Dogs Disappeared!!!

Doberluv

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#1
I went out back, about a half a minute after letting the Poodles out to watch them and they were GONE! Poof! Nowhere to be seen. I vocalized some explative and ran around to find the gate wide open! :yikes: My heart sank and almost thumped right out of my chest. Careful Carrie messed up big time. I ran to the front, to the side walk, hoping they didn't run to the right... all the way up the road (which is a pretty quiet road) to the busier road that feeds all these neighborhoods around here. Didn't see them.

You see, the other day, my ex and I were putting up a temporary fence around the lawn in the back yard...the lawn is quite trashed from crane flies and I just need to put some more seed down, so need to keep the dogs off. It was fairly windy out and when we went back around to put things away in the garage, somehow the gate must not have latched tightly and the wind made the gate open up wide, unbeknownst to us. I'm usually so very careful about these things.

So after looking to the right at the road and sidewalk, the more scary direction they could have gone, I looked down to the left, between my next door neighbor's and the neighbor after her were about 5 young boys, squatting down, having a Poodle-patting party . Relief flooded me, but it only lived about 3 seconds. What if they decided I wasn't exceptionally worth coming to or if I had approached, would they think their fun was about to end and take off running? Would zooming around the neighborhood stand a better chance of merry making?

I asked one of the neighbor kids to pick them up. Well, Maurice was quickly in the boy's arms, but Matisse not. So, I tried it. I called, "Matisse! Come." (I use a sort of light, staccato inflection at the end of "come.") And his little head went sharply up. He saw me. Was our training going to work? And a little motor in his hind end turned on and he galloped so fast to me, I was worried about his bad ligament and where upon he got loads of excited praise. Then the boy (I don't know why) set Maurice down which worried me a bit...and I called tiny black dog and he came like a bullet up the side walk to me....scooped them both up, one in each arm and went home to give them lots of cookies, extreme fuss, and special play time. Jose`, who was waiting at home thought this had been a great idea of the Poodles because he cashed in on all the treats and fuss too. A party which he didn't have to do any work for is his kind of party. Whew! Bullet dodged.

For the past few months I've been taking the dogs across the road behind my house to a big field for some off leash training. We've beefed up their recall and they're both so good at it but I haven't worked in a huge variety of locations or contexts really so wasn't sure they'd generalize it. They have a ball zooming around and I keep practicing calling them, having them sit in front of me for a formal "come" and "let's go" to have them come along somewhat close to me. And we've been working on "wait" where they're ahead of me and I simply ask them to wait, so they stop and stand there. Anyhow, this practice has paid off, along with good socialization. If they weren't happy to see the kids, if they weren't sociable, they might not have gone to them. You hear of dogs getting loose and they're spotted various places, but no one can catch them. They're shy and dart away. Having them love people is good for emergencies like this. Someone can help save them that way.

So I'm very proud of my little dumplings. :first:
 

Locke

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#2
Good boys M&M!!

That stomach turning realization your dog could be running through traffic is the worst. I had a scary moment like that with Smiley this week after he went on a wild goose chase...literally! Staying calm, like you did, and your recall practice made all the difference. Thank goodness!!
 

Doberluv

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Thank you Locke. So you know that gut wrenching feeling. Did Smiley come right back? With the older dogs, I've never worried. Jose` could be out front with no leash and minds me explicitly...not that I take a chance and let him out there with no leash. But I have set him down on the garage floor when coming home from somewhere and he goes straight for the door to the laundry room. I guess that's still a slight risk. But yeah...he's totally disinterested in taking off. These Poodles are young still and I just didn't know for sure what they'd do. If it happens again, it might not turn out the same. So, just because they did so well that time, doesn't mean they'll necessarily do as well if it were to happen again. So, I'll keep reinforcing that recall and then work on an emergency recall I think.

And what IF your dog disappears and you don't realize it for a long time. Now that would be really scary. Hmmm...makes me think some boundary training would be a good thing. But it seems very difficult to train.:eek:

Well, I'm glad Smiley came back as well. At least I presume he did. :) Did he just obey you or did you have to go to some great lengths to get him to forget about the geese?

Thanks for your reply!
 

BostonBanker

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#4
Isn't it such a relief when your good training pays off just when you need it to?

Glad the boys are back home safe and sound! Cookies for them, and for you!
 

Ozfozz

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#5
It's such a rewarding feeling when the training pays off!
Glad they're both home safe and sound!
 

Doberluv

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Thank you Ozfozz and BB. Yes, it is a good feeling when you see your training efforts working. I also learned something. Be MORE careful! Turn around and make sure that thing is latched, whether my hands are full of tools or not. I was really mad at myself, especially since I'm always telling my son, when he visits with his dog to be sure and close the gate when he lets her in or out of the back yard. Well, anyhow, I got lucky. Thanks guys!

If I don't show up for a while, something seems to be wrong and it only happens with this website. I often have a hard time getting onto a page. It will come up, "page can not be displayed." It doesn't do that anywhere else. I'll try it again sometimes, but it can be relentless. Sometimes it finally works and sometimes not.
 

Locke

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Smiley only came back once the geese had been chased back into the water. He was in serious chase mode, which has never happened before. He immediately ran to my call once the geese were "dealt with". He was basically in a trance, and even looked surprised when he realized I was about 50 ft. away from him.
 

Doberluv

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LOL Locke! Well, donchaknow...geese are the most fun thing on earth to chase. Lyric use to love to play that game on the golf course. He really kept them moving and splashing into the nearest pond. You painted a pretty clear picture of Smiley. I bet he was grinning ear to ear.
 

CharlieDog

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I am so totally right there with you! Heart is in your throat the whole time!!!

I'm so glad this turned out the way it did! After the ordeal with Harrison, that's not something I would wish on my worst enemy!!!
 

Doberluv

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Charlie dog, I was terrified for you that whole time Harrison was missing. You are sooooo lucky to get him back. That length of time being gone is more than I think I could take. You are a trooper. I just now, today, while walking Matisse talked to a man who stopped in his truck on my back road behind my house, which is a quiet road and he said his 15 year old Lab just went missing. He lives on the other side of a big field from me. He said the poor dog can't hear or see very well...cataracts. And he went out to get the paper, talked to a neighbor for a minute and the dog who usually sticks around wandered off. He's so worried. So I said I'd keep my eye out and when I walk in the field, will look for him too. He's an old dog and the man is worried if his collar gets caught on something in that field, the coyotes will get him. So I sure do feel for that guy and the poor dog. It must happen more than we think and what a terrifying feeling.

Thanks guys...all of you. I am sure glad I found my little wee ones quickly. :)
 

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