loose dog

[wags]

We were at the mall, parked beside a dune buggy. The friendly dog who had been inside came out to greet me and climb into my car. I thought he was wearing a leash, and that the leash was attached to the car. But the driver of another car in front of us mimed that it had become dislodged.

When I got out of my car and picked up the leash, I realized that it was a seatbelt, tied around the dog's neck. On the other end, 4 feet away, was a grappling hook. We held the dog until his teenage owner returned to the car.

That was a strange experience...

[bradl]

A grappling hook? That is an odd one Sally. Some dogs really want to go for a ride I guess. We once saw a guy chasing vainly after a loose dog who was moving quite a bit faster than he was. We pulled the car over in front of the dog, I jumped out and held the back door open calling "let's go for a ride!" and the dog jumped right in! They guy was delirious because he had been supposedly watching his girlfriend's dog when it squirted out the front door.

[Scully'sMom]

I actually was going to post this to Melissa in her discussion "Newbie to Cairns" regarding her mom. This story probably fits here just as well.

Last night Scully got out again, thanks - once again - to my 82 year old mother who doesn't pay attention to what she's doing. I am just SO upset I could spit. It didn't help that today makes 7 years that I had to put my other Cairn down.

We keep a leash by the front door in case someone comes to the door to deliver something, so she can keep Scully on the leash with her foot on it and open the door safely. The tie out cord we use for potty duty is hanging right outside the door on the railing. All you have to do is hold Scully's collar and hook her up. No problem!

My mother doesn't pay attention to what she's doing and then yells and screams that she hates this @#$)(*$# dog. Which she doesn't because it keeps her company during the day and Scully just LOVES her grandma and my mom loves when Scully's on her lap. You can't miss the fact that Scully is right there - between her rabies tag and her ID tag, she tinkles wherever she goes. If I'm outside I can hear her running around inside!

My mother had to be nosey and see what some kids were doing and out Scully ran - and ran - and ran. Thankfully I was cooking dinner and my husband was upstairs getting changed. I screamed for him to come help me and I ran out the door. Scully was running across the lawns and the kids who were on skates to play hockey went to get her. That little bugger went to the edge of, at least five foor wall, and jumped off of it. SPLAT! I can't believe that she didn't hurt herself or break her legs. She immediately ran home when she heard my husband's voice. Me she doesn't listen to.

So Melissa, if you read this - PLEASE make sure that your mom will take good care with a pup.

My heart can't take much more of this!

[CarCarDawn]

Hi! I had a terrible experience yesterday morning with Riley. I usually let him play outside on our deck which is enclosed with a fence and has a double gate allowing people to enter. I was unaware that my husband had been inside and outside of this area while cooking on the grill and forgot to completely close the childproof gate. Riley pushed on the gate and out he went.

I was upstairs in my bedroom looking down on the deck - - I frequently check on Riley even tho I know he is okay - - and saw this chubby, cute little body down by the creek - - - took a slow minute to realize it was Riley!! I yelled to my youngest daughter that Riley was on the loose!! - - - she is quite the athelete and took off running towards him -- he wasn't even aware that we were after him - - - he was soooooooooooo busy catching frogs - - but bolted when he saw us coming. Thank goodness the chase was on in the backyard - - the front of my house is a busy road - - we were able to round him up - - he follows my daughter everywhere and all was well - - - what a scare!! Now I make sure the gates are "childproof" and completely closed before I let him out!! Little rascal!!!

[Eliz222]

I hate these kind of scares! About a year ago, we couldn't find Scout anywhere in the house. We looked and looked and walked all around the house. We don't have a fenced in yard, and don't let her loose either! My husband and I each took our cars and drove up and down the streets around us. After about 20 minutes my daughter called looking for us. She had just returned to the house with Scout. She had taken Scout with her to visit a friend and forgot to tell us!

The other day, my husband noticed the front door opened! I had used the door a few minutes before and it didn't latch shut when I closed it! We both got a panic look on our face and started searching for Finch (6 months old and fearless). She came right away with a look of "what is all this fuss about?". She never looked sweeter to us at that moment. I think I grew about 100 grey hairs that day!

[bubba]

About a month ago while I was at our lake place w/the dogs, I was carrying them out to the enclosure we have for them there when a stray cat mosied off. Cooper lept out of my arms and the chase was on....him chasing the cat that is. I have an injured foot and can barely walk let alone run these days. Anyway, I could hear them crashing through the brush and I thought I'd never see him again. I tried the sqeeky toy that he always comes to....I tried calling in my happy voice....I tried tempting him with treats....nothing worked. I got in the car and started driving through the grounds. Still no luck.

The rain was coming down in buckets with no sign of letting up. The lake is a large private, wooded campground on several acres surrounded by miles and miles of woods outside the boundary. I was beginning to think I'd never see him again. I called our rangers and let them know in case they saw him out running. About one and a half hours later, there he was on the deck looking at me through the window. I went to let the mud covered drowned looking rat in and off he went again. I don't know if he thought I was going to beat him or what, but he was gone another two hours. It was during this time that I thought next time he came back, if it was going to happen, I would reach out through the window and shut the gate on the deck so he would at least be enclosed. This was a great idea!!! Well, here he comes wetter and muddier than last time. I skoot over to the window, kneel on the couch, reach out the window, push the gate shut......then as I go to get up, somehow I slipped and her I was with my arm over the back of the couch and bent down and out the window trapped with the mudball looking at me...I think he was laughing! About ten minutes later, I finally freed myself (good thing since my husband wasn't going to be there till the next afternoon!) and out I went to get Cooper. He took one look at me and decided to head for the hills again, but this time he was shut on the deck so I was able to get him in his kennel and calm him down.

