We nearly lost her :(

[purebella]

On the weekend we nearly lost Bella!!!!!

The naughty little terror managed to escape from the backyard!!! We were out the front doing some gardening and she was out in the back yard. I walked through the gate to get something from the shed, and the little terror snuck past me and run out the open gate!!!!

We live in a Crescent and Bella thought it was great fun to run around playing chasing. Me and OH were chasing her for around 10 minutes, running over people gardens etc etc. She then headed back to the house and we though Oh god she is going home, but nope she kept running.........

We live near a main road and have a lane way from our street onto the main road.......guess where Bella headed.......down the lane way......

I screamed - it was so frightening!!!!

Luckily for us and her, she got freaked out (she doesnt like the cars) and turned around and headed back down the lane way....me and OH pounced on her and got her.

I cried for ages as I was so upset by it all....my OH was quite upset as well. I think that Bella was scared by the whole thing and kept looking at us as we were both very upset.

It was the most scariest and horriblest thing ever...

Oh why do Cairns have to want to run!!!!

[bradl]

Sympathies. It's a feeling of abject terror. My stomach churns just to hear of it. I don't know if it'll help, but I've been able to turn around one by falling on the ground and writhing like I sprained my knee. The little runaway ran over to see what's up and I grabbed her. Sometimes running in the opposite direction will turn them around too, to see what they're missing. But it's so hard to run in the wrong direction when they are headed full-tilt into danger. Arghh. Nightmare.

[Tracy A.]

Sympathies. It's a feeling of abject terror. My stomach churns just to hear of it. I don't know if it'll help, but I've been able to turn around one by falling on the ground and writhing like I sprained my knee. The little runaway ran over to see what's up and I grabbed her. Sometimes running in the opposite direction will turn them around too, to see what they're missing. But it's so hard to run in the wrong direction when they are headed full-tilt into danger. Arghh. Nightmare.

Good idea, I don't think I would have thought of that! by the way which little Terrorist of yours was it?

[bradl]

Echo's mother, Biscuit was the sports nurse. Echo was the one who hated to be left out.

[Mollyrocker]

Wow, too scary...I would have cried too. The first thing I ever learned in training class with my first dog was to run in the opposite direction and fling yourself on the ground and look really really interested in something on the ground...it has worked most of the time..it has never worked to chase...it is like swimming against a rip current...

thank goodness nothing bad happened to Bella...they can give you quite a scare, eh?

[kayharley]

That is every Cairn owners worst nightmare...I'm so glad yours had a happy ending.

Your incident is exactly why I put fencing inside fencing...I know, it sounds confusing and even a tad neurotic but just the thought of mine getting loose causes my heart to stop beating.

Despite all I've done to ensure my crews safety, one morning as I was bringing groceries in through our garage that is connected to the house, here comes Elliott running down the driveway! Thank God I had food readily available or else he would have taken off! Seems DH not only forgot to close the gate at the top of the stairs, he forgot to close the door at the bottom of the stairs and the door to his crate....3 mistakes happened with a system that I thought was foolproof....NOT!!

Give Bella one big hug from me.

[Eliz222]

Oh, my! I'm so glad you caught her and that she is ok! I know the fear that goes through your mind when they are gone. If only their cute, smart brains would tell them to go home without running away!!

[toomanypaws]

I'm glad your post read, "We nearly lost her." I would have had my night ruined if you hadn't found her. I'm still upset over the one last year (drawing a blank on the name) that didn't have a happy ending. I know the fear too well about having a loose Cairn, and it's your first response to run after them. I know I did once, and I swear it was like this lady was an angel and just showed up in the middle of the street to stop Kiara one time. I like what Brad said about falling down. I am going to try that in our yard and see how mine respond.

Give your Bella a hug for me. Hugs to you too, I'm sure you also could use one.

[tlwtheq]

Glad Miss Bella is safe...I get the same feeling in my stomach as everyone else, having experienced the problem firsthand myself.

I certainly intend on trying some of Brad's techniques if/when this situation crops up again (did I say if?)

Take care,

Tara, Olie, Teddy and Miss Sweet Pea's Mom

[savannahsmom35]

I have had this happen and it is the worst feeling ever. I felt so helpless and so desperate to have her turn around and come back. I am so glad that Bella decided that she was going to turn around and come home! Hugs to Bella.

[Kathryn]

Such a scare! Our neighbors have a dog that likes to run, and they keep a large jar of peanut butter by their front door. Once in a while they give Bea a fingerful just so she remembers how much she likes it. When she runs, they step outside with the jar, and Bea is back in a flash. Works every single time -- that dog just loves peanut butter.

