Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:42 am Post subject: UPDATE - Joey ran away from me and is now a scaredy pup!
Hi everyone.
I’m really really shaken up by what happened this morning and I’d be really grateful if you could read through this and hopefully give me some reassurance, tell me how to deal better with this situation if it happens again, or how to stop it from happening again!
I take Joey to the same field every morning for a run around. Joey loves ‘his’ field and has been going there every since he was tiny. This week he’s been acting a bit strange in his field. Monday, yesterday and this morning he had his nose glued to the ground sniffing something, and acting very scared, low to the ground, tail between his legs, and jumping at every little noise.
This morning it became apparent why he’d been doing this. At the end of the walk we got back near the road and I put on his lead as normal. Then I saw a guy with two huge black Alsatian looking dogs approaching the field. I didn’t think anything of it as Joey is always fine around other dogs.
These 2 dogs came barging over to Joey in quite a confrontational way and Joey hid behind my legs growling under his breath, ears pinned back, tail between legs, low to the ground. They had a sniff off him and then started marking the ground next to us.
Here’s where I made my STUPID STUPID mistake. I asked the guy if they were friendly and he sort of grunted yes and thinking Joey might feel more confident and make friends with them if he was off lead I let him off. I’m such an IDIOT. I’ll never forgive myself for doing this. He walked in a big circle round them, putting the 2 dogs between me and him, and then he walked out of the field and set off home!!!!!!!
I couldn’t believe it!!!!!! He was whining under his breath and obviously terrified, but he kept looking back at me and slowly ‘slunk’ down the steps, out of the field and on to the road. He has never ever left the field without me before and I would never have thought he would. In fact he has never run away from me before.
Anyway I ran after him calling him, rattling my treats (TBH he was never more than 3 or 4 metres ahead of me at any time and he kept stopping and looking back, either looking for me or for the other dogs). He just determinedly kept trotting home. So I ran in the other direction and managed to grab him and get him back on lead. By now I’m shaking and crying. What if a car had come? What if I hadn’t managed to grab him and he’d just ran off?
So we eventually got home safely.
I’m still so devastated about this. The fact that he didn’t trust me to look after him, ran away from me, didn’t come back to me when I called him, went into the road etc etc
So what do I do now? How do I stop this happening again? At the moment I’m considering never letting him off-lead again! I’m still shaking from it literally. Any advice please?????
Last edited by Nic on Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:56 am; edited 1 time in total
Oh nic, i can imagine how you must feel but i will say DO NOT beat yourself up over this - No dogs recall will ever be 100%! even those who think - dogs are still animals at the end of the day and can still be unpredictable as Joey was. There was oviously another factor effecting his recall (the other dogs) so I certainly would not think he was running from you personally. Id say his looking back was more for you to be with him, did the dogs follow?
I am not an expert at all to advice what to do next but clearly these dogs are on the field now and will probably use it as they wish, so Joey needs to be used to this, try having him on a long line next time so you still have controll but he still has freedom, Dont mummy cuddle him when he is in their path as this will only make his fear justified. I would also suggest getting him interacting with other dogs you know ASAP to cure any fear he may have, you will probably find he is still okay with other dogs and for some reason these two were a problem
As i say I am not an expert but from an outside view I can see how you can blame yourself for letting him off. please dont, nobody would know how their dog will react to that situation and you are the same as everyone else
Sorry to hear what happened to you, please dont blame yourself, you couldn't have known that Joey would react like that, and as Laura said, you are both safe.
Like Marinda said, a long line might be an option. Dont lose your confidence, easier said than done I know.
Oh Nic, please don't beat yourself up over this, just put it down to experience.
I have on two occasions had my dogs go back to the car without me (running flat out ). On both occasions they had been rough-up by other dogs (once two GSD's, once 3 Boxers). This has only happened to me twice in years though. Unfortunately, if your dog does get that scared they will just run (or fight ), it's a natural reaction.
It'll probably never happen again, but if it does try not to chase after him (really difficult I know). As this will make him think you are scared of the dogs too, so confirming his fear. If you can, run in the other direction, calling him, as soon as he looks towards you. He doesn't want to lose you, you are his best friend.
Don't beat yourself up though Nic, it could have happened to anyone, with even the most perfectly trained and obedient dog. The old flight or fight reaction is ingrained in all .
Poor you!!
Sorry I don't have any advice for you, wish I did, but please don't beat yourself up. I'm only guessing here, but Joey might pick up that your upset with the alsatan dogs and reinforce his fear, or something.
Sorry I'm no help at all but be strong and what with everyones support and wonderful advice it'll be sorted in no time.
____________ Kimberley,Sheppy and Amber
Amber/Shep
awww Nic bless you try not to be upset - Ruby used to bolt from me when she was scared as I have said. It really used to upset me too I wanted to be the one to protect her too.
The way we got round it was to both go and be apart then if something scared her by me she would run to hubby and vice versa - she soon got her confidence and is now lots better.
What I did do though is lose my confidence which made it all a lot worse so try not to do that - easier said than done I know
No advice really other than that - maybe alter the times you walk him to avoid the 2 particular dogs for a bit ? or maybe thats the worst thing to do hmmm not much help am I - loads of hugs to you anyway my lovely
Thanks everyone for reading my lengthy story! And I'm glad its happened to others as well!
I can't understand why he was so scared of them - very strange. And I wonder if its related to the recent 'snip' - he's less confident perhaps without his testosterone?
Regardless of that I don't know now whether to take him back to the field again and risk it happening again, or avoid it for a bit?
I'd take him somewhere different for a while, just until you (and he ) have got your confidence back.
I would doubt it is anything to do with his lack of testosterone, as he has only just been done and it takes a while for the levels to fall. They were more than likely just very intimidating dogs (GSD's do seem to be like this a lot).
If it makes you feel happier, then go back to using the long-line until you're sure this was just a one off. However, I must say that if he had been approach by these dogs and was on-lead, he would be much more likely to fight (out of fear), as his flight option would have been taken away . Sometimes it's best for them to do the cowardly thing .
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
). On both occasions they had been rough-up by other dogs (once two GSD's, once 3 Boxers). This has only happened to me twice in years though. Unfortunately, if your dog does get that scared they will just run (or fight 
.
