A Close Call

[huski]

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

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

I've never really given much thought to trial grounds not being fenced TBH... I'm sure there are clubs out there that don't have the resources to set up fences for each ring and I don't think temporary ones would be particularly secure anyway.

[GSDowner]

my GSD goes crazy when a motorcycle goes by

I am sure he would go after it if not on a leash

[Nekhbet]

I don't think temporary ones would be particularly secure anyway.

You get that orange stuff in a roll, you know the soft temp fencing.

Better then nothing at all isnt it? If a dog goes for a bolt the fact there is something reasonably solid (to them) can prevent them being hit by a car. I don't think lack of funds is an excuse for lack of safety at all.

[huski]

It's not like people aren't aware that their dog is required to work off leash.

I don't think it would be a bad thing to make trial grounds more secure especially if they are near a main road but it's not something I can see a lot of clubs doing. Is it really the club's responsibility or the owner's to ensure their dog is trained to a level where they can work off leash?

Anyway I'm a dog sports noob so that's JMO

Edited February 4, 2010 by huski

[Nekhbet]

OK this could be circular.

I am saying I would never let my dogs off lead in an unfenced area. The times I have is when we go camping and we're boundried the way around by a river and my pooncy dogs wont dare swim across.

Anyhoo, as I said a dog is an animal. It can be unpredictable no matter how well trained it is. So to go somewhere and let my dog off lead particularly when handler is under stress and there are other dogs, main road etc IMO is irresponsible.

Also IMO if you are training/running a school you are responsible. You are the supposed professional in the matter and as such should know that shite happens and the more you can prepare for it the better off things can be. OK Accidents will always happen, but there is such thing as harm minimisation

Edited February 4, 2010 by Nekhbet

[WoofnHoof]

So glad to hear Fletch is ok, I had one of those moments a couple of years ago I was putting a few groceries in the car and Sonny jumped out while my back was turned and took off right towards the main road in 5:30p traffic! People wonder why I am paranoid but when something like that happens all you think is that your dog is going to die and it's your fault

The obedience club at Toowoomba was only fenced on one side and it's right next to the highway, I think it's pretty ridiculous. The club here in Ipswich seems to be bordered by a creek at the back which would do nothing to stop my sibe he's quite partial to a swim after a run

[WildatHeart]

OMG! Same thing just happened to me this afternoon while i was out riding my horses with my dog. Her recall isn't great but her sit-stays are super. A hare jumped out right infront of us and headed for the highway and i yelled out sit. And she listened, every muscles twitching in her body just waiting for the release word, bum just off the ground and paw lifted while her eyes followed the hare. Hare eventually veered away from the road and back into someone's property. I know her sit-stays are great cause i go down the back paddocks with her where the roos are sometimes and use them as a training distraction.

I'm glad nothing happened to your fletcher.

[WildatHeart]

So glad to hear Fletch is ok, I had one of those moments a couple of years ago I was putting a few groceries in the car and Sonny jumped out while my back was turned and took off right towards the main road in 5:30p traffic! People wonder why I am paranoid but when something like that happens all you think is that your dog is going to die and it's your fault

The obedience club at Toowoomba was only fenced on one side and it's right next to the highway, I think it's pretty ridiculous. The club here in Ipswich seems to be bordered by a creek at the back which would do nothing to stop my sibe he's quite partial to a swim after a run

No, they've fenced it now, with post and rail, a great dane could get through them

[hairymonster1]

I've recently returned home from the park tonight.. still shaking.

I'm lucky to have brought two dogs home, in one piece, without a scratch.

I mainly want to post this as a warning and as a wake up to call to any DOLers who like me, trusted their dogs off lead. I believe i have 100% recall with Fletcher. I now know this isn't true, and not something i ever wish to test again.

We'd already been at the park for about an hour, meeting lots of doggy friends, 100% perfect recall as always... EVEN when there was a young bitch that Fletcher fancied and when Hugo found a nice smelly fish to roll on, the 'leave it' command was given and both obeyed, as always. When some friends (met at the park) turned up, i decided to go around one more time with them. It's a huge reserve, i've always taken my dogs there for an off lead romp as where i walk is well away from cars and the main 'play spot' when a small lake is, is in the far corner from any roads, and backs onto (fenced) bushland and horse paddocks.

The people i was walking with take a slightly different route to what i normally do, which at one point is walking almost alongside a somewhat busy 80km/hr road. As we headed towards this i popped my dogs, as i always do when i walk with these people, in the same spot, onto their leads. We walked around, fine, as we were walking back towards the lake etc i let my dogs off their leads, we were heading in the opposite direction and the dogs always walk in front of us towards the lake, we were at least 500m from the road when i let them off their leads, where i always let them off their leads when i walk that way with those friends. Hugo walked by my side and Fletcher ran ahead with the other dogs.

