just a thought? why is first reaction to finding a loose dog is to keep?

Quite! Which is why my answers always say you can't just keep a found dog without at least postering it as Found, everywhere. And I always suggest that handing it into the local Shelter, with the proviso that if the dog isn't claimed, you will offer it a home (if relevant) is by far the best way to protect anybody in the event the owners pop up later and claim the dog back.

Finders keepers may be relevant but NOT with a found dog.

Remember that old saying finders keepers? Well some people think that applies to dogs to. In my area it actually does apply. A stray dog can be picked up and claimed by anyone. Once you let your dog roam the streets you relinquished custody of it. When I find a stray dog I do the courteous thing and attempt to look for it's owner but I don't have to. I will have the dog scanned, talk to vets, visit the shelter, and post fliers but if no one comes then I either keep the dog, find it a home or give it to a shelter/rescue. People won't actually go over to a strange stray dog if they don't want it. If they weren't interested in keeping the dog then they would most likely ignore it or just call the pound.

My first thought would be to contact the relevant authority, in this case the dog warden to notify them that I have found x breed or mix, where it was picked from and my address.

If it was your own dog that you were waiting to hear new on and searching for, then you would hope that a finder would act responsibly and make a reasonable attempt to reunite what may be a lost or stolen dog with its owner.

After seven days had elapsed and if it happened to be a nice tempered Dobermann b*tch, I would be tempted to keep her, but as I cannot imagine anything worse than not knowing what had become of a dog, would return the b*tch to her original owner if they could provide evidence of ownership and provide a plausible account of why she went missing.

I wasn't aware that it was a universal reaction. People in my neighborhood have gotten into the habit of bringing every found dog to my home. They certainly don't want to keep them, they either assume that they're mine (because I have a lot of dogs, not because they roam the neighborhood) or that I'll either be able to find their homes or take them in. I see ads up regularly on craigslist for found dogs too. I know it happens - 'it's cute & the owners couldn't have possibly cared for it since it's running around', but certainly not as a rule

When someone finds a dog, the first thing that should be done is to try your best to find it's owner/owners. I think that some people want to keep the found dog because they don't believe the owner deserves to get it back because they weren't responsible enough to begin with to keep the dog confined.

I know what you're saying, but i wouldn't do that. Not only because it would be totally impractical with the dog i already own. But because if it happened to me, i would want someone to give him back to me. I have morals, you know!

no! give to the less fortunate.

i have no puppies :( give it to me