Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 5:09 pm Post subject: Trust - A deadly disease ....don't let it take your dog!
I have just read a thread about someone asking if people walk their dogs offleads and it reminded me of this article....
There is a deadly disease stalking your dog, a hideous, stealthy thing just waiting its chance to steal your beloved friend. It is not a new disease, or one for which there are inoculations. The disease is called "Trust."
You knew before you ever took your puppy home that it could not be trusted. The breeder who provided you with this precious animal warned you, drummed it into your head. Puppies steal off counters, destroy anything expensive, chase cats, take forever to house train, and must never be allowed off lead!!
When the big day finally arrived, heeding the sage advice of the breeder, you escorted your puppy to his new home, properly collared and tagged, the lead held tightly in your hand.
At home the house was "puppy-proofed." Everything of value was stored in the spare bedroom, garbage stowed on top of the refrigerator, cats separated, and a gate placed across the living room to keep at least one part of the house puddle free. All windows and doors had been properly secured, and signs placed in all strategic points reminding all to "Close the door!"
Soon it becomes second nature to make sure the door closes nine-tenths of a second after it was opened and that it is really latched. "Don't let the dog out" is your second most verbalized expression. (The first is "No!")
You worry and fuss constantly, terrified that your darling will get out and disaster will surely follow. Your friends comment about who you love most, your family or the dog. You know that to relax your vigil for a moment might lose him to you forever.
And so the weeks and months pass, with your puppy becoming more civilized every day, and the seeds of trust are planted. It seems that each new day brings less destruction, less breakage. Almost before you know it, your gangly, slurpy puppy has turned into an elegant, dignified friend.
Now that he is a more reliable, sedate companion, you take him more places. No longer does he chew the steering wheel when left in the car. And darned if that cake wasn't still on the counter this morning. And, oh yes, wasn't that the cat he was sleeping with so cozily on your pillow last night?
At this point you are beginning to become infected, the disease is spreading its roots deep into your mind.
And then one of your friends suggest obedience classes, and, after a time you even let him run loose from the car into the house when you get home. Why not, he always runs straight to the door, dancing a frenzy of joy and waits to be let in. And, remember he comes every time he is called. You know he is the exception that disproves the rule. (And sometimes late at night, you even let him slip out the front door to go potty and then right back in.)
Years pass - it is hard to remember why you ever worried so much when he was a puppy. He would never think of running out the door left open while you bring in the packages from the car. It would be beneath his dignity to jump out the window of the car while you run into the convenience store. And when you take him for those wonderful long walks at dawn, it only takes one whistle to send him racing back to you in a burst of speed when the walk comes too close to the highway. (He still gets in the garbage, but nobody is perfect!)
This is the time the disease has waited for so patiently. Sometimes it only has to wait a year or two, but often it takes much longer. He spies the neighbor dog across the street, and suddenly forgets everything he ever knew about not slipping out doors, jumping out windows or coming when called due to traffic. Perhaps it was only a paper fluttering in the breeze, or even just the sheer joy of running.....
Stopped in an instant. Stilled forever- Your heart is broken at the sight of his still beautiful body.
The disease is trust. The final outcome, hit by a car.
Every morning my dog bounced around off lead exploring. Every morning for seven years he came back when he was called. He was perfectly obedient, perfectly trustworthy. He died fourteen hours after being hit by a car.
Please do not risk your friend and your heart. Save the trust for things that do not matter.
Please read this every year on your puppy's birthday, lest we forget.
by Sharon Mathers
Last edited by Littlelab on Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:24 pm; edited 2 times in total
____________ Natalie x
LAB LINK RESCUE Co ordinator and Forum Administrator for my sins
Jack, Molly & Maia, watched over by Tara Banana from the Bridge
I cringe every time I see a dog off lead near a road or other dangerous environment. It takes a split second for a terrible tragedy to occur - don't ever take a chance with your dog's safety, however perfectly obedient you believe him/her to be. Err on the side of caution!
Gosh - if only they gave that out at obedience classes, think of the lives that could be saved, all lost tragically when those that 'never did that before' run out onto the road.
____________ Jane - Rosie, Frank, Suki, Lily, Lewis
I know people who 'trust' their dogs to run straight from the car to the house and vice versa, and say to me 'it's really quiet here, they can't go anywhere, nothing can happen, my dogs are never on a lead and we don't need them to be because they're never road walked.'
Everytime I hear it I silently hope that they're right and nothing ever does happen.
So very True Nat and proven to me this week by my very own flea ridden mongrel (aka Jet) who did in fact take himself off for a little wander from our very quiet road, etc, etc...
Luckily there was a happy ending for me and Jet but he won't be given the chance again. As I said on hte other thread I do let him walk off lead by my side but only when it is safe to do so and I do do it reguarly with him to practice the skill.
This has really hit home to me.
I trusted Diesel to listen to me so kept him off lead near the river and he still jumped in.
As you kow there was a happy ending but ill never let that trust barrier down again.
A similar thing happened to my first dog,Giz. He'd always walked off lead and was very obedient, had great recall and would always sit at any kerb and not move to cross the road unless instructed to. That was until he was 13 year old, i believe old age had got the better of him,his eye sight had deteriorated and his hearing wasn't what it used to be. He was out walking one evening with my Grandad, when he simply walked out in front of a car, killing him instantly. My Grandad has never got over it, and can't bring himself to "warm" to any other dogs that have come into the family over the passing years, he still blames himself.
We've learnt the hard way not to have ours dog/s off lead, Harley is only ever allowed to roam free when she is well away from roads, eg woodlands, open fields or beaches. She is only freed from her lead on her return home once she is inside the house and the doors are firmly closed.
As the saying goes " Best to be safe than sorry!"
I used to live in Hertford shire in a very quiet village. Everyday my neighbour walked her old collie - off the lead - up the road and accross a quiet main road to the fields, she had done this for years. One day the dog, instead of standing and waiting at the kerb - as it had done for years - stepped off and was hit by a car. it just stepped out in front of the car and the dog had no chance. The old dear was heartbroken, but, came to me and told me how she regretted not heeding my words of caution which were 'a dog is a dog and you just dont know what is going on in that head and you cannot say ' keep near me or you may get run over' - keep your dog on a lead and you will be sure the dog is safe'.
Another one is letting your dogs just jump out of your car.
An old friend of mine let her dog just leap out and one day got hit by a car - on the ever of her wedding, so the morning of her weding, instead of me helping her to get ready, I was disposing of a dead dog and she got married with a red blotchy face.
Better to be safe than sorry.
it is not clever to let your dog walk to heel off lea d unless in the open.
Sherry
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