Takara is trying to kill me...

The dogs have got out of the side gate of the park before and I always take great care to make sure I get their leads on before approaching the gate now.

Well today, Takara must have seen something because she took off up the steps towards the main gate which opens onto an incredibly busy road and someone had left the bloody gate open again

She was out, running along the pavement and turned as if she was going to run across the main road, there a woodland on the other side that she loves going down and I was terrified she was going to cross over.

She only came running back when a truck going down the road scared her but out of the dozens and dozens of people walking past her nobody once tried to help

I was desperate, I called her back as calmly as I could and got some food out of my pocket and she finally came back to me, she got the biggest praise and fuss she's had for a good while and everyone looked at me as if to say 'why are you praising her for running off?'

I could see in her eyes she knew I was worried and thought she would get told off for running off, that's why I praised her.
She scared me so much!

Bet your heart was in your mouth it is so worrying when this happens especially near a main road and it is so annoying when people do nothing to help, but sometimes it is not a bad thing as the dog may be spooked even worse if stranger tried to stop him, I had a friend who's dog slipped the lead and took off and she was just about to come back to him when a lady made a grab for her and she pannicked and ran out onto the road and was hit by a car and sadly had to be pts.

I am so glad you made such a fuss of her and praised her not for running off as the peole looking on had though but for being clever enough to come back.

Hope you have both recovered from you scare. Big cuddles to Takara for being a clever girl.

Thanks,

I did think that, people have tried to grab her before and she is very wary of other people so it's just as well nobody did really.

I was surprised at how calm I was actually! I was dreading having to run the other way to get her to chase me so I'm so glad I didn't have to!

I'm going to put some signs on the gates asking people to close them as they never do and another dog got killed running across that road after it escaped from the park.

Hi Lottie

Think signs on the gate is a good idea maybe make people aware of the danger in not closing them, not only to dogs but a young child could run out and be knocked down and posiblly killed on the road.

yes, i had thought of that before - i did actually make some signs but had no laminating equipment to finish them off!

I will get it sorted now though - I'll find a laminator somewhere!

Glad she is ok!
I bet you were so worried! I remember when I bought Tilly a new lead and on her first walk with it, the stupid thing snapped and she just legged it up the road. Loads of people just stared or walked past until 2 little girls thankfully got hold of her.

Another time she got out of the garden and the same happened again, nobody helped. It made me so angry coz I was frantic and convinced she would be killed by a car

Oh dear Lottie - how terrifying, I am so thankful we are not really near any main roads

I would be grey by now if we did!

Perhaps you could do some more recall work with Takara, get a long line and practice in the park maybe?

Oh dear! What a stressful experience. Well done for handling it so well. Definitely think signs on the gates would be a good idea. Glad everyone is ok and no real harm done x