Dog Community

I almost got in big trouble. I need help

Posted : 6/8/2006 10:53:55 AM

Sara has been really good in not takin off across the road for about 2 weeks. As long as I am with her she is fine. Well I had to get in the pool to vacuum last night and she was running around the pool to see me. I dove under the water to cool off and I see Sara is not there. She is across the road with the neighbors dog. So I get out of the pool and she comes running. An unmarked police car slows down and then keeps going. I thought "Oh Crap" I'm in touble. 20 minutes later he pulls in our drive and says "Do you always allow your dog to run free?" I explained that she never used to do this until recently because they have new pups across the road and I am tring to train her to stop.

He says " I know you live in the county but you can not allow your dog to run free. I came 2 inches from hitting and killing yoour dog"

I said I'm very sorry, it wont happen again. He was no where near close to hitting Sara but thats not the point. I felt like a real @$$.

So Sara has to stay on her lead while outside now. What can I do to stop this? When it first started I would go and get her and put her in her kennel as punishment. Then she would do it again. So I started where I would just talk very calmly to her telling her to stay. And it was working. She is a very smart dog, but I have to get this to stop. I don't want to have to keep her tied up when we are outside. A fence is not an option.

We will play and run and do games with her, then we have to tie her up when we are done for fear she'll run off. I know the cop will be back because he hangs out with my kids friends parents. I don't want a fine and worse I don't want Sara to get hit.

rwbeagles

Posted : 6/8/2006 11:08:15 AM

I don't want to be harsh here....but it is YOUR responsibility to contain your dog. Training is not going to keep you from breaking the law...if the law is..."dogs must be contained or on lead". I assume your reasoning is that if she does not cross the road...and is on your property she is fine. Well that may or may not be true from a law perspective.

Ex my Beagles are on tie out when in MY front yard....because the law states any dog in public must be ON LEAD. Period...no accomodations are made for 'on your front lawn etc". There are also laws on the books about dogs running AT LARGE and containment etc. I would assume since the officer spoke to you about it...there are laws out there also. Read what the laws are and follow them...

Build a fence...buy a kennel...or tie her down...those are your options for preventing her from becoming road kill. NO dog, even those trained within an inch of being robotic...should be expected to obey 100% of the time given the draw of other dogs, their hormones (she's still unaltered right?), or a cat or squirrel running in front of them...etc. You should ALWAYS have a back up plan and assume the worst can happen....that's how you keep your kids safe...and the same applies to your pets IMO.

magilacudy

Posted : 6/8/2006 11:37:21 AM

No here your dog does not have to be tied. I could walk with Sara with out a leash and she can be in the yard without a leash. The law here is your dog can not wander without you.

Ok so the sollution is Sara will have to be tied.

brookcove

Posted : 6/8/2006 11:44:33 AM

That's a shame. What's the problem with putting up a small fence?

agilebcs

Posted : 6/8/2006 11:48:14 AM

What about an invisible fence? One of those cable dog runs?

Why isn't she spayed? With no fence to contain her you know that you're just courting trouble and unnecessary puppies, right?

Also, be careful about using her kennel (crate or a kennel run?) as punishment. She doesn't connect going out of the yard to then being put in her kennel as punishment. Rather, she'll associate coming back to you with being put in her kennel. Pretty soon she won't want to come at all.

When I was 17 my horse was hit by a car and I watched it happen and as a result I'm now very very very careful with my dogs near any roads. The responsibility to contain her is yours - it's not her responsibility to never leave her own yard and if she gets hit it's totally your fault.

rwbeagles

Posted : 6/8/2006 11:55:12 AM

Agile that's already happened...the litter was what first brought Angel here []. I think right now it's something that is going to be done just a matter of when it's financially feasible maybe>?

Angel have you looked into any low cost spay clinics or mobile things put on by your animal control? Those I hear are a good option...she should be coming in heat again soon I think yes? Pups have been gone a while...

That's got to be a priority as tieing her out won't prevent a dog from coming up and tieing her the other way lol.

agilebcs

Posted : 6/8/2006 12:54:06 PM

Ah, thanks Gina.

I can't decide which I think is more irresponsible, an unspayed female or allowing your dog to be loose outside without a secure fence or having it on a lead. I guess anyone can find justification for either though.

magilacudy

Posted : 6/8/2006 2:27:46 PM

Fist of all agile don't even start by calling me irresposible, you have no idea how and what happend with Sara. What have you been here for a month?

