Little Dog Lost

By KateCollins
As I drovethrough my neighborhood two days ago, I spotted a tiny white and tan doghobbling along the edge of the road. He (or she) appeared to have injured feetand a bad hip. He was dirty, had a shaggy tail tucked between his legs, and pointedears and cute little pointed face. Sensing that he was injured, I slowed downand followed him up the street. He would stop at each driveway and look at thehouse, then continue on. Sometimes he would start up the driveway, then stopand return to the street.
I rolled downmy window and called to him. He turned his head to look at me but kept moving.His eyes looked old and the fur around them was gray. I knew he was lost -- andat once, he had my heart.
I droveahead and pulled into my own driveway, then got out of the car and walked backup the street toward him, calling softly. He stopped and studied me, thenturned and headed in the other direction. So I hurried up the street on theopposite side until I got behind him, then I tried calling again. He gave afrightened bark, then ran back toward my house at the end of the street. 
I followedas he scooted up my driveway. When I walked toward him and crouched down, hewhined pathetically and dashed past on his hobbled feet. I called the animalshelter to see if anyone had reported a dog lost, but no luck there. I called aneighbor who knows almost everyone in the subdivision and she said she'd justheard from another neighbor that a shaggy black dog had been found sleeping onher back deck. I started torealize then that two shaggy dogs in our neighborhood was no coincidence. Thisisn't a place lost dogs gravitate to because it's not easy to find. Had the twodogs been abandoned? Had this lost doggy been caged his whole life, deforminghis feet? He was so mistrustful, that I fear he's been abused.   I called theanimal shelter again and was told to corral the dog in my garage and someonewould come pick him up the next day. Can you imagine what that would do to analready frightened dog? It was a moot point anyway because he'd vanished
But there hewas again in my backyard the next day. My daughter was home, so she took achicken leg out to see if she could coax the dog in. Again,  no luck. The dog snarled and ran. She tossedthe leg, he dashed back to pick it up and ran off again.

Ever sincethen, I've been watching for him. I can't seem to forget how sad and frightenedhe looked. I also worry because we have coyotes around. Could I have done moreto help him? I don't know. I've never had a dog. What would you have done?