... The rest is in slow motion and will stick with me the rest of my life. Fletcher spotted a rabbit and began to chase it "Fletcher LEAVE IT" "FLETCHER COME!.. it ran towards the road. And so did Fletcher. "FLETCHER COME! LEAVE IT" I froze. I ran. I screamed I screamed... I bloody screamed, i swore actually, but i wont put that on here. Three cars, 80km, in a row, all going the same direction. Rabbit.Car.Fletcher.Car...... I swore that was it. In my head i saw and heard everything made up in my head. The last car saw him and slowed. It was what i see every week at work, pets killed by stupid owners who trust their dogs too much. Dogs who are driven first and foremost by instinct. Dogs who deserve to be protected by their owners, let down by the carers and killed. Fletcher wasn't killed. He wasn't touched. I thought i was going to faint or vomit and all this was going through my head while i then feared he would run back... I stopped yelling at some point, i think it was before i started thinking. Before crossing the road i stopped to collect Hugo who had followed me. There were suddenly no cars, but i checked 4 times, reminding myself that my safety was more important - or so i'd read. As i crossed the road i heard a yelp, and Fletcher appeared out of the bushes and ran towards me. An electric fence stopped his rabbit hunt. I picked up Fletcher by the jowls and yelled at him text book style. I fell to the ground each dog under my arms, Fletcher gave me 5 huge sloppy kisses. The bastard. My friends came running with my leads which i'd lost while i was running.

My dog lived today. My dog lived to remind me who i am, his carer, his everything. It is my responsibility to make sure he is safe. I failed today and i came way too close to losing my best friend. I'm still shaking, and i'm finally having the chance to let it go and cry. Please, don't ever think you have 100% recall, learn from my mistake before it's too late. After tonight.. i will not believe that it is possible. In the end, he's a dog.. and why wouldn't he want to chase a rabbit?

[Freshstart16]

wow that is every dog owners worst nightmare, so glad everyone came out ok. Big hugs to you and your dogs. and thankyou for sharing your experience, I hope you dont get flamed for your actions today as you would feel enough guilt as it is without others letting you know it was wrong. It took guts to share what you did

[Bindii]

I'm so glad that everyone is okay. I do know very well what you went through... I watched Sasha darting madly through traffic one day - and my mind was waiting for the sound I didn't want to hear... the thud...

I was waiting for the exact same thing.

Glad your dog is okay, Hope you are okay too. The 'what could have happened movie' will play in your head for some time, just take some deep breaths, shake your head and remind yourself that IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

I keep reminding myself... it's so strange, for those few moments which seemed like a lifetime when i saw him head for the road and i saw the three cars lined up perfectly to hit him, i was so positive he would get hit - and at the speed they were travelling i knew he had no chance. I was so sure i was about to lose him.. For the rest of the night it was kind of eerie, like he was a ghost dog... even today at work, it's like after having a dream that feels real and you have to remind yourself when it pops in your head that it wasn't... I keep having to remind myself that NOTHING happened, he's fine. Ugh! It was horrible.. I can't begin to imagine how much worse it would feel if he had been hit.

Thanks so so much everyone for your lovely replies.. I feel a bit silly and dramatic but it was terrifying and i'm so glad you all understand that.

[mutt lover]

OMG my heart was pounding reading your post glad it turned out ok, I lost a dog through the same situation a long time ago he also had been recall trained but somehow forgot about that when he chased a cat across a road and unfortunately a car hit him and he was killed. I blamed myself for trusting him off his lead but had always come back when called, I've never been able to bring myself to let my dogs off lead for run in park ever since I have to have them on a horses 20ft lunge rein so I've still got control.

ps. You would of needed a drink or two after that!.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Oh hugs and a stiff drink to you, Bindi.

How terrifying!!!

This is why all off-leash parks should be fully fenced!!!

I SO agree right now!!! If they were fenced in I would use them, and it would be so less risky!

I disagree with unfenced off lead parks as well.

Bindii glad fletch is okay.

[all that glitters]

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.

AGREE!! How hard can it be??

I don't think temporary ones would be particularly secure anyway.

You get that orange stuff in a roll, you know the soft temp fencing.

Better then nothing at all isnt it? If a dog goes for a bolt the fact there is something reasonably solid (to them) can prevent them being hit by a car. I don't think lack of funds is an excuse for lack of safety at all.

Agree. IMO if your dog will take off after a motorbike or a hare then it doesn't have great recall

[LDR]

Thanks so so much everyone for your lovely replies.. I feel a bit silly and dramatic but it was terrifying and i'm so glad you all understand that.

I'd have been a wreck! Honestly, it's great of you to post as it certainly reminds us to be vigilent.

[newfsie]

Wow, that is one very scary moment...........I am glad all is well

[percyk]

im sorry you had to have that experience

and im so glad it came good

awful for you

thanks so much for posting

you write so well

i think youll get your message across to many people

well done...turning a horrid experience into a lesson that may help others to think ahead and not assume