What do I need to know, when planning to catch a dog with a fox-trap?

Question

There is this homeless dog in our neighbourhood since more than one month. The shelter constantly tries to catch him (really catch, not trap him) running behind him and scaring him away. I am sure, they will not get him in this way.

He is small, the typical "old lady's dog" and old. And he is very smart.

If he remembers me, and do not start to run away when spotting a human from the distance, I am able to feed him by hand. He will come and eat from my hands if not disturbed. But it is not possible to grab him in this situation. (I tried to groom him near the mouth, but he gets distance immeadetly.

Now I have ordered a fox-trap (logical a "get the animal alive" one). I plan to feed the dog at the same time same place each day, and add to place the trap nearby. I want to store some food inside, so he needs to walk in, if he wants more food. May it be this easy?

Answer 1

First of all, you need to contact the shelter who is already trying to catch him. You need to inform them about your plan and schedule when (at what time of the day) they would be available to retrieve the dog whenever you manage to trap him.

Once the dog is trapped, he will probaby panic. The shelter should come and retrieve him as soon as possible to reduce stress to him.

Next you need to train him to go into the trap (without activating the trap). Plan at least 1 week for this step. Since the dog eats from your hand, you can lure him to the trap and put the food in the opening of the trap. Next day, put the food a few centimeter deeper into the trap. Continnue doing this until he goes all the way into the trap for at least 2 days. Then contact the shelter again and inform them that they should be ready to retrieve the dog in the next days.

On the big day, you activate the trap mechanism and lure the dog into the trap the same way you did the last days. You cannot let him out again, even if he panics, because he will refuse to go into the trap again. Once the dog is trapped, put a thin blanket or bedcloth over the trap to reduce sensual input and calm him down. Call the shelter and have them retrieve him.