Runaway dog!

W

wendystation

Forums Regular
Hello all...
We adopted a 4 year old sheltie 9 months ago... he had issues and was extremely timid and we question the quality of his life before the adoption. He has only recently started showing a warm and friendly personality, walking (on leash) with pride, and choosing to lay on the floor nearby in the evening (instead of at the far side of the house). So... he's been doing well. My husband walks him three times a day, using a martingale collar. (The dog has been so well behaved, we were considering testing him off leash in a nearby park.)

Today, the worst happened. A mother with two young children asked to pet the dog. While a 5 year old patted gently, a 3 year old approached from the other side and patted the dog, startling him. Honestly, we'd have never expected our dog's reaction! He bolted, managing to slip out of his snug martingale collar. He ran to the centre of a four lane highway, then kept running down the highway... with my husband in pursuit. A local emergency vehicle moving in the same direction kindly put on his flashing lights, picked up my husband, and they followed the dog. Once they caught up with him, my husband got out of the vehicle and started running, calling his name. He was finally cornered and caught about 1/2 mile away.

There's no bad guy, and no blame, here. They both came home very shaken. We were very amazed that our dog could so swiftly slip from the martingale. My question is... what collar would you recommend so that this would not happen again?
 
First of all, thank heavens you got help and everyone is all right. I think you may want to consider a harness for walks.
 
thank goodness you caught him!!! Ive experienced that moment of sheer panic and he was within arms reach when it happened to me, I used to use a martingale as well...after that situation I switched to using my show collar when anyone goes out, its much harder for them to slip out of and if they try it tightens up so they cant back out. Harnesses are often tricky as well because if they move just right when backing up they can slip out too...
 
Yes exactly... will be off and shopping tomorrow. This is our 4th Sheltie over the past 35 years, but this experience is something new to us.

Thanks Chris!
 
I use a show (choke) collar on Danny Boy. He never gets out if it. I hear that some dogs can get out of harnesses too. How terrifying for you and your husband. I would still be a nervous wreck if it happened to me and my Danny.
When I put the collar on Danny I make sure it is under his ruff fur making it impossible to get off.
 
I have a harness. this prevents him from pulling me. and with the way its structured he can't slip out. Poor baby. He must of been really scared.
 
Yes, he must have been very afraid. We'd have hoped that he would merely run across the street to avoid what frightened him but no... he was truly "off and running."
What type of harness do you use, please?
 
Firstly I wanted to say that I am so glad that your pup is okay. How scary!

Secondly, on to collars..I have always heard that if a martingale is properly fitted that a dog can't get out of it. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I know it would be VERY difficult for my dogs to get out of theirs (I have a dog who has slipped out of a regular leash and a slip leash before, and has tried on his martingale). I make them very tight, though. It's actually sort of hard to put it over their heads because it's that tight (once it's on their neck it's not that uncomfortably tight or anything--but putting it on takes some finesse).

I'm not sure that I would use a choke chain (or show lead) on a fearful dog. I say that only because there is no stopping point, and a scared dog isn't thinking clearly ("this collar is choking me because I am trying to run away, so I should stop"). A panicked dog can hurt themselves.

I also wouldn't use a harness because I have seen numerous dogs be able to get out of them--and you can't really tighten them to make it impossible if your dog knows the trick.

If I were you, I would probably try a tighter fitting martingale and then also a harness for security--that way if one fails you still have the dog, and can pick him up before he tries to get out of the second.
 
That is SO frightening! I'm so glad everyone was ok, and you managed to catch the dog quickly.

I have owned Shelties and Border Collies for close to 20 years, and that has always been one of my fears - that one of my dogs would be frightened and slip their leads and be run over by a car. (I had several childhood pets who met that awful fate.)

I've found with a rescue, you never really know what or who will startle them into flight. Sometimes that's true with dogs you've had and trained since early puppyhood.

My earlier dogs were always on metal chain (Herm Springer) fine-link chain slip collars anytime they were out in public (shows, trips to the park, classes, etc.). The only dog that managed to slip a collar was wearing a "fur saver" - type with long links in the chain. (Got home and promptly threw it out.)

When doing therapy work, my boys wore red harnesses with a red vest with their certification patches and ID pocket. By then, they were too well trained to even think about trying to get out of a harness.

I have a 6 year old rescue now, a former puppy mill mama, whom I really don't trust with a martingale, as she's managed to escape at least three times in the year she's been with me. I've reluctantly had to go back to the slip chain. I just make sure to part her coat when I put it on her so that it lies next to her skin, rather than around her ruff.

Even if I trust a dog on-lead, I still look out for the dog's safety and peace of mind.
 
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