Spiteful?
 

We had one of the worst mornings with Emmy the other day. We took her out to go potty before we went to work. She did her thing like a good girl, then we give her a treat in the gated entry way to our house. There is opennings at the bottom, but she has never gone near them. Well after getting her treat and was off her leash, she darted under the gate and started running! Now we live on the same road as an elementary school and at 8 am it is crazy! She ran out in the road 3 times and wouldn't come to any of us for anything! We were all panicing but finally after 20 minutes someone caught her. Later that day, she pooped in the house twice and threw up in one of our rooms. Do you think she did that out of spite? We did give her a harsh scolding because she needs to know that she can't run off like that and not come back, esp. into the road! Anyone else have any close scares either?

-Ashley & Emmy :aimeeyork

tonee has taken off down the street several times. if the door was open one second too long "zip" she was gone. we were right behind her. a person could get soooo mad chasing her. she would let you get a finger tip away from her then dart. then one day she just stopped she would dart out the door and i would thing "not again" and she would just go to the tree look at me and run back when i called her. i guess maybe they grow out of it.....

Catch that pup!
 

I'll never ever forget the fear I had when Paddy was about 5 months old and she pulled so hard on her collar that it broke loose from her neck and the retractable leash flew back in my face. Paddy paused for one brief second, looking at me, then took off at full gallop :doghop: through our yard, neighbors' yards, into the street several times, back up the hill to our yard until I finally cornered her. I now use harnesses only and never trust any of my dogs off leash outside! I just can't risk their safety and I don't trust the little stinkers!!! :rolleyes:

I would really doubt that she did what she did out of spite.

My 7-month-old Yorke got loose for the first time two days ago - and boy did he have fun. He totally ignored me - never ever looked back when I called him. He ran to the end of a grassy area (almost a block and a half) to an area near the street - turned around and went out into the horse pasture for 20 minutes or so and then went over to the State Park (where I couldn't even see him) for nearly 40 minutes. The only good thing was that he was running with my other - more experienced dog.

I left my door open and twice he actually came back into the house, barked at me, and took off again. The third time he came in - I threw a piece of chicken into the kitchen, and when he went for that, I ran across the room and closed the door - and finally caught had him!!!!!

I can promise you that he held no grudge - but he sure had fun while he was out.

This was his first experience being loose and I certainly learned that he can't be trusted and won't come when I call him. So, he's back on the leash and some big-time training is on its way.

Carol Jean

Little terd! I don't think that she did it out of spite. Chances are, her nerves were worked up. They do get scared/traumatized when they get out. Even though they "think" they want freedom or to explore, the strange sounds and smells really frighten them.

We learned in Puppy school that if they do that, don't run after them. Make sure that they see you and run in a different direction. Be sure that you stay in thier eye sight. They will soon think you are playing a game with them and chase you!

Treats alway help too! Katy used to break out and take herself for a walk on our waking path if I didn't go for a walk with her when she wanted to.

VERY good idea! :thumbup:

Boy oh boy...I know that feeling when these little stinkers decide to take off! It's happened a few times with Maddie and I think they do think it's a game. She seemed to do that more as a puppy...she hasn't done it lately...she's 18 months now. *Knock on wood!*

I'm so glad Emmy was caught before a terrible accident happened. I don't think she'd act like that outta spite...I think she had an upset tummy!

No, definitely not spite.

I do know this, though. Chances are good that now that she's figured out how much fun it is to escape through that opening, she's going to continue doing it. :eek: You'll need to figure out how to prevent that - either by blocking the openings or keeping her on a leash when she's in that part of the yard.

I'd also work harder on my "come" command!

Good luck!

Thank you so much for the advice, and I am glad to hear that this has happened to others. She absolutely loves the outdoors, but now I don't take off her leash until we are in the front walkway of the house. I think we're going to start puppy classes in a few weeks because this is my first dog and I've read and read info on training but I want to make sure she is trained properly. For being little dogs though, they sure are QUICK!!

-Ashley & Emmy :aimeeyork

I hope that you have a lot of fun in puppy school. Katy loved it. She learned a lot of tricks (she will jump up on two legs and stick her front paws in the air if you tell her to stick um up) and mom got a lot of tips. But most of all she loved the socialization.

Yes..keeping an x-tra treat with you is good. Our Winnie used to do this ALL the time and with kids in the house running in and out it was a daily occurance. We have a fairly large house and when we're inside we just shake his treat container and he comes running...this is something we've done since he was a pup. When he gets outside now all we do is go out and shake his treat container and he comes running home!

QUOTE --- They do get scared/traumatized when they get out. Even though they "think" they want freedom or to explore, the strange sounds and smells really frighten them.
_______________________________________________

This may be true for some dogs - but not mine. He's 7 months old and got loose for the first time in his life and thought he'd died and gone to heaven. He spent at least 45 minutes on the loose, ran as hard and fast as he could all over the place, smelled everything, pee'd on everything and (even rolled in horse manure) before I caught him. Nothing scared him - not even the horses! I watched him bark at them and then go on his way to something else that was new and exciting.


**** Before this, he always came to a whistle - inside or out (but he was always on a long leash before) --- this time - when he was really loose - when I blew the whistle, he didn't even turn around.......he was on a mission!

He is really being watched now.....he blew it!

Carol Jean

When Ruby was 5-7 months old she was my little shadow and I always had her off leash at my cottage and didn't think twice about it because she would follow me every where.
Well a few months later when she hit 9-10 months old we were walking at a huge conservation area and theres about a million paths so you barely ever run into anyone when walking there (one of the main things I like about it). Anyways I decided to take Ruby off leash there because she was so good at my cottage during the summer. Bad idea! She saw a chipmunk and was GONE. I mean I could not hear her, see her, NOTHING :eek:
I was crying and yelling her name (but of course no one was around to help me). All I could think was that she's very small and theres a lot of bigger animals in the woods and theres no way I could pick just one part of the forrest to look for her.
Finally about 10 min later she comes running back to me with a face full of burrs (looking at me like "mommy take them out, take them out). Of course I got her in trouble but I was sooooooo happy that she came back.
Now both my girls never go off leash when outside unless their in a gated area. It is tempting sometimes to give them the freedom but just not worth it in the end.
I'm glad every's Yorkie came back.