I'd like to share a story about walking with our Bella when she was about a year old. She's almost 3 yrs old next month. She wears an XS harness that fits perfectly. When we were travelling in the USA on vacation, I bought her a pretty pink size S harness thinking she would grow into it. Anyways I used it on our walk and while walking, she stopped and didn't want to go in my direction. I was ahead of her and tried to tug at her leash and when I looked back the harness went over her head and it was off. In that moment I was in shocked that it went off and said to myself Oops, and at the same time I think Bella was surprised and she probably thought oh gosh, wow, freedom, no more leash on myself, yay! The chase started and I was running after Bella, (I have arthritis and can't run but I did my best, of course she's a lot faster) and I ran behind her on to the road begging her to stay, stop loudly. A couple of cars were behind me and we could've got killed or me anyways. It was a real scare talk about protecting your life for your furbaby. Even though she went to puppy training, intermediate etc. but she thought we were playing a game and kept running and I was behind her. I quickly used my cell phone to call for help at home (screaming into the phone, Bella off leash, help, and out of breath) and thank goodness my adult son was home on a Sat. and he came running out. I was so grateful he found us in the distance. Otherwise he wouldn't have known which street we were on in our neighborhood since Bella was leading the direction. He chased after her and only got to her when she was out of breath and stopped at a neighbour's house, he caught her. This was a real lesson and the biggest scare for me. No more Size S Harness for a 6 pound yorkie, although this past year she's gained weight about 1.5 pounds more. We walk slowly now on a XS harness and she sniffs and stops and smells the roses, lol. |