Sara was spayed 3 weeks after the pups left. I never mentioned anything because I felt bad enough for not having someone responsible watch my dog. And for making the mistake of not getting her fixed right away. I didn't even want to think about what happend. There were no problems when she was fixed. So pups are not an option.

Sara does not roam the county, she roams my yard. The new pups have been here for maybe a month or 2 months. I brought Sara over to meet them and since then, she has tried to dash to them. I was trying to correct this. We live on a farm and I didn not want her tied all the time. But now that is ruined. I just thought maybe there was a way I could train her not to do this. If not fine, simple answer she can not be outside unless she is tied.

I care for Sara as much as I do my children. I do not beat my dog, neglect her health, or do anything else that would make me a bad owner.I made ONE mistake of not getting her fixed right away. Assuming she would be fine because we live so far from other people and their were no dogs around. It's too bad I didn't find this board when I first FOUND sara.

I have been asked MANY MANY times by the local shelter to foster kittens. I have taken in over 20 rabbits from a rescue 2 hours away from me. I don't feel I should have to explain my whole story again.

Call me deffensive?? No not at all, I just asked a simple question and I get someone assuming things.

agilebcs

Posted : 6/8/2006 2:55:19 PM

I didn't assume that you have Sara loose and able to leave your property - you stated that yourself. Dogs roam, some more than others, but that's what they do and I don't believe you can "train" her not to leave your property except maybe with an e-fence. What you can do to stop her from leaving your property (and that was your question, right?) is get some sort of a fence, tie her up, or keep an eye on her at all times and have a reliable recall and hope that that recall doesn't fail at some point.

And no, I've been here longer than a month. But what does how long I've been posting have to do with anything?

Oh, and in my book taking your eyes off a loose dog that you know will leave your property is irresponsible.

magilacudy

Posted : 6/8/2006 3:08:18 PM

And no, I've been here longer than a month. But what does how long I've been posting have to do with anything?

Because you know NOTHING about me or my dog.

Oh, and in my book taking your eyes off a loose dog that you know will leave your property is irresponsible.

It does not make me irresponsible. Thats a pretty harsh word to call someone, that had their dog run off on them. It's not like I open the door and she's gone for the day and I let her in when she comes back. I was outside with her and got her right away.

magilacudy

Posted : 6/8/2006 3:10:15 PM

BTW there have been so many people here that had their dog run across the road, or run away from them. And all anyone says is "oh what a good girl for coming back" I'd like to see you call one of them irresponsible.

hlb118

Posted : 6/8/2006 3:30:32 PM

When Sasha got out, I considered myself as being irresponsible. And in your situation, it was irresponsible. I had to own up to many mistakes I've made with the dogs, and part of solving the problem is realizing that you should have done something to prevent her from crossing the street in the first place.

Now that you know she will cross the road when you turn your head, you should have 100% eyes on her, or have her confined.

Even though your street may not be busy, you could have a dead dog on your hands if you turn your head just for one second if Sarah's off leash.

Xerxes

Posted : 6/8/2006 3:36:35 PM

Angel,

I know I'm coming from my own perspective here but bear with me... With my particular dog, a pharaoh hound, I cannot let him off lead in ANY unfenced area. Sighthounds chase anything that moves and when on the hunt will not generally come back on a recall. Some will, most won't.

I don't know your specific situation, but I live in a suburban area with leash laws so to me having a dog run loose in the front yard is inappropriate.

I know that comment does not answer your question but perhaps this will; Buy a long training lead, I've seen them in lengths of up to 30 feet. Clip or tie one end to your person. This way the dog does not have the ability or freedom to run across the road. You will have to limit your girls freedom because she's already abused the trust. And this abuse of trust has the penalty of her life, if she's not a careful dog.

amstaffy

Posted : 6/8/2006 3:42:50 PM

IF you have a leash law in your area/town/state YOU are responsible to contain your dog. Be it by fenced yard, leash, kennel or tie out. If your dog is completely obedience trained and is off leash but in your control that also qualifies as being contained.

If your dog is not contained then you are being irresponsible in the care of your dog and it's well being as well as not respecting the law or your neighbors.

There are many options for you to prevent this from happening.

I also want to remind you that the tone you take on a message board can be taken differently then intended and what I read above is uncalled for.

kaf

Posted : 6/8/2006 3:46:35 PM

Drs Foster and Smith even makes 50 footers [

]

http://tinyurl.com/ekad5