A hard lesson

Ruby Red · 06-18-2010, 03:30 PM

Well, I woke up today to some bad news, one of the little dogs I walk – and Ruby’s best doggie mate, got hit by a car this morning. Thank goodness the little guy is okay, bruises, swelling, some fluid build up near the heart [vet says this is normal and is a response to shock] but he has had to have a number of stitches all over his groin area [the vet thinks he will probably bust them] as the wound is over such a large area, and of course just walking is going to put pressure on them.

So what happened? The little guy loves chasing after the ducks – usually they circle around the ponds but today they flew off over 2 big fields and on over a main busy road – with the dog chasing behind them. The little dog isn’t a boxer but I kind of put this up here because I know that I can sometimes be a bit complacent with my own dogs and forget sometimes that they are dogs. Ruby’s off-lead recall is really great, but if she clocks a squirrel I’ve go no chance and neither has she if it should happen to run out onto a road. Most times I keep her on a lead when we are near the roads and in the woods, but sometimes I think it’s okay as long as she is walking by my side it’s good enough – er, no it really isn’t!!

Anyhow I guess this incident also really impressed on me how important it is to teach your dog an emergency down from a distance. I did start trying to teach Ruby this, but gave up because she just doesn’t seem to get it; I am now getting back onto it straight away. We taught Jakey and thank goodness we did. A few years ago [pre-Ruby] myself and Graham had been walking Jakey and 2 paying dogs over the park - the 2 paying dogs lived right opposite the park and I said to Graham take Jakey back to the car and I’ll take the other 2 dogs home. Well, I walked off with the 2 dogs, crossed the road and was just about to open the door when I heard Graham screaming for Jakey – my boy had run off looking for me and was heading towards me and the road – thank God I could stop him with a hand signal and got him to lie down straightaway – the fact that I had taught him this really saved his life. Anyway thought I would put this out there for us all to have a think about.

Scout & Gunners Momma · 06-18-2010, 03:51 PM

Well that is just horrible news! I can imagine that it would be awful easy for that to happen to anyone. Our two have great recall too but are not let off leash very much. I have not thought to teach them the emergency down but I think I will now.

Doreen · 06-18-2010, 04:26 PM

that is horrible news! The emergency command sounds great. I could see Rex learning it, but Coco.... she is a horse of a different color when it comes to learning anything, LOL.

But I really do like that hand command. I will start to teach them this too.

Spyglass Sally · 06-18-2010, 07:02 PM

Buddy is never off leash without his EC collar on. I know some people object to them, but others (like us) have found them to be a very effective tool. A low level correction can interrupt his prey drive and return his focus to me.

I'll never forget one time a bicyclist went zooming by (from behind me - I never saw him coming) and before I knew it Buddy was halfway down the road after him, ignoring my commands. By the time I gave him a correction he was around the bend in the road, out of my site. This took less than 5 terrifying seconds. I gave him a correction and within seconds he was running back at me - with the biggest grin on his face like "Wasn't that great - I almost got him!"

It didn't hurt him and it may have saved his life (not to mention the poor bicyclist). I believe you need to be trained in how to properly use one, and they don't take the place of regular, consistent training, but we also have found it to be a very valuable tool in our toolbox.

Btw, Doreen - I LOVE your new photo! That is soooo cute! Your dogs are such a hoot!

Doreen · 06-18-2010, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyglass Sally

Buddy is never off leash without his EC collar on. I know some people object to them, but others (like us) have found them to be a very effective tool. A low level correction can interrupt his prey drive and return his focus to me.

I'll never forget one time a bicyclist went zooming by (from behind me - I never saw him coming) and before I knew it Buddy was halfway down the road after him, ignoring my commands. By the time I gave him a correction he was around the bend in the road, out of my site. This took less than 5 terrifying seconds. I gave him a correction and within seconds he was running back at me - with the biggest grin on his face like "Wasn't that great - I almost got him!"

It didn't hurt him and it may have saved his life (not to mention the poor bicyclist). I believe you need to be trained in how to properly use one, and they don't take the place of regular, consistent training, but we also have found it to be a very valuable tool in our toolbox.

Btw, Doreen - I LOVE your new photo! That is soooo cute! Your dogs are such a hoot!

Sally, unfortunately, I didn't catch my dogs with my camera in this shot... this is someone elses dogs, I don't even know who, but Rex has sat on Coco exactly like this, but of course no camera around then. Rex also sits on me in bed like this too!!

I bought that collar you told me about for Coco for her barking constantly and it does work! I only have to show her the collar now and she behaves, LOL.

Ron · 06-19-2010, 06:48 AM

sorry to hear about the pup, hope hei'll be ok.

I don't think a dog should EVER be off their leash when cars are around. So many things can go wrong....

bruinsBoxers · 06-19-2010, 06:55 AM

I have taught the emergency down ( but I used it for obedience work , I call it down on recall ) . It an be very hard to teach but I also find it more effective that a sit or come in many circumstances . A very loud down with a hand signal just seems to get their attention better .
Actually this is what I used to reinforce Edy's come , as a puppy she knew she did not have to come if I called her from far away- so I would down her and walk up to her and say come . She would come the few feet to me and I would treat her .

I am glad the little dog will be o.k. .

Doreen · 06-19-2010, 07:17 AM

So how do you get their attention when they are on the run in the first place?

I wouldn't trust my dogs off leash.... I used to trust my past 2 since I really got it in their brain to not go near the street. DH used to take them to the park (off leash) where there where squirrels and they would stop whenever he yelled "STOP".

Ruby Red · 06-19-2010, 12:08 PM

Well, the little guy isn’t out of the woods yet, poor thing. He was kept in overnight but he didn’t seem much better this morning. He has been sewn up from the foot of his back leg to the top of his pelvis. He has no interest in eating or drinking and just wants to lie there. He has been on a drip and he won’t wee by himself. The vet phoned and asked the owners to take him to the vet hospital, because he shows no signs of improvement. The vet hospital have put him on a catheter and he is producing bloody wees which is to be expected [so they say]. They have run more tests on him – I’m not sure what this means but his red blood cells and liver are all fine at 30% but his protein levels are low? They have also checked his bladder again and it all seems okay although the whole area is very bruised, sore and swollen. He has also picked up an infection as the owner says that the wound area smells, so he is on strong antibiotics as well. Poor little one, please keep your fingers crossed for him.

Ruby Red · 06-19-2010, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron

I don't think a dog should EVER be off their leash when cars are around. So many things can go wrong....

Totally agree, this is an awful story – a few doors up from where I used to live there was an elderly lady who had a little chihuahua, he was the sweetest little dog, so loyal and loving. Every day she used to walk the little chap off-lead up the end of the road where he would sit proudly outside the the shop whilst she went in to buy her groceries etc, and then they would walk together back home again. They did this everyday for 7 YEARS. Then, one day the little guy saw a cat on the other side of the road – you can guess what happened, sadly the little guy was hit by a car and killed outright. The owner was utterly inconsolable as you can imagine.

I never walk Ruby on the road off-lead, but here the parks are all open – if they run far enough they will meet an open road sooner or later. The little guy who is in hospital at the moment ran the length of 2 football pitches before he met the road and was hit.