I learned what could have been a devastatingly difficult lesson this morning. Snick’s leash broke while we were out for our morning walk. He was running at the time (he does this weird “run away from it” thing after he poops) and the end hardware attached to his collar just POPPED out of the hardware piece sewn into the leash. You know the part where it swivels? Just popped right out! I guess the metal must have worn over time.
There are few things quite as frightening as seeing your heart dog running away from you on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk during the morning rush hour!
Luckily, I’ve done some training in case the leash ever broke or I dropped it. I keep him close to me and then suddenly release all but the end handle of the leash so it feels suddenly loose. Then I drop to the ground, call him, and give him big rewards for returning. I think that’s what brought him back to me this morning because shortly after it popped, he put the brakes on and turned back towards me, instead of continuing to run. He stopped to say hello to two pedestrians, who – even though I asked nicely and quite desperately for them to grab him – just looked at me, looked at him, and kept walking. Then I started calling him and he trotted back to me and started playing the “dancing just out of reach” game. I chose my moment carefully and managed to lunge for him and grab his collar. At most, he got about 50 feet from me and he never left the sidewalk, but I think my heartbeat and breathing completely stopped from the time the leash broke until the time I had my hands on him again. When I caught him, I just sat down on the sidewalk until I had recovered enough to stand up again.
I learned two things:
- Check equipment regularly for wear and tear!!!
- Training him would work better if I had learned too. He did the right thing (turned and came back), but I DID NOT. I did not drop to the ground and cheerfully call him with “Snickers, Come,” and then give him a handful of treats. I totally panicked and froze and didn’t even reward him after I caught him! I need to train MYSELF better.
omg. omg how damn scary!!! I’m SO glad the story had a happy ending! I know exactly what you mean about sitting down to recover.
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A similar thing with Sumi happened a couple years ago. However, *I* had not taken the step to train myself or she like you had. What I did do was instinctual and turned to be the right thing.
She had gotten out the open gate at the old house, and I didn’t realize it for about 2min. When I got down to the end of the driveway, I paused, and she looked at me- had I acted differently she’d have been off like a shot.
Instead, I smiled, laughed and bent over towards her with my hands out, like we were playing. Then I said “Let’s go get mom!” and I ran back towards the yard. She followed and I closed the gate behind me.
I need to practice this anyway, because had I been in a busy traffic situation like you were, I don’t know if I’d have had the presence of mind.
Glad you two are ok.
When lily was a puppy her leash snapped and she ran away from me towards a busy road. She had me running for an hour and everyone I asked to grab her collar looked at me blankly. When she stopped for a poo I was able to grab her, it was so scary and I was so unfit!!!!!!!!
It’s crazy how few people will help! I can’t believe you were chasing her for an hour. That must have been AWFUL.
Snick got out of the dog run off leash when he was about 11 months old and led me on a merry chase for a couple blocks. I got him back because he ran up to greet a family and the dad reached down and grabbed his collar after I fell to my knees crying and begging him to “please grab my dog.” (If I had run toward them, Snick would have taken off.) Turned out none of the family spoke English, but apparently tears are a fairly universal language.
Snickers and I have also returned the favor. We were in Bryant Park one day and a Beagle broke his leash and started running around. People WERE trying to help catch him, but he thought it was a big game and he almost ran into traffic on 6th Ave twice. I went over and used Snick to entice him close enough to be able to snag him by the collar.
fortunately for me Bear is not like that and will come immediately. Two days after we got him he was at a Halloween dog party and he was so skinny his collar fell off. He just sat down and waited for it to be put back on. No-one had taught him that he was 8 months old and had spent 4 of those being shut in small rooms. He really is a star.
omg
OMG Jenna…what a scary, scary situation. I always have that fear with my Sushi. For that reason I train him to come using a special word and give him a treat. Just in case. Thank God Snickers is safe and sound!!!!