I think though that our cairns are muc more interested in squirrels, bird, and other moving things. Not sure this would work with Allie, for instance.

[OzGirl]

What a scare!! They are so cute but god they know how to turn our hair grey. I'm so glad she came towards home and you caught her.

[CathyAnn]

Oh, how I know the feeling!!

Piper got loose a few weeks ago after a rabbit. Hubby didn't have a good grip on the leash and off he went!

Glad you caught your Bella!

Cathy

[maggie]

I had the same experience about a year ago and also dropped to the ground on my neighbors lawn, as soon as she saw me laying there she ran to me. My adult son is convinced our neighbors think we are lunatics!

[mrskti]

Now that summer is here, my grandkids come out a lot and I have a 10 yr old autistic grandson that doesnt remember to check the dogs when he goes out the doors. He's high functioning, but remembering details is not his strong suit....we live in the middle of 80 acres so they have lots of places to run and hide if they get loose. Mitch let Dori out one day and she headed down the hill, full bore. I just about lost it, I started chacing her and saw I was getting nowhere, so I turned and started running towards the house doing dumb baby talk all the way....she turned and followed me. I could hardly catch my breath i was in such a panic. And the look on Mitch's face was like "what's the big deal?" Arrrrrgh!!!!!!!

I had 5 kids here yesterday, so we teathered them or kept them in the crates.....That was an accident waiting to happen there!!!! I meant I teathered the dogs...not the kids!!!! LOL Althought I threatened to tie them all to trees in the woods!!!!

[MikeC]

I am so happy that Bella is safe. I know those feeling all too well as I had the same (almost) experience with Duffy when he was only 7 months old. We were brushing him in our garage with the door open as it was very warm that day. Something got his attention and he bolted. Fortunately we lived in a gated community at the time but still there were many streets. After searching for over 3 hours we finally found him hiding in some bushes not too far from our condo. It was obvious that he was scared. Fortunately there have been no incidents since and he is going on three years old.

Mike

[Anna_525]

I definitely can identify. It happened to us about 4 times now, it always feels like lightning just hit our roof.

I don't know if it'll help, but I've been able to turn around one by falling on the ground and writhing like I sprained my knee. The little runaway ran over to see what's up and I grabbed her.

This really helped the first time Alfie escaped. Unfortunately, the fall and the pain was real. My husband Brad ran after Alfie going up the hill, then he fell and rolled down and stayed down. Alfie stopped to look while my husband took advantage and grabbed him. We did laugh at it later on because the vision of my husband rolling down the hill was a bit comical....

[AngusMacDoggal]

Our last Wheaten terrier took off one day too and remembering NOT to chase ('cause they think it's a game) I turned and ran the opposite way against every fiber in my body, squealing and acting like I was having a great time. Well, he chased after me, and beat me home! Whew, hope I never have to do this w/Angus. It's just too nerve racking!

[purebella]

Thanks for teh suggestions......I will have to give them a try if a next time occurs....god I hope not!!!

I may practice them in the backyard though for the times when she is being stubborn and wont come in!!!!

[Scully'sMom]

First of all I'm so happy that Bella is okay. I know you guys must have gotten a lot of gray hairs from that experience. It's my worst fear.

Twice Scully got out of the house because Grandmom wasn't paying attention and had a habit of opening the screen door and standing there looking around. The worst experience was where Scully got a bad case of the runs all over my front seat as I was taking her to the vet. I pulled over to the side of the road and when I went around to the other side that fast she got away from me and was running into a major four lane highway. I had just had my appendix removed about a month before that so I couldn't run very fast. I was absolutely terrified and it took me a long time to get over it. Thankfully I was able to get her.

[AngusMacDoggal]

The thought of Scully running up a major highway just about caused me to faint in my chair. I cannot even go there in my mind!

Angus has a little leash that has a seat belt connection on the end. I found it at Tuesday Morning for CHEAP! It gets hooked into his harness in the car. I had friends who were in an auto accident and their dog freaked and ran off. It took them 3 days to find the dog. Since then all of our dogs have worn safety harness in the car. No exceptions. Angus fusses about it, but too bad, he's wearing it now and forever since I have that image of Scully on the highway.

[Mojo's Mom]

The chase game works. Mojo escape one day I called his name to get his attention and I sprinted the other direction he followed me back into the house. It was scary though.

I actually play the chase game in the house it's mojo's favorite game (besides playing with ice cubes). First I chase him a couple laps around the couch then I turn and run the other direction and he chases me for a while. It wears him out and as I found I think it helped me get him to chase me back to the house.