I think I quit

[RandomGemini]

Did you check with the local shelters? You have to go in person. Calling is not good enough. Sometimes volunteers answer the phones and they check the logs without looking at the dogs. Sometimes intake officers don't label the dog's breed correctly, so the phone people don't even really know what they have.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Any word, still crossing my fingers in hope.

[Daethen]

No word. Been sighting lots of eagles in the area though.

[RandomGemini]

Contrary to rumors on the internet, Eagles cannot carry small dogs and fly away with them. They can't carry more than about two pounds and still manage flight.

I worried about that a lot when I had a puppy and there was a golden eagle hovering around my property, so I called the department of fish and wildlife to ask about it and they explained that incidents of large birds of prey carrying off dogs are unheard of.

The most likely explanation for what has happened to your dog is that someone picked him up. Wallpaper the area with flyers, keep posting on Craigslist. And... this one sucks, but check the DOA listings for your local animal shelters. Make sure you take flyers to area veterinarians in case someone brings your dog in to get him some kind of veterinary care.

[No-Pro-mwa]

I'm so sorry to hear that. I just hate the not knowing.

[Stray59]

Daethen:
So sorry to hear about your orchids and your pup! It is spring, so perhaps your little one is just out "visiting" with other dogs...they do seem to always remember where their food dish resides though! Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
As for your collection - I have raised orchids for over 40 years and have lost two pretty good sized collections. About 20 years ago I lost everything to a house fire, and then more recently I have lost all but 3 of about 100 orchids, due to my inability to care for them as I gave final care to both of my parents in the last year. I am just now rebuilding my collection and I have to look at such as "starting with a clean slate" - now I can choose what I really want and what I know performs the best for me.
As we share similar bitter-cold winters, I want to share a couple of tips I have picked up from a friend, whose greenhouse had pretty unreliable heating.
He placed as many 5 gallon buckets of water under the benches and basically anywhere he could get them during the winter months. He also would place one gallon jugs of water between the orchids and the greenhouse wall. Once the water heats up to the temp of the greenhouse, should the power go out, the water will release it's heat steadily for several hours and will keep the greenhouse above freezing.
He also draped the entire greenhouse in clear plastic sheeting in late fall, securing it with thin strips of wood around the doors and windows; he would just pile gravel on the bottom edge of the sheets lying on the ground to hold it in place. This "second-skin" cut his heating cost drastically and again made it slower to lose heat.
A back-up generator with a temperature alarm is the most reliable way to ensure the temp remains consistent, but those are a couple of passive techniques to consider for the future.
Here is hoping Fido come back soon, exhausted and ashamed, but home!
All my best - I have some species to share also, once they are ready to divide. Keep hope and know that OrchidFever is not that easy to cure.
Steve

[Daethen]

Thanks for the words of wisdom Stray! I knew when I started this thread that I probably wouldn't stop growing, it is in my blood. But at the time I was devastated. Bentley is still not home. We have seen a juvenile eagle flying low over the yard recently so I am afraid I will not be seeing him again.

On a better note, a couple of my non orchids have shown some signs of life! The garden seeds are sprouting and during the warm spell we got the garden and one flower bed tilled. The next day we got 10 inches of snow so my hubby tilled it in to trap the nitrogen into the ground.

Also have to say a great big THANK YOU to one member here that just sent me a big box of 10 plants!!! Even sent me one in bud. Sure makes the greenhouse look like less of a graveyard! So a thank you to ncapensis for your very generous gift.

[Daethen]

We have decided that Bentley is probably never coming home. He will always be welcome if he decides to show up, but I just don't see it happening.

On a better note, the weather is greatly improving and I think the shipping season is finally here!!!

[silken]

Sorry to hear that he is still missing.

[Daethen]

Me too. The worst is that my son was taking to him so well and he usually doesn't really care about the pets. He has cerebral palsy and is more into his computer.