Ah! I Lost My Puppy.

[Niques]

Bit of brag/immense relief post!

I didn't get a chance to walk James this morning so took him for a stroll x training session around the park just now. We didn't walk very far - the main idea was to work on his stays and recall. On the return journey I'd started dropping the leash and walking a few paces back before calling him.

Just as I'd decided to leave the park and head back home, the lunatic puppy took it into his head that now might be a pleasant time to do some zoomies. Within two seconds he'd pulled the leash out of my hand and left me gawking like an idiot (he was JUST lying on the grass contemplating a nap - I could have sworn he had no energy!).

We don't go to dog parks so he's never been off-leash in public before and I stood there freaking out for a moment trying to work out what he'd do and what I shouldn't do...all the while he's madly running in circles around me I had one tiny fragment of biscuit left in case I'd needed to get his attention on the short walk home. I called his name, showed him the biscuit and he started zoomie-ing ever so closer trying to snatch the biscuit. Had the brilliant idea (I thought it was stupid the moment the words left my mouth ) to ask him to "sit" the next time he zoomied-by and you could have knocked me over with a feather - he sat! So I shoved the biscuit in his mouth and dove onto the leash And that, is the end of our little adventure!

It's the middle of the day so the park is completely empty and we're semi-rural so I wasn't too concerned about the danger, more the fact that I was positive he would take off into the creek (and then the park on the other side) and disappear into the sunset. Scared the crap out of me.

But, I've come out of it mightily impressed that a) he doesn't think "freedom" when off-leash and tear off like it's a game and b) that he listened to me, even whilst engrossed in his own behaviour! Very proud of my boy.

Anyone have any "I've let my dog go..." stories while I calm my heartrate down?

[julzjc]

Well done James! Very impressed he ditched the zoomies for a sit! I did the "Ive let the dog go" when TJ my Saluki was a pup....unfortunatly his zoomie consited of running flat out in the direction of home and finding the only gate out of the park! Lucky I lived in a small town and a woman driver stopped when she saw him and made a grab for his leash, he and I were both so lucky she saw him and blocked his path. My poor old papillion was trailing way behind me trying to catch us up (Tyke was offleash but TJ was onleash and was never let offleash again0. He always had a long line at the beach and would do zoomies in huge circles around us. Thankfully he had zero prey drive but I would still never trust him offleash again.

[Tilly]

I was at my mum's for Christmas last year with our youngest and he had been doing brilliantly with staying beside me so I put him on his long line (10M) and let him drag that ... but I was staying near the end of the leash. We had been working on his recall but he was easierly distracted so I had never really let him offleash before - but I had been teaching him "that is far enough" when he got near the end of the 10m lead.

We were in the side paddock playing with his ball when I toss the ball a bit further then I normally did. He took off after the ball and was about to head back to me when a cow in the neighbouring paddock mooed. The brat took one look at the cow and turned and took a step or two towards the cow. If he had bolted to the cow I would have had no hope of getting to him before he would have got through the fence and across the road (thankfully a very quiet road) ... so in slight desperation I called his name ... and to my absolute surprise he stopped dead, took one look at me and then bolted straight back into my arms.

He gots lots of praise but it was hard for me to throw the ball for him again ... which I did (but this time it wasn't thrown as far). I wanted to hold his leash and not give him a chance to get away but I needed him to know coming when I called him didn't mean it was the end of his fun so I had to make it more fun for him to come to me when I called him.

[W Sibs]

Go James!! And go you!!

That's awesome

Edited August 31, 2010 by CW EW

[poodlefan]

Big Ted (now a sprightly 13) chased a bird right across a road once. I damn near died of fright.

[koalathebear]

Big Ted (now a sprightly 13) chased a bird right across a road once. I damn near died of fright.

Was Big Ted named after the toy from Play School?

Niques - Yay for you and James! So glad it ended out all right, it must have been very worrying. The shiba inu owner at Elbie's dog school recounted a tale of how her dog bolted out the front door one morning and how she was chasing after her puppy in her pyjamas, encountering a group of drunken yobbos who said: "We just saw a fox - if we had a gun we would have shot it." Eeek!!!

Edited August 31, 2010 by koalathebear

[aussielover]

Good for you guys!

when we first got clover a friend was minding clover one time, and forgot to tell her son that clover was staying. He though she was a stray dog (don't know how) and kicked her out of the house. She managed to make her way up to the only park we'd ever taken her (only 6 months at the time) and was sitting by a tree that had a split trunk and some water in between the two trunks.

I don't think i've ever been more relieved in my life. She managed to cross 2 major roads as well.

[Niques]

He though she was a stray dog (don't know how) and kicked her out of the house.

Wow! How lucky you were to find her! What a scary experience.

Tilly, that would have been a huge relief! All the while I was worried that he'd catch sight of a bird (let alone a cow!) - his biggest dream is to be allowed to chase birds in the park and he would have been after it like shot.

I have to say, Big Ted is the cutest dog's name I've heard

[poodlefan]

I have to say, Big Ted is the cutest dog's name I've heard

Big Ted's just plain Ted (aka Ted Ted or Teddy Bot Bot ) most of the time but at one stage we had to find a way to differentiate him from a friends pup named Ted. And yes, the Play School connection was made KTB.

Big Ted is a mini poodle. Now he's a teenager the name seems very apt.

Little Ted is an Aussie Shepherd.

Edited August 31, 2010 by poodlefan

[Niques]

Ted(dy) was one of the shortlisted names for James so I have quite a softspot for it. Love that he's a mini poodle

[poodlefan]

Ted(dy) was one of the shortlisted names for James so I have quite a softspot for it. Love that he's a mini poodle

Sorry to the OP for the hijack. I named Teddy after a stunning Warmbood horse I knew. His name was Baltic Contender and Teddy the horse was a cool dude - a total gentleman. His namesake is the same.

Edited August 31, 2010 by poodlefan

[Tokkie]

I was walking Ringo and Nanid in a green strip two weeks ago, a guy was walking an off lead Golden Retriever puppy (beautiful dog ).... it came running towards us. In my effort to keep him away from Ringo I accidently dropped Nandi's lead..... and she just took off running, with in seconds she was meters away.....

I knew she had NO recall but gave it a try, I only said (screamed ) 'Nandi' once, she stoped and looked at me.... when I saw I had her attention, I went crazy.... come girl, come girl... and she ran back to me, I could not believe it.

I was so proud of her.... tried her recall again at home and she just ignored me.