And now to calm down.....

I've just taken Rosie out to the edge of field ( few steps from my front door) to let her have a little run, she's normally such a good girl but tonight she spotted a little cat and ran after her!! I couldn't shout her to loud due to little children being in bed!! She chased it to the nearby allotments and got stuck in there, ending with me spending 20 minutes trying to get her out of there because quite rightly the gates are locked!! Don't know what got in to her she never runs away for me, yes she's chased a squirrel or rabbit but never to that extent.
Lesson learnt= at night only a walk on the lead me thinks

Oh dear, nightmare! Flexi lead and harness at night time from now on?!

I used to live in a lodge house country park and had to lock the gate at night...but it wasn't right outside the lodge....it was up a lane in the pitch black. I used to take my old fox hound with me for 'protection' he was a nightmare too, either pulling on the lead so my torch kept moving, or taking off into the dark if I let him off the lead. When he took off I used to run back to the lodge and call for him from there. Spooky!

Glad your all back safe! Have a stiff drink or a cuppa!

Oh yes definitely flexible lead and harness,
She came in a went straight to her bed, as if she knew I wasn't very happy with her ( trouble is I know I can't stay mad at her)

Oh dear! Poor Rosie! Is she used to whistles? We use a semi-silent whistle at night with Cora so we don't disturb the neighbours - she's used to whistles being used to recall though, but I think most dogs pick it up pretty quickly if not already used to it.

Sometimes they almost drive you to drink don't they?

Mine behaves impeccably and suddenly without warning he bolts. I swear he's on a mission to chase and kill if at all possible all cats, squirrels, rats, chickens, seagulls, pigeons and anything that has the audacity to move.

It's always when you think to yourself "I think I've got this covered now"

Mandy Rosie is safe that is the main thing .
I never dare let Chloe go off in the fields in the dark, I am such a worrier and scared I might lose her.

I gave her a massive hug, as I've already said I can't stay mad at her
I've never used a whistle might try that,

Oh yes Baxter, don't they just

And I'm very glad she's come back unharmed if a bit subdued, she doesn't like being away from me

Sound exactly like Tonks! She can give me so much attention and look wonderful....and then she gets the scent of something and she's off! We moved to our new house almost three years ago and the street is infested with cats....she became obsessed with them and also linked parked cars with cats. We have a canal path at she back of us which has a large field/park off it. It would be ideal for walking her, canal on one side, train track on the other, but the other sides are skirted by a housing estate and parked cars. She'll stay with me for a while and then go off doing a high speed lap of honnour round the streets looking for cats! I did loads of training up there, whistles, clickers, high value treats, very long line......and then she was fine off lead for 6 weeks, until a cat stepped out in front of her and she was off. From then on I always knew I was vaguely in control, until I got distracted...and then she would be off again. She always came back within two minutes, but I couldn't risk it as I knew, from experience unforunatey, that if someone's front door was open, she would just charge straight in. I couldn't bring myself to repeat all training again as one dog on a 50 foot lead, a toddler, a baby in a pushchair or a double buggy, treats and snacks and drinks for the children doesn't lead to a relaxing walk!

The times she has caught up with a cat she just jumps up and down barking. It's the chase she loves not the catching. Soon after we moved here she was surprised by a cat, they step out on the canal path all the time looking for company and a chat with someone, she was off like a rocket. She chased it though the allotments and I could hear the cat must have stopped because Tonks was doing her frustrated Staffie scream. I caught up with and whistled her and then told her down, no shouting and put her on lead...and then got involved with some car lovers who had seen it and claimed she was going to kill the cat and was a vicious dog that should never be let off lead. I apologised if they had been scared but explained that a dog who is going to kill a cat does not come away as soon as its whistle and then sit 6 foot from the cat while its owner is being berated but people who now nothing of dogs and I would not be keeping her on the lead all the time as she was not aggressive but I would be doing more training and walking her appropriate place! All the time the bloody kept was still tarting sound rubbing itself all over passing people....hardly traumatised! Then the people got on to the ridiculous argument of 'what if it was a child?' She doesn't chase children!! 'But what if it was a child holding a cat?!!!!' Errr then I expect the cat would scratch the child!!! So cats can go where they want, when they want, stepping out in front of whoever they like.....probably because they are lonely, causing accidents with bikes (the canal is a busy through path for people going in to town and the train station) walk and poo in the kids play park off the canal, scratch my child in the play park, I even saw one stalking a kingfisher!....but it's the dog owners fault if the dog reacts to a cat stepping out in front of it!

Thankfully I then got a car again so she is now only ever walked in more dog friendly environments so if she does ever disappear for 2 minutes I I know she's only running through woods.

Glad you were happily reunited! The big cuddle is the best way to go IMHO - any telling offs and they won't want to return next time!

Bella doesn't want to harm cats - she wants to play with them. This has resulted in me extricating her long lead from around lots of exhaust pipes and car bumpers in the dark when she runs under to get to them. Disadvantages of a teensie dog!

That's Rosie, she loves to chase, I think if she ever caught up with anything fluffy that she likes to case, she would not know what to do lol I think she would just be " oh ok I'll go home now"