Need non doodle DOG advice please ASAP UPDATED WITH PICTURES!!!!

[Jennifer and Jack]

So I have a neighbor, right next door that has a small mixed breed dog of some type, He weighs about 15 pounds, He is an outside dog only.... He does not have shelter during the day and at night they put him in a crate in a screened in porch with a towel over it,

I have tried many times to get them to give me the dog so I could find a home for him, they don't really do much with him, when their child is at their house sometimes once in a while she plays with him.

Well I am now watching their dog and their bunny both outside which it is very cold for SC here.. As you guys know I am not flowing in the money to say the least but I returned a bunch of things to the store today that I didn't have to have and I bought their dog a doggie igloo home, it has a tunnel and then a round circle in it to protect him from the elements..

Here is the issue.... He is so skittish he won't come near me... I sat in the cold for an hour. he would smell my hands then run away. I took his gross bed that was in his crate and put it in the igloo alone with some towels, it has a bottom to it so it won't get wet and I tried to get him to go in there.

I put the igloo right where he always tries to hide which is behind their child's kitchen set.... anyway He wouldn't go in it while I was there, or come near me. so I made sure he had food, found some blankets for the bunny crate and covered it and left

I just went back to check on it, the little guy has pulled his bed and towels out of the igloo home.. There was a toy I see he put in there but he was not in there. His belly is wet from sitting in water today and it is cold out.

when I told the owners, who are my friends who are at the hospital having a baby that Jack bought their dog a home, the guy was like "why the he%% did you do that, now he is going to be a dumb a %% and chew the towels up and make a mess.

Anyway.....now I don't know what to do, did me trying to be nice to this dog cause more trouble at least in the crate he was locked in and it was covered with a towel, it is a very small crate but now I am afraid with his wet belly and not going in there, though I Know he was in there at least a bit because a toy is in there that he is now going to be stuck outside all night.

I don't know what to do, I tried to ask the owners but they don't care about him, they said just leave him.. I will go over early to make sure he didn't make any mess or anything for which he will be hit for... but do you think I should go try to catch him and stuff him in the crate or do you think he will get used to the idea that it is his home and he can have his own safe, warmer dry place? 

I am so upset.. I so didn't have the money to do this but I can't let my dog outside to potty without hearing him and knowing it is freezing., it has broken my heart for a while... 

What do you think, should I go put him back in his crate or what?

[Jennifer and Jack]

anyone have advice?? I don't know what to do.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

does your town/city have any rules about dogs being left outside?

[Jennifer and Jack]

Yes they do, but technically at night they put him in a crate and put him in a screened in porch... the crate is way too small for him and many dogs in our neighborhood live chained up. It is sad but this little guy is very little, and he is cold, and I can't stand it.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

what kind of food did you put in the igloo?  maybe if you put in something very appealing (cheese, peanutbutter, etc) he might be more willing to go in.  That was so very sweet of you to do what you did for this poor little dog.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I didn't put food in there, I left it outside the igloo. I don't want to put his water in there because if he spills it he is going to be more wet..... He is not food motivated.. He is scared of humans but you can tell he wants to play.. he is a young dog.... he is just so scared..... 

I am exhausted but I know I am not going to rest until I know he is going to be okay.. I am going to try to put some food in there but the problem is he won't come near me, when I walk in the yard he runs to the other side......

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Jennifer, I feel for you, because I have an idiot neighbor who has two dogs outside 24/7. I can't stand it. I did get them to move the one dog to higher ground, so he isn't surrounded by water when it rains. I just hope what goes around comes around for these stupid people who do this to a dog. I have reported him several times and I would do the same to your neighbor. Nothing happens, but at least someone comes out and talks to them. There is also an organization called Dogs Deserve Better and I have their pamphlets and will drop one in the mail for you to give to him.  Sadly, I don't think it will help. If you can talk to these people, I would ask them again to give you the dog or to at least keep him dry. Ask them why they got a dog in the first place? It was nice of you to buy him a house. I will never understand some people.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Here is the thing, I am friends with them. No one else has ever talked to them about their dog before besides for me because for some reason, no one cares and everyone minds their own business.  I could let Jack out to potty at 3 am and here big dogs barking all over. Most people don't love their dogs like we do, but still they think he is a worthless piece of crap and the only reason they are keeping him is for their five year old daughter that does not live there full time.

If anyone came out to talk to them, they would know it was me and there would be retaliation without a doubt. That is why I have not reported them, The igloo I bought was the best one they had at petsmart it is designed to keep them warm, no cold air can get in... it has a floor to it as well... I am not exaggerating when I say I returned things today to buy this and I couldn't be happier because my home is he gets used to it and it becomes a safe place for him, We don't get blizzards here and we don't have a lot of freezing nights but it is cold, it rains and he had no place to go during the day for that...his bed that was in his crate was soaked with urine so imagine that he was kept in there for long periods of time because he must not have been able to hold it

SO now they for sure are not breaking laws as they are providing shelter for him, even if it is I who did it. I feel better knowing he has it... what I need to know is.... since he has not had time to adjust to the igloo, they are not home and won't be home till tomorrow sometime, she is in active labor now... DO I try to catch him and put him in the crate like he always went in or do I leave him outside and let him figure out the igloo, I just went back again, I know he knows he can go in there and I can't tell if he just needs time to get comfortable with it.

I don't want to let him get sick because I can't pay for vet bills for him and they won't' take him to the vet and I fear that I should have waited and put him in the crate with a towel over it like he is used to... but now he won't come near me....

When I did get to touch him for a second his whole under belly with very long hair is wet.... I hate this so much, I won't even get into the poor bunny rabbit that is on the screened in porch in a cage that he can barely move in...

SO that is my pressing question for right now, do I try to get him in the screened in porch and put him in the crate or do I leave him be?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Sadly I don't think aside from some of the things you have tried and that Laurie has suggested there is much you can do. I'm sorry.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Jennifer, you have already let them know how you feel, they DO NOT CARE! When you told him what you did, instead of being gracious he was an a$$. Perhaps, if you put something good and smelly, like liver treats in there, he will go in. I think he will eventually find his way in there. Most dogs would. And it's not like you took his crate away, they will still put him in there at night.

I think what you did was wonderful. I am sorry you have to worry about this.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I would go over and put a nice warm blanket in the igloo along with some delicious treats and see what happens or take out the wet stuff in his crate, put in dry stuff and let him go in his crate where he probably feels safe. I don't know what else you can do short of bringing him to your house for the night. These people are jerks.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree....this is what I'd try.

[Jennifer and Jack]

The thing is..he can not get into his crate. That is on the screened in porch. I am not allowed to open the door to the screened in porch for him to get to crate unless I put him in there. He is not allowed in there out of crate so he doesn't wreck anything ...I took warm blankets and towels and put them in his igloo with some treats....I took the blankets from his crate and covered the bunny rabbits crate and I pray That sweet boy goes in the igloo because he doesn't have access to his crate.

It is so cold out ....I am hoping he will feel more comfortable to explore it if I am not there but I am so torn because he can't get in crate.........


Maybe I will go get the crate and take it off screened in porch and cover it with blankets this way he can pick what he wants....they told me he eats blankets and toys so I took the toys back because I would pass put if he ate something and got an obstruction......but I am not taking his blankets away ...


Okay I am going back over one more time to put the crate out too. Why can't people do right by their responsibilities.