Quote: Rick Miller

but the dogs get away because you lost control of them.

I am not saying the dog may not catch you off gaurd and run away from you sometime but that is where a good recall is crutial.

Since I pretty much took offense to these statements in the way that they were written I need some clarification......


So, what your saying is that when I am at work and my dog escapes a kennel (this has happened twice with my LAB due to my bitch being in heat, but each time my dog has been sleeping next to my bitches kennel and you can bet I spent money for a top to the kennel which is 7' high to begin with), that I lost control?
And yes, all of my dogs recall (the Bloodhounds even do but drag a long line as well).

It's really sad that some dogs do not get free time to run around and be a dog (under handler supervision of course).
Even when I lived in Washington state I made it point to find a place where my dogs could run free, explore and do doggie stuff.
Can't expect them to be our robots ALL of the time, for as good as they are to us they absolutely deserve it.

Forgot to leave the "for those of you that have 6 dogs" part in the quote above.

 Quote: rick miller

By the way, no offense to any of you all here, especially folks with 6 dogs, but the dogs get away because you lost control of them.

Um, you need to rethink your statement. Having 6 dogs, I feel I am in a much more REALITY-BASED mindset when I decide to chip my dogs (some are, some aren't). Not only are your allegations that we "lost control" offensive, but they're extremely naiive as well.

 Quote: rick miller

I have one dog

Yes, it is obvious from your posts that you have only one dog.

 Quote:

When I am gone she is in the crate. If I had more than one dog, or lived on a sizeable amount of property, I may let the dog run free.

OOOOOKKKKAAAAAAYYYY, so what happens if your one dog manages to get too far ahead, or is captivated by something fuzzy and fast-moving?

I don't think you mean any harm, Rick, but you are really sounding both judgmental and inexperienced. No offense to your dog at all, but your dog's temperament is not exactly typical for this board. Many of us have dogs who not only are expert escape artists and highly-driven, but dogs who are extremely valuable as well, and therefore a target for theft. Putting them in a crate (as you suggested is the answer)is going to do nothing but leave them defenseless as sitting ducks for a determined thief. Soooo, it is not always a question of us "losing control of them." We cannot bring these animals to work every day...most days, but not every day.

Few questions for you, Rick: Have you ever come home to be greeted in the driveway by your beloved dog who has let themselves out of your LOCKED house? Lemme guess....no?

Or, have you ever left your dog in a 6' kennel and blocked off every area that he would try to land on if he were to jump it (which you fully expected him to do), only to come home and find that he instead "unwove" all the chain link instead so now instead of a kennel panel you have some loose hanging thick wires? Lemme guess again...no?

If you have all the answers to dog containment, I invite you to come to my house and devise an enclosure other than a LOCKED crate that Caleb cannot get out of, so I do not "lose control" of him ever again. BTW, while he's out of control, he's usually found on my front porch...he just doesn't like being contained like some animal.

Oh, Sandy..."nemesis Chihuahua"...OMG...they are SO much alike.

---

 Quote:

It's really sad that some dogs do not get free time to run around and be a dog (under handler supervision of course).
Even when I lived in Washington state I made it point to find a place where my dogs could run free, explore and do doggie stuff.
Can't expect them to be our robots ALL of the time, for as good as they are to us they absolutely deserve it.

I agree with the above %100. I understand it is not possible for all dogs. We get so involved on this board about dogs not going out of doors before us, or only peeing on command....and so on, I think that there is value in dogs just getting some being dogs time too!

From Rick:

 Quote:

but the dogs get away because you lost control of them.

I am not saying the dog may not catch you off gaurd and run away from you sometime but that is where a good recall is crutial

Okay Rick, if there is one thing I have learned in life it is to be carefull about saying/thinking "that would never happen to me!" Never say never!

Back on topic. My dog is chiped, came that way. Came vaccinated too I have found many in my breed are going back to tattoos.

