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A Close Call


Bindii
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That is the exact reason I will never let my dogs off lead. They are dogs and and all it takes is a rabbit, cat, whatever to dart out and its on(not to metion I worry about dog fights and not being "there" to jump on it straight away). I have friends who let their dogs off lead and my heart is in my mouth everytime, especially near roads or other dogs.

I ma so glad Fletcher is ok :laugh:

So True

HUGZZZ to Fletcher and to You , happy that all turned out better than worse.

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Sounds like the Samoyed instinct got the better of him

Kind of like me on a diet and learning not to eat chocolate

Most of the time I do fantastic but other times you couldn't stop me if you tried lol

Silly pooch, but great everything is ok

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So glad to hear Fletcher is OK.

I learnt this lesson the hard way many years ago with a GSD I had at the time. It was a horse not a bunny that my guy couldn't resist as he had never seen one before. He was hit in the side of the head which catapulted his body back into the side of car (he did a lot of damage to the car) luckily he lived, thank god!

People think I am paranoid and I admit I am - due to a harsh lesson learnt!

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Thanks for posting this Bindii. Glad everyone is OK.

On the subject of fences - yep - amazing what a dog in full chase of a critter can do. Had a phone call from my neighbour (on the next acre bush block) the other day to say he'd just seen Rory in full chase after something or other on his place. Along that fence line, I have stock fencing, with chicken wire inside (used to have hens who thought an acre was not enough for 4 hens :laugh: ). Anyway, Rory had forgotten where he went through, but I found a critter track, and a spot where they'd been pushing through - I had to lift it up a bit to allow Rory to squeeze through to get back - but in hot pursuit, he must have pushed his own way through.

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Thanks for posting this Bindii. Glad everyone is OK.

On the subject of fences - yep - amazing what a dog in full chase of a critter can do. Had a phone call from my neighbour (on the next acre bush block) the other day to say he'd just seen Rory in full chase after something or other on his place. Along that fence line, I have stock fencing, with chicken wire inside (used to have hens who thought an acre was not enough for 4 hens :laugh: ). Anyway, Rory had forgotten where he went through, but I found a critter track, and a spot where they'd been pushing through - I had to lift it up a bit to allow Rory to squeeze through to get back - but in hot pursuit, he must have pushed his own way through.

Yes - when dogs are in prey drive the pain thresholds increase so that they feel minimal or no pain while chasing prey. They are completely focused on their prey which is why it's difficult to recall the dog during the chase.

Edited by westielover
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Thanks for posting this Bindii. Glad everyone is OK.

On the subject of fences - yep - amazing what a dog in full chase of a critter can do. Had a phone call from my neighbour (on the next acre bush block) the other day to say he'd just seen Rory in full chase after something or other on his place. Along that fence line, I have stock fencing, with chicken wire inside (used to have hens who thought an acre was not enough for 4 hens :eek: ). Anyway, Rory had forgotten where he went through, but I found a critter track, and a spot where they'd been pushing through - I had to lift it up a bit to allow Rory to squeeze through to get back - but in hot pursuit, he must have pushed his own way through.

Yes - when dogs are in prey drive the pain thresholds increase so that they feel minimal or no pain while chasing prey. They are completely focused on their prey which is why it's difficult to recall the dog during the chase.

So true Westlielover! We've had one beagle take the flesh on the top of her muzzle down to the bone trying to get to something under a wooden fence. It took months to heal, layer upon layer.

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Thanks for your post Bindi. What a scary story :o

This is why I don't trust off lead areas at all and my dogs have NEVER been in an off lead area with their leads off. My dogs are NEVER off lead outside our yard. Yes, I am paranoid :( Instinct is stronger, after all they are dogs, they can't help the allure of a rabbit, another little critter, or if they take a fancy to another dog :rofl:

I hope you are feeling better and you continue to get many doggie kisses ;)

Take care

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OMG Bindii: you poor thing, I'm so glad Fletchie boy's ok after chasing the bunny, silly boy! I have nightmares about this kind of thing, and I get nervous every time we have Dakota off-lead, which these days is only really at the beach. Thank dog for Kepala!!

*hugs* from Dakota and me, for you and Fletcher

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I think complacency is dangerous and I always ask people who let their dogs off without a second thought if they could guarantee that if a rabbit ran in front of their dog, they could 100% reliably call it off. If the answer is no, why risk it?

Because it's not just weighing up whether a dog could be run over or not. It's the probability of the dog blowing off a recall weighed against the benefits of letting the dog exercise off leash. I do not know where we would be if we had to rely on exercise on leash only. Our yard is quite small, and our dogs are young and active. I don't believe in 100% reliable recalls and I'm vigilant as hell when my dogs are off leash despite the fact that they are quite reliable about recalls, but the joy they get from running around off leash and really letting rip is intrinsically tied to my enjoyment of having dogs. What can I say? I love watching them have fun. They can't do that in my yard, so we take them to the safest places we know of for them to do it and accept the risks.

