Last Friday after work, about 7 oclock in East Texas, still plenty of sunshine, I drove to some local trails to walk my dogs. I also had my kids. Atom, my 2 year old rambunctious son and my 9 month old daughter Ember in her favorite spot, in her carrier on my back!
It was getting dark, so I opted to just walk in this huge parking lot and field connected to the college campus I live by. Wide open sky and plenty of light, right across the street (busy 4 way) from our towns deserted bike trails which would have been pretty dark under the trees.
As I was strapping Ember in, (haha) Kiera, my 9 year old poodle (20 lbs) jumped out of the car and came to my side. She is very off leash trained and obedience trained. Strong down stay and recall for sure. I have not used a leash with her for over 5 years. She was just sniffing around having a great ol time. Jupiter (GSD) and Atom (son) were still in the car.
Getting my daughter strapped on my back in her carrier is a little tough by myself but I've done it MANY times. I gave it my focus for about 30 seconds and we were finally ready to go.
I don't see Kiera.
I walk to the other side of the car and she is no where in sight. I call her name. Nothing. 30 seconds and she just disappeared.
I am parked in a parking lot that is the size 5 football fields long and about 4 fields wide. No one in sight Huge. No time for her to get across any direction. The only way she could have went is across the road in to the woods. I call my wife, she comes and gets the kids. Jupiter and I start a search party. I screamed my head off in the woods until midnight going on until Saturday hoping she would come back. No avail.
I really thought she was gone and THEN remembered the phone number was wrong on her collar BUT she was micro chipped.
I call my vet along with every other vet in town to let them know she is missing the next morning when i get to work. The animal shelter opened at 11 that day it was about 9 in the morning
After talking to the one closest to vet to where she was lost, the receptionist called and said that someone had found her! I rushed to get her and found out this happened. My fault and a lesson learned but it was SO Stressful and tearful haha I thought she was gone because she had never ran off before.
This is what happened, pretty simple.
While i was buckling Emberlin, Kiera walked to the sidewalk next to the busy street. I didn't see this but its what the lady told me. As the lady drove up she said she saw a cute dog sitting by the road and thought she was going to get hit by a car driving by. Again I didnt know (my fault) but Kiera has curb boundries. She will not get in to the street without my hand signal and "go". However she loves people to a fault and the lady stopped, opened her car door, grabbed kiera off the curb and pulled her in the car. JUST like a drive by kidnapping you see in the movies lol. I had NO idea.
They posted lost dog signs that I saw all the way to pick her up. So there was no ill intentions and I had actually sold a truck to their daughter 2 weeks ago at the dealership I work at.
It definitely has me on "reset" about Kiera just running around everywhere off leash and to be careful as she can literally just be "picked up" She is safe at home now. Thank goodness. What an experience.
It was getting dark, so I opted to just walk in this huge parking lot and field connected to the college campus I live by. Wide open sky and plenty of light, right across the street (busy 4 way) from our towns deserted bike trails which would have been pretty dark under the trees.
As I was strapping Ember in, (haha) Kiera, my 9 year old poodle (20 lbs) jumped out of the car and came to my side. She is very off leash trained and obedience trained. Strong down stay and recall for sure. I have not used a leash with her for over 5 years. She was just sniffing around having a great ol time. Jupiter (GSD) and Atom (son) were still in the car.
Getting my daughter strapped on my back in her carrier is a little tough by myself but I've done it MANY times. I gave it my focus for about 30 seconds and we were finally ready to go.
I don't see Kiera.
I walk to the other side of the car and she is no where in sight. I call her name. Nothing. 30 seconds and she just disappeared.
I am parked in a parking lot that is the size 5 football fields long and about 4 fields wide. No one in sight Huge. No time for her to get across any direction. The only way she could have went is across the road in to the woods. I call my wife, she comes and gets the kids. Jupiter and I start a search party. I screamed my head off in the woods until midnight going on until Saturday hoping she would come back. No avail.
I really thought she was gone and THEN remembered the phone number was wrong on her collar BUT she was micro chipped.
I call my vet along with every other vet in town to let them know she is missing the next morning when i get to work. The animal shelter opened at 11 that day it was about 9 in the morning
After talking to the one closest to vet to where she was lost, the receptionist called and said that someone had found her! I rushed to get her and found out this happened. My fault and a lesson learned but it was SO Stressful and tearful haha I thought she was gone because she had never ran off before.
This is what happened, pretty simple.
While i was buckling Emberlin, Kiera walked to the sidewalk next to the busy street. I didn't see this but its what the lady told me. As the lady drove up she said she saw a cute dog sitting by the road and thought she was going to get hit by a car driving by. Again I didnt know (my fault) but Kiera has curb boundries. She will not get in to the street without my hand signal and "go". However she loves people to a fault and the lady stopped, opened her car door, grabbed kiera off the curb and pulled her in the car. JUST like a drive by kidnapping you see in the movies lol. I had NO idea.
They posted lost dog signs that I saw all the way to pick her up. So there was no ill intentions and I had actually sold a truck to their daughter 2 weeks ago at the dealership I work at.
It definitely has me on "reset" about Kiera just running around everywhere off leash and to be careful as she can literally just be "picked up" She is safe at home now. Thank goodness. What an experience.