[Owned By A Yellow Lab]

I am mortified - no other word for it

And yes - this incident was my fault. 100% mine.

Yesterday night, I slipped outside to put the bins out. Dex was asleep in the other room - or so I thought...

As I opened the front door, to my HORROR a yellow blur went hurtling past - Dexter, racing out into the street! I went flying after him and found that just outside our house, a neighbour's teenaged boy was walking their dog up the road (they live three doors up).

Now, Dex and this dog really don't seem to like each other (maybe because they are always on leads when they meet?). Now, here was my dog, galloping up to this dog and the boy, barking like a LUNATIC.

Thank goodness, the teenaged boy was a total star and grabbed Dex's collar and held the two dogs apart (his was on lead).

I got there within seconds and took Dex's collar and apologised profusely. Once Dex was safely back inside, I went up the road and spoke to the boy and his mother, and apologised again.

I am also arranging for a carpenter to make a very strong, very solid pet gate for the hall; I have a pet gate at present but Dex can knock it over

I've never known Dex to display aggression towards a dog before, but it didn't look like he was running over to the dog to say 'hi', so am rather worried.... Thankfully the other dog's owners are really nice and they often see me walking Dex and really like him. So they were very nice about it

Still, I am not a happy bunny

We do SO much practise and training on 'stay' and 'wait' and 'this way', some of it actually AT the front door! Yet when the 'red mist' descends, Dexter simply does not respond to any commands.....

 

[Guest]

You have apologised and are taking steps to make sure he can't do it again so let it go. I'm really glad it wasn't a disaster and no-one was hurt.

 

[Shrap]

And breath! Don't worry, there was nothing you could have done to stop it if you didn't know he was up. You've sorted it, nothing bad came of it thankfully. It won't happen again.

 

[myshkin]

One of my big "rules" in life is that accidents happen, no matter how good your intentions are. If I was the boy with the dog, how I saw you would depend on your reaction more than what happened. So when you ran out mortified and apologetic, I'd just shrug my shoulders and say "it happens". And I would think you were a decent sort, 'cause it happens to all of us

 

[Luz]

Oooh 'eck! Glad it ended well!

 

[Kinjilabs]

Awww bless ya, dont fret, thats a typical Lab, bull at a gate! mind of its own

Good on the boy tho to hold both dogs, thats what I always think I would do in that situation too, luckily never had to yet

 

[MollySmith]

And breath And drink wine!

You're going to take steps to fix it and your neighbour was fine about it. Dex is safe, your neighbour's dog is safe too.

And confess, apparently Molly escaped through the gate and chased our neighbours cat up a tree this week. Luckily a car wasn't coming...

Naughty still gorgeous Dex!

 

[3dogs2cats]

Oh dear! Hope you have calmed your nerves by now. Things happen, nobody got hurt you dealt with best you could and are taking steps so it doesn`t happen again. So just relax and read somebody else`s my dogs been a horror story - bound to be one soon we all have `em

 

[GingerRogers]

Dont be mortified. Things happen. Sunday i turned round to see my dog legging it down the road. My friend let her out the car accidently . Thing is she has two dogs of her own but said she wasn't expecting it. That's when you should be mortified

 

[Tigerneko]

Don't worry about it! Accidents happen - it's not like you were actually walking him down the road off his lead or purposely letting him loose with this other dog, it was obviously just very bad timing.

Does Dexter normally shoot out of the house when the door is open? Perhaps he heard/smelled this other dog coming towards the house and thought he'd take his opportunity to show him who's boss?

I know exactly what its like, trying to get out of the front door in my house is like a stealth mission, if they know i'm leaving then they'll do all they can to try and get out the door before me, I sometimes shut the front door and hear one of them chucking themselves against it at the other side

Anyway, don't feel bad about it, it was a genuine accident and I am sure the other family realise that

 

[ozrex]

Stuff happens.

One of my own favourite (not) memories was tying Rock (previous dog, 50kg mongrel) to friend's horse-float at a dressage competition. Walked away with friend to see another friend compete. Watched for five minutes, then heard hell of a ruckus from another ring. Rock was charging through the ring trailing his rope scaring the devil out of competing dressage horse.....

Imagine very large mongrel (rope still attached); rearing/backing dressage horse; swearing rider; bellowing judges and aghast spectators. Then imagine said mongrel greeting you effusively and with every evidence of delight... I couldn't even deny knowing the beast!

 

[Sled dog hotel]

No ones perfect we all make mistakes occasionally so dont beat yourself up about it. Lesson learned your getting a proper gate that will solve it and your now a bit wiser, so lesson learned.

ETA No harm done thankfully, thats how we often learn anyway by making the odd mistake. I know I have.

 

[Malmum]

What a terrible scare for you, I bet you felt sick with shock.

I really feel your pain with Dex and sometimes don't you just feel like giving up and not taking them out. I have worked so hard this last year with Flynny, many travelling hours, loads of money and pressure with his training only to go right back to square one since his attack the other day. He has been so reactive to dogs while in the car that today I just thought sod it! I'm now looking forward to starting my new job on Monday and doing something othèr than stressing over a dog all the time. It just seems no matter how hard you try someone or something can undo everything you put in.

Some days I actually think I may just not get another dog once these are gone, the stress is immense at times and so so exhausting - as you well know. Seems like one step forward two steps back constantly.

So glad that boy had the good sense to hold the dogs off. That's why mine always have collars on just in case they bolt, something I'd be very surprised if they did but Dex is much younger than mine I think. Glad it's all okay and a fight didn't happen because that sets them so far back again.

 

[Sleeping_Lion]

I think it's all been said but I just wanted to say I particularly liked the 'drink wine' comment, possibly quite predictably I might try that later myself

 

[Buzzard]

Oh bless you, try not to be hard on yourself, these things happen. I know what you mean about all the sit and stay training thought. Mac is the same, if it's something he really really wants he forgets the 'stay' part! Work in progress I like to think lol.

 

[rottie]

Accidents do happen and nothing went wrong, so, don't be upset.

Thank goodness, the teenaged boy was a total star and grabbed Dex's collar and held the two dogs apart (his was on lead).

This is great for a teenager! I'm really impressed.

 

[Moobli]

What a fright for all concerned. As others have said, no real harm done, a lesson learned and you will make sure it doesn't happen again. Try not to get too stressed about it.

 

[rona]

It happened with Alfie once, after a cat.

It's called an accident, just be happy that alls well