Different chips readers only reading one kind of chip had been a big issue in the US, not sure if it still is. We are standerdiezed in Can now, that said, my dog was chipped in the USA. This thread reminds me I need to check if my dog's chip can even be read in these parts. (Bad dog owner, I know!)

I reserve the right to weight the pros and cons for me and my situation when I get my next dog. If I got a tattooed dog from a breeder I would not additionally have it chipped. Unless the tat became unreadable maybe.

 Quote: jenni williams

only to come home and find that he instead "unwove" all the chain link instead so now instead of a kennel panel you have some loose hanging thick wires?

Oooh Ooooh Ooooh, I spent two hours this morning weaving my lower corner chainlink back together this morning.....my GDS bitch got bored of her kong and decided to remodel her big kennel.....and of course, while I was fixing one corner she was working on another one..... Gotta LOVE drive.....she came to work with me today.....needless to say.

 Quote: Rick Miller

...By the way, no offense to any of you all here, especially folks with 6 dogs, but the dogs get away because you lost control of them.

Losing control of the dog is not the point (at least not my point). The point is that sometimes awful things happen, no matter how much control we think we have. Kind of like life. Do you know how amazing it is that a police dog with intense drive that it takes to do the work can be called off an attack, right in the middle of his intense drive? Not every person can train that, not every dog will respond even if trained. It only takes one time, as what happened with Lear. With his kind of drive and determination to get that Chi, I was fortunate he came to me, he was fortunate. Had the Chi lived further away, we both may not have been so fortunate. Lear may have been locked in the chase and not responded.

The one dog that got away from me, never to be found in spite of endless days searching everywhere, was a 6 month old GSD pup that jumped a 6' wall in front of me and took off like a flash and it took some distance for me to get out front. How on earth was I to know he could do that? Was it avoidable? No, it wasn't. That wall had kept my other 2 dogs in.

The other 2 dogs did get out once because of a gate my little sister thought she had latched. But thank God, they both found their way back 3 days later while I was out front crying. Found their way back through a suburban jungle with 6 lane boulevards, paws bloodied, hungry and thirsty, the GSD leading the way.

I take great care in making sure my Lear never gets lost. I try to foresee what could happen and how it could happen. I feel stupid that I didn't foresee him possibly blowing through the screen door. I can only look at it as another thing to keep in mind to keep him safe.

As far as you having Bella always on leash with you in the house, I don't have Lear on leash in the house (anymore). I feel he's earned the right to be off leash in his own home (there's no way he can get out). Except when I leave, then he's crated. But I can hardly wait for the time when that will not be necessary. I don't want him defenseless in his crate should there be an intruder. This concerns me very much.

Jenni, this Chi was the same one that jumped out barking from behind a large bush when Lear was about 3 months old, when we were walking and he stopped to sniff the bush. Lear of course barked back and tried to get to the Chi. He's never forgotten that, it seems. Same Chi that barks at me when I drive up sometimes. When Lear, who's inside, knows I'm outside and the Chi starts barking, he absolutely goes nuts with the deep GSD throaty bark. If he doesn't hear barking, he just whines until I walk through the door . The Chi also hasn't forgotten Lear chased him back through the hole in the Chi's gate, so he takes off when he sees us walking.

Now see, Rick, the Chi has a hole in the gate. That is lack of control of a dog. Easily fixed, but the owner could give a rat's a**.

 Quote: Sandy Moore

Now see, Rick, the Chi has a hole in the gate. That is lack of control of a dog. Easily fixed, but the owner could give a rat's a**.

Sandy,

Plug the hole while the Chi is in your yard, then catch it and let Leer out to play...... I know I am evil, but I am really kind of ticked at some of the comments that were made here.....


Guess I better delve into strict obedience and not let my dogs, who search for lost people, range away from me, and I better keep my (natural instinct) bird dogs 5 feet away from me too.....don't want them hunting on their own.....

The primary point is being missed here:

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any dog worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his scruff, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.

Oh Steven...

Good lighten up message :laugh: