Sausage dog missing in Middleton Tyas found using bacon

Sausage dog Floyd is back with owners, Fern Holmes and Doug Dinwiddie, and Airedale terrier Freida

A missing sausage dog has been reunited with his owners after they used bacon to help him find his way back to them.

Miniature dachshund Floyd spent three days lost on a 350-acre farm in Middleton Tyas, North Yorkshire.

Owners Fern Holmes and Doug Dinwiddie feared the seven-month-old pup would not have the survival skills to cope out in the wild on his own.

However, a specialist dog tracker told them to encourage him back using tasty treats including bacon.

Ms Holmes, from Darlington, said she was "hysterical with emotion" when Floyd finally reappeared.

She said: "I was so tired after no sleep all weekend. I just couldn't quite believe my eyes."

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Floyd's owners cooked bacon to entice him from his hiding place

Ms Holmes, 32, said she was at the family farm on Friday evening when another dog started barking and Floyd "got frightened and took flight," disappearing into an 80-acre oilseed rape field.

She appealed for help on Facebook with friends, family and members of the public joining in with the search for Floyd over the weekend.

The couple tried to entice him out using their Airedale terrier, Freida, and even got the breeders to bring Floyd's parents to the farm to try and help.

Eventually, they were put in touch with Mandy Butler from the Lost Dog Trapping Team on Facebook.

Tracking device

She said Floyd had gone into survival mode and would not come if people were calling his name.

The couple began cooking bacon on disposable barbecues, opening tins of sardines and leaving trails of beef stock to lure him out.

Floyd finally appeared on Monday, looking grubby but unharmed after his adventure, and started smothering them in licks.

Mr Dinwiddie said: "We felt such relief. He has got away with blue murder since. No-one tells him off anymore."

The couple are building Floyd's confidence back up and now plan to buy a tracking device for his collar.

Now reunited with Floyd, the couple are encouraging people to donate to the Lost Dog Trapping Team