That was my scary dog experience and could live without another one! Cooper, I think, had the time of his life.

pat.

[toomanypaws]

This is the part of cairns that I have trouble with. I have always had a dog that would walk next to me or stand out front w/ me as I did yardwork and never once thought of them running off. . . . . . until I got a cairn I don't know what it is about these little dogs that now makes me own 3, but I truly love them even tho they can't be trusted. My oldest one, Kiara is the one I'm afraid of losing someday. She has gotten loose before and I don't want to relive the panic that took over me again. We've been fortunate w/ her. One time it was like a lady out of nowhere was in the street and reached down and grabbed her. Another time, I ran and let my australian shepherd loose and he literally rounded her up and headed her hrough the back gate of our yard. Maybe every cairn owner should invest in an aussie.

Even tho our yard is fenced, we're on a lake and have had wildlife dig under the fence, so I'm always checking to make sure there are no openings for Kiara. My other two show no interest in running off but they're young yet but I hope they don't change. The other day as I was getting dinner started, I saw my husband and daughter darting across the front lawn and thought "oh no! Kiara got loose" You can imagine how happy I was to find my daughter had kicked her ball over the fence.

My gosh, how these cairns change our lives!

[Guest Darcys mom]

Let me add my "dog on the loose" experience. When Darcy was a pup (about 4 months old) I was going into the back yard through the gate and you guessed it, she made her escape. For those of you who have children (real kids) you can relate to my "oh my gosh, my child is no where around and I can't find her/him anywhere". That is without a doubt the most terrifying feeling. Well, that's how I felt when Darcy went on the lamb. She was only a pup but those little puppy legs were just tearing up the street and yards around my neighborhood and I was at least a good 15-20 feet behind calling her. Well she just ignored me completely. Too interested in the squirrels, chipmunks, other fenced dogs, etc. Everything was a new experience and I was fast running out of steam. She had no fear of cars as she had never been around a moving vehicle. That scared me but I really panicked when she ran into a neighbor's yard and lo and behold they had a big Rotweiler (sp ?) that lunged at her. Luckily, he was on a chain and could only go so far toward Darcy but that got her attention and she stopped dead in her tracks and just looked at him like Hey, let's go play. He probably would have had her for a snack if he had not been chained.

I retrieved her and fussed at her all the way back home, in between huffs and puffs, and hugs and kisses (from me). She did not seem the least bit concerned. Just wondered why I ruined her "fun" and freedom. That aged me a good 10 years that day.

[Toto times 2]

I can totally relate to these stories. When Ghillie was a pup I let him out in the yard (fully fenced) and went to get him 5 minutes later but no puppy. He scaled a four foot fence. It was about -30 here midwinter and I'm out in my shirtsleeves and slippers looking for my dog with no success. I had to call in the troops and we searched for about an hour when one of the kids in the neighborhood who was helping came back with him in her arms. Seems he had followed another dog home and was in that dog's backyard. I burst into tears and made the fence substatially higher.

[Scully'sMom]

Thank God all these stories had happy endings! I know last week when I took her to the vet and she escaped, she was happy as a clam like nothing ever happened. She was kissing the vet techs. and the other dogs (all of which were HUGE compared to her). Me? I looked like the Wreck of the Hesperus!

[Brodie's buddy]

Darcy's mom, I know how you felt (when your baby went into the rot's yard) I had a simular thing happen with my Brodie...When he was younger, he found a hole under the fence and was out in a flash and headed straight to the fence behind us where there are 2 Rots, and scooted into their yard by the gate. I had to turn my head, because as soon as they headed for him ; I just knew he was a gonner! But, I heard nothing, and slowly turned to see them playing with him....LUCKILY!!!! I went to the neighbors door and asked her to get my dog back.(he would not come to me...he had found new friends)

[Guest Ginny]

If our 1 1/2 year old Cairn, Oscar, ever escapes, we just show him his leash and he comes running back. Whenever he sees his leash he knows he is going for a walk, which he loves, so we praise the heck out of him, click him into his leash and walk him around the block to praise him for coming back. It may sound strange, but that works for us...so far.

[Eliz222]

Ginny, that's a great idea! Our dog instructor told us the same thing. She also said that if your dog likes to go on car rides, you can tell them that too. She said that she has taken her dogs down to the end of the driveway and back (in the car) for their "ride" for coming back.

Thanks for reminding me of this. Our dogs love "walks" and "going bye bye".

[Scully'sMom]

I like the leash idea as well. Scully LOVES going in the car and once I yelled "Scully want to go in the car?" and she came back. The other time - forget about it. LOL!

[CarCarDawn]

Hi! That's the funny thing about Cairns - - the tactics to capture them don't always work a 100% of the time. One day - - -"want to go bye bye?" - - works - - the next day it doesn't - - guess it depends if Riley is in the mood!! lol