have found the same little dog (probably about five pounds), she somehow has managed to get out of her house, probably gets out when someone opens the door and they dont notice her leave. The first time this happened my neighbor put up flyers since i was on my way to work (i found her and the neighbor kept her for the day), she was claimed by the end of the day, it belonged to our neighbor from down the street. The second time (i knew where she lived now) i found her i took her to her house and lectured the owner about getting a collar or having the dog chipped, its an asian household (chinese i think), but the lady has a heavy accent so her english speaking kid came out and i lectured her. I figured the lecture would fall on deaf ears and that same night i went to Petsmart and bought the dog a little pink collar and made a tag with her name and address (didnt know their phone number). I dropped it off and they were very thankful and offered to pay for it, but i did not accept their money. The next day, the little dog was wearing her collar. So at least the next time she gets out she will have a much greater chance of making it back home.
 
[quote author="qwerty" date=1253597020][quote author="bkshopr" date=1253591599]We have all heard of amazing stories about dogs and cats finding their way homes. Not all pets will return safely. Majority of pets today are pets that fit into a postage stamp size lot and microchip size home. They are the small toy dog varieties. There are more sad endings out there than miraculous stories. We lost our beautiful cat in Irvine and have seen many others posted fliers of other pet owners that their pets never came home.



Our pets are free to roam now and we now have a peace of mind.</blockquote>


You are right, there are more sad endings with pets, which is sad. Over the past couple of months i have found the same little dog (probably about five pounds), she somehow has managed to get out of her house, probably gets out when someone opens the door and they dont notice her leave. The first time this happened my neighbor put up flyers since i was on my way to work (i found her and the neighbor kept her for the day), she was claimed by the end of the day, it belonged to our neighbor from down the street. The second time (i knew where she lived now) i found her i took her to her house and lectured the owner about getting a collar or having the dog chipped, its an asian household (chinese i think), but the lady has a heavy accent so her english speaking kid came out and i lectured her. I figured the lecture would fall on deaf ears and that same night i went to Petsmart and bought the dog a little pink collar and made a tag with her name and address (didnt know their phone number). I dropped it off and they were very thankful and offered to pay for it, but i did not accept their money. The next day, the little dog was wearing her collar. So at least the next time she gets out she will have a much greater chance of making it back home.</blockquote>


I am thankful for your good gesture. One day that family will come and thank you for your small token that brought them big happiness when they unite with their lost pet.
 
[quote author="qwerty" date=1253587006]Im not an animal expert, but i doubt the cookie cutter design has anything to do with pets not finding their way home. When i was a about 5 years old my dad took our cats and dropped them off miles away from our house and they managed to find their way home.</blockquote>


So Qwerty this one must have an interesting story. I take it your Dad doesn't like cats much ;-)
 
[quote author="bltserv" date=1253570435]

Unless you have a LARGE clawed male cat. Coyote will almost always win especially when hunting as a pack.</blockquote>


Hmmm... how large?
 
[quote author="MojoJD" date=1253693270]



Hmmm... how large?</blockquote>


<img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/5343_ae7f52a591.jpg?v=0" alt="" />
 
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_56bMZZCrXnM/SjqGCp6Vb4I/AAAAAAAAA3o/CtN6GSjKi3c/s320/FatCat.jpg" alt="" />



I think that is the daily special.
 
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