It's not true that a dog won't hear you if you call them when they are chasing something. Some won't hear you. Kivi often does. Erik is even more likely to, and he is much more drivey than Kivi. It improves with practice IME. Pain thesholds also don't increase when a dog is chasing something. Rather, the feeling of pain is blunted. It sounds like the same thing, but it's not!

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I think this thread is a great warning for others now and it may save a dog or two from potential accident offleash!! As owners though we take responsiblity for our own dogs and some take more risks than others. Personally I don't let shyla offleash in unfenced areas cos the potential for something bad happening 'is there' and I love her so god damned much I simply cannot take that risk. I have a few times in the past, I can count maybe 3 or 4 times on one hand, but every one of those times I was stressed and worried.

they definitely should make more enclosed dog barks around the place :(

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A dog is an animal, not a programmed robot.

I have never let a dog offlead in an unfenced area and I never will. I dont care how well trained etc. The fact there is always a risk a dog can take off is enough for me to not do it.

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Very relieved to hear our beautiful Fletcher is safe and well, I was getting really scared for you as I read the post. Bel I hope you have managed to restaple your heart inside your chest and been able to calm down just a little bit.

FYI - Anyone looking for safe dog areas in Vic there is a new dog park opening in Lalor, its fenced and has agility equipment. Check out the Facebook site below.

http://www.facebook.com/CompanionDogClub?r...7710&ref=mf

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I think complacency is dangerous and I always ask people who let their dogs off without a second thought if they could guarantee that if a rabbit ran in front of their dog, they could 100% reliably call it off. If the answer is no, why risk it?

Because it's not just weighing up whether a dog could be run over or not. It's the probability of the dog blowing off a recall weighed against the benefits of letting the dog exercise off leash. I do not know where we would be if we had to rely on exercise on leash only. Our yard is quite small, and our dogs are young and active. I don't believe in 100% reliable recalls and I'm vigilant as hell when my dogs are off leash despite the fact that they are quite reliable about recalls, but the joy they get from running around off leash and really letting rip is intrinsically tied to my enjoyment of having dogs. What can I say? I love watching them have fun. They can't do that in my yard, so we take them to the safest places we know of for them to do it and accept the risks.

As I said Corvus, I was talking about people who let their dogs off leash without a second thought i.e. without weighing up the risks or without having even a basic recall on their dog etc.

Nekhbet:

A dog is an animal, not a programmed robot.

I have never let a dog offlead in an unfenced area and I never will. I dont care how well trained etc. The fact there is always a risk a dog can take off is enough for me to not do it.

What would you do at a place like an obedience trial then Nek when the dog is required to work off leash in an unfenced area? (some of which can be near a main road).

Edited by huski
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What would you do at a place like an obedience trial then Nek when the dog is required to work off leash in an unfenced area? (some of which can be near a main road).

I would not attend and put in writing why not. If not my dog doing a one in a million run off, then I dont want to see someones dog skittled by a car. And dogs DO run off at trials. Putting up at least temporary fencing is LAZYNESS, why no one sees it as a problem is beyond me.

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phew!!!!dont worry you may not have your dignity but at least you still have your dog.that kinda reminds me of an incident at a park about 25 years ago i will never forget but would like to.i was sitting in the park with my little cousin watching 2 girls about 10 years old walking their dalmation on a lead.they let him off and he ran and bounded happily around the park until he decided to run across the road and a taxi came along and hit him.omg it was terrible,the dog was writhing on the road and yelping,blood curdling!and the 2 girls were screaming in shock,the taxi driver stopped and picked him up and put him in the boot and rushed him to the vet.i dont know how the dog was but i could only imagine those little girls would be about 35 now and probably still haunted by it,i still am and i was just someone in the park.my biggest fear now is walking my dog and coming across a pitbull off lead :( if it latches on my dog would be dead,that thought really scares me,these dogs dont let go like most other breeds do and theres so many around these days,its like russian roulette when you take your dog out on a lead even which i always do.i came across 2 big rotties once wandering along a road and i had to creep past them with my dobermann so neither dogs seen each other,talk about fear factor!!!!

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What would you do at a place like an obedience trial then Nek when the dog is required to work off leash in an unfenced area? (some of which can be near a main road).

I would not attend and put in writing why not. If not my dog doing a one in a million run off, then I dont want to see someones dog skittled by a car. And dogs DO run off at trials. Putting up at least temporary fencing is LAZYNESS, why no one sees it as a problem is beyond me.

I was by no means implying dogs don't run off a trials, I was just curious what you would do if you wanted to enter one that wasn't on fenced grounds.

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my biggest fear now is walking my dog and coming across a pitbull off lead :rofl: if it latches on my dog would be dead,that thought really scares me,these dogs dont let go like most other breeds do and theres so many around these days

:o:(

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No I more meant that it does happen and for anyone to not take precautions is silly Huski :o

I've never entered an ANKC obedience trial anyway so ;) :rofl: I dont think I will be anytime soon either :(

my biggest fear now is walking my dog and coming across a pitbull off lead eek1.gif if it latches on my dog would be dead,that thought really scares me,these dogs dont let go like most other breeds do and theres so many around these days,its like russian roulette when you take your dog out on a lead even which i always do.

err yeah ok.

Edited by Nekhbet
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