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Diesel shaved a few years off my life today...

2K views 21 replies 20 participants last post by  KathyArch 
#1 ·
Hanging out at my friend's place in the backyard. He lives in a townhouse, so the yard is open length wise for every house, each having a half fence as a privacy partition. Diesel had gone inside to lay for a bit but wanted to come back out. He's been here before and knows his boundaries, though he's never off leash for long, really just what he was off leash for today -- hooking up the lead to a tree for him to hang out in the grass while we hang out on the patio portion as I never leave him on a tie out alone. Well, the little bugger saw something and just bolted. My friend said he saw what looked like a tail end of an animal, possibly a cat. I had thought that he was still near the houses before the break -- wide enough for a car, but the end of it has two great big pine trees kind of blocking that Diesel has never attempted to get past before.

So my friend said he'd go get him because I didn't have shoes on. I didn't realize he was at the break, and when they didn't immediately return and I heard his voice in front of the houses I panicked and followed. Seeing my friend standing on the road (inside the townhouse complex still) asking people "have you seen a black dog" holy crap did my heart ever sink to my feet as I tried to process... he's... gone??? I ran through the trees calling Diesel, looking every which way and not seeing a sign of him at all. Tears brewing in my eyes, my friend not getting any concrete answer "did you see a dog or not?" then I asked the one guy who'd already given a "duh..." response, "oh yeah, a black dog with a blue collar, yeah he went that way" and he was pointing to the parking lot part that is parallel to the actual road where teenagers are famous for doing 80km in a 40km zone. Jesus, please dear God, no. I tried not to have emotion in my voice, but omg was I ever terrified, called out to him in a panicked mama bear tone just as I cornered to the parking lot. And there was my baby boy, all proud of himself for being out on his own, for chasing whatever the hell it was, trotting back to me like "hi, mama!" and then I must have had the tone that parents get when their child scares the crap out of them, because his ears went back, low tip of the tail wag as he came closer with a big old "I's is sowwy mama please don't be mad"

Huge hug "don't you EVER EVER EVER do that again!" taken by the collar all the way back safely inside. Then the big ugly cry came. No matter how many times before he'd been off leash waiting to be hooked up... he's lost all privileges now. In 3 years he has never given me a "gone" scare before and I never want to have that fear again. Thanks to the Guardian Angel that must be up there somewhere.
 
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#2 ·
OMG I would have had a heart attack! Thank God he did not get out on that road. That is the worse feeling in the world, I bet you are still shaking.
 
#8 ·
I do suggest off leash obedience training. I lost Jack for almost 24 hours 3 week after having him. However, we continued off leash training to the point of being absolutely reliable off leash on recalls, heels, etc.

It was a very shitty experience losing him for such a long time and going back home to sleep without him in the car. Took some time for him to get that trust back but it worked out great.
 
#21 ·
Thanks guys :) Still kicking myself for having miscounted the number of houses before the break by one, had I realized that's where he was I would have ran over hot coals barefoot! Of course I've had nothing but nightmares of a different ending the last two nights, but I'm sure those will pass. To make things worse, and to really hit it home... my friend's place backs onto a conservation area. Well, yesterday we heard God awful screams come from in the trails, I turn to my friend and he shakes his head and says "they got something" they being the coyotes, and the something likely a small dog given the sounds. Sent shivers down my spine.



^^That's the scary part about dogs, Diesel's recall has improved significantly over the last year, I'd put him at about 95%.... provided there are no small animals in sight. His prey drive is so high he stalks leaves that blow in the wind.
 
#19 ·
You wrote that well, certainly shared your anxiety. We can all relate to this. So glad all is well.

I sometimes wonder, we raise our human children, then go back for more anxiety, love and heartaches with our four legged kids. Shows the depths of our hearts that love abounds with our other kids.
 
#22 ·
Sorry about the nightmares. Hope they don't last too long. My hubby had a nightmare a few nights ago about Jack getting "ripped apart" by a bunch of bigger dogs. :( Good thing night mares end when we wake! I know coyotes will attack small animals...maybe a Lab if they were in a big enough pack. It's so scary. We try to keep them safe from everything!!! When Jack killed the baby rabbit, that was sad...but what if next time he chases something that will fight back if cornered? He's no fighter. He a wus. Anyway. Just so glad Diesel was safe :)
 
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