Since the safety of the dog is always an issue I would look into a live trap — perhaps your local SPCA could help you with locating one you could borrow to capture the dog. Yes, it will startle the dog when it closes, but you can decide if the danger of being hit by a car is greater than the bag of a wire door shutting him in the crate-like cage.
Another alternative is to treat him as one would a stray that you are trying to win over. When you see him, put down some food for him and go back into the house. Do this for a few days. Once he is coming for the food, put it down and stay outside where he can see you while he eats. Every day move a little closer. DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT with him at any point! You may hum, talk softly to him, make little puppy noises, but don’t demand his attention, nor try to grab him. Stay low (sit on the ground if possible) while in his sight, and if you can keep turned away from him that is much better (offer him your side or back). Eventually, you will be sitting beside the food dish when he comes to eat and will be able to touch him. When you get to this point don’t lunge for a collar, just rub his ears or back until you can slowly slip a looped leash over his head and then get him to a secure area.
If you go this second route, you might try getting him to come into a fenced area, or a garage (through a small door, that can be closed by a helper). Have a helper close the gate or door once the dog is eating and don’t try to lure him into a garage though the garage doors and try to close them while he is in the garage, any dog will be fast enough to get out as those big doors close, and he will trust you even less.
Good luck!
PK
We changed from proplan to blue because we heard good things and we wanted to feed our 3 dogs better but now maybe not such a good idea.
i have to be honest…i used to feed blue wilderness. i LOVED that food…until they changed the formulation. it caused serious problems for my IBD-sufferer cat, so i stopped feeding it. it caused him uncontrollable diarrhea. my other cat also starting having bouts of diarrhea after the change, so i switched to Wellness.
maybe try Wellness CORE? we have had quite a bit of success with it.
Laura- that’s what one of my friends said too that they changed the ingredients. My husky could not stomach the blue so now we’re dealing with diarrhea bland diet and reintroduce what we use to feed them.
i’d say it’s been about 3 years? basically, when they started advertising heavily on TV and in the papers, it was immediately after they were purchased by another company. that’s when they changed the recipe…and it’s a shame, because it used to be a great food.
other options i’d consider: Horizon Pulsar, Costco’s Kirkland grain-free, Merrick (this didn’t work well for my dog but it does for many others, and it’s very affordable), Acana and Orijen (though these may be too rich…tread lightly here). if you hit Pet Valu up in Perry Hall, they should have free sample bags of some things to try.