my husband lost my dog

[Jamiya]

She's fine now, but about two weeks ago, my husband lost Bonnie at the off-leash park!! We have a HUGE park here and part of it is designated as off-leash but it is not fenced in. It is also heavily wooded in parts. I used to be nervous going there, but we have been taking the dogs there for 2 years now without a problem. They always stay pretty close to each other and to me.

Now, when I go if I can't see or hear one of the dogs for more than about 5 seconds, I call to them. They always come to check in, and I rarely have to call. My husband will let them go longer before calling to them, but it's one of those things I don't feel like I can complain about - differences in style and all that, and I do tend to be overly protective and a worry wart.

So, the Sunday before last, my husband took the dogs to the park. They hadn't been out in about a month because of the whole parvo puppy thing, so they were really excited. The last thing I said to him before he left was, "Take care of my dogs!"

An hour later, he called me and said he couldn't find Bonnie. I raced out there and we looked and looked and we couldn't find her. This place is HUGE. I had someone tell me they saw her in the parking lot, but by the time I got back there she was nowhere to be seen. She was sighted once by a friend, but again I got there too late. My husband saw her but she tucked tail and ran - poor thing must have been totally freaked out by then!

I refused to leave the park without her. It was starting to get late so my husband went home for more supplies and I stayed. He told me to wait where we saw her last and just keep calling for her. But I couldn't just sit there, so I walked all the way back to the parking lot (farther than I thought it was!) and called to her and she came running out of the bushes! I wanted to hug her, but of course she was covered in horse poop. Ugh.

All told, it was a 4-hour search. I was so panicked. It was awful!! Maybe now he will listen to me, assuming he ever takes them to the park again. I have been going to the fenced park since then, just to be safe.

Bonnie is a shy dog, so she wouldn't approach any of the people who tried to get a leash on her. Nala would have gone right up to them and probably knocked them down! At least Bonnie is easy to describe and most people remember seeing her.

[charmedagain]

Oh jamiya i can really understand how you feel, I was the same when Ice escaped becuase my friend hadnt close the gate properly.

You just go into a state of panic and there is no calming you till you find them.

Glad she is home safely and is well, Dont think i could have hugged her full of horse poop either lol.

Mike

[hermann muenster]

Thanks for sharing that story --- I am sooooo glad that the ending was happy!
You reassured me about taking my dogs to the parks and letting them off leash.
Even though all of our dogs have been well trained and very obedient - I was always nervous about letting them go "free" in an unfenced area. I don't know of any parks or preserves in this area that are fenced. Actually most of them either back up to highways, woods, or railroads.

I'll just keep that long clothesline under the seat of the car for park trips!!!

[honeybears]

you are so lucky! 4 hours would have given a freakin heatr attack. Bonnie must have been so scared. Do you think she was chasing something or just got disoriented?

"Now, when I go if I can't see or hear one of the dogs for more than about 5 seconds, I call to them. They always come to check in, and I rarely have to call. My husband will let them go longer before calling to them, but it's one of those things I don't feel like I can complain about - differences in style and all that, and I do tend to be overly protective and a worry wart. "

This is us to a T.

And now that I live on Acreage and since Wylie got attacked in broad daylight by a pack of coyotes, you think he would learn but nooooo. I dont let them out of my sight, he lets them wander when he is out doing his chores, Last week I came home from work, he is out putting out the trash, here comes Wylie running up to greet me but no Jake, my husband says I only let him out 5 seconds ago. After what seemed like 5 minutes of calling here comes Jake. I know he wont wander too far, (he goes on these snifftest where the deer and turkey have been) but you cant see him because of trees and brush, but I now am terrified of the coyotes. I just dont know how people where I live elt thier dogs live outside with fences.

[Mary_NH]

glad you found her so quickly. I know to you it seemed like a lifestyle - but read this one
I've been following this and I nearly jumped through my ceiling when I heard the news tonight
http://www.wmur.com/news/8487630/detail.html

[Jamiya]

When we lost Missy who was terrified of new people (or rather, her new owners lost her just after adopting her), we had to use a humane trap to get her. She would not come to ANYONE, and she wasn't even sighted for 5 days after getting lost. While looking for her, I saw a male dog that looks sort of like a big cocker loose in one of the local parks. I tried to get him but he disappeared. Turns out he has been loose for months and they have set traps for him but he manages to get the food and get back out of the trap before it closes.

I think we will still take the dogs to the big off-leash park which is unfenced, but I will definitely keep close tabs on them and I bet my husband will as well. Either that or he'll start refusing to take Bonnie and only take Nala. It hasn't come up again yet.

I don't think she ran off on purpose. I think she got disoriented and went back to where the car was parked. Then when all the people started chasing after her, she freaked out.

[DMikeM]

What happens when one person whistles in an off leash park?
I whistle so loud that anyone in a 5 to 10 foot area from me will grab ears and back away, I have actually rung my own ears doing it.

[honeybears]

"What happens when one person whistles in an off leash park? "

LOL I have never thought of that one, and that is how we reccall Wylie, so do you have other peoples dogs come to you or do the dogs know their owners whistle

[Jamiya]

They probably know their owners' whistles. Most dogs will turn and look but not come unless you look particularly tastey or something.