I lost my dog today for about 15 minutes

[undeterred]

A friend and I were walking our dogs together in a wooded area and suddenly my 12 year old dog was no longer with us. He was off leash and tends to "mosey" but its been 10 years since I've been separated from him like this. He's nearly deaf, so I knew he might not even hear me calling.

We went back the way we came and there he was - he had gone back to the waters edge where there were two children, a puppy, and their grandmother. He had sought out people who might care for him and they were all giving him lots of attention.

[BigBearJohn]

1. I'm happy for you. That would really distress me

[DemExpat]

2. Oh, I know this feeling.....

my 2 year old Bonnie kinda freaked out from a group of teenagers and she ran away from me (and the kids) in the park......I called and called to no avail...all I could think of were the traffic-filled city streets she would have to cross to get home...I was terrified with heart pounding and sick at my stomach.

I went back the way we came into the park...and there she was sitting next to the car...thank the heavens she had the sense to go there and wait.

I lost my 15 year old Jack Russell February 2004, so I know well how vulnerable old dogs can be.

So happy to hear all was safe and sound.
:hug:

DemEx

[gademocrat7]

5. Sorry to hear about your Jack Russell.

We have 5 Jack Russells. The oldest is 10 and he goes to work with my husband everyday.

[DemExpat]

10. 5 of them! Within one week of my old Mikey's death I had adopted

10 month old Jack Russell bitch Bonnie - I felt that Mikey sent her to me for comfort. :cry:

I am absolutely addicted to having a JR sharing my life and my soul.

How can one be down, lazy, bored...with such a lively, energetic, loving, intelligent, comical but deadly intent little creature around 24/7??????
:D:D:D

:loveya: Jack Russells....actually all dogs, I just happened to pick a JRT and fell in love with the breed.

:hi:

DemEx

[undeterred]

3. thanks - it was really scary because he is old and deaf

and even though he has walked there a million times I guess he could still get confused. When I found them I asked if he went back in the water to swim- thinking maybe he went back because he was hot- but they said no, he just laid down in the middle of everything. He's more resourceful than I thought!

[classof56]

4. I'm so glad your story had a happy ending.

Yesterday I lost my dog, my faithful friend and companion for all 13 years of her life. She slipped away peacefully, and while I have this big hole in my heart and an awful sadness overwhelms me, I am grateful for all those years and for the unconditional love she gave me. Hug your doggie and tell him often how much you care for him--I'm sure he knows that, but never hurts to say the words. Hug him for me, too!

Blessings!

[barb162]

6. I am sorry, it is the worst thing to lose your friend

[undeterred]

9. Thank you. I'm so sorry for your loss

It does leave a big hole in your heart. They are such wonderful friends.

My dog is a 5 year cancer survivor, so I feel like I've been very lucky.

Big hugs to you classof56 :hug:

[classof56]

24. Thank you for this.

I need the hug and your caring really helps. Been three days now and I just can't seem to rid myself of the tears and empty feeling. Oddly, the outrage-generating threads/messages on DU sorta help. Different focus, I guess. Amidst all the craziness of the last few years, though, I could always count on the unconditional love of my special dog and the comfort she gave me. Nothing will ever be the same without her! You know what I mean, I'm sure. Hugs back atcha and for your special friend, too!

Blessings!

[undeterred]

25. It can take a long time to get over.

You should write a post about her here in the lounge and tell us what she was like.

:hug:

http://www.pet-loss.net/

[sweetheart]

7. That's why i got my ones chipped

Its a little rice grain between the shoulder blades, and i know that if
the dog is ever lost, i can find them again. All it takes is a close
call; and wondering like "i hope their tag has my current address
telephone or/and has not fallen off the collar", "What if somebody
steals the dog and just takes it home. Will i ever see him/her again."

After some tense hours pondering those questions, i've gotten them all
chipped. Losing a friend isn't worth the risk.

I'm glad you found your friend back... the doggie gods bless you. :-)

[bigwillq]

8. Glad you found your dog

Must've been scary for a while.

[newswolf56]

11. So glad you found your dog. I had to give up my dogs...

...last year due to eviction -- someone from my notably hateful "family" bought the rural property on which I had been living for the past dozen years and promptly evicted me -- this in retaliation for my complaints about an in-law's domestic violence.

At least I was able to find the dogs good homes, though the parting was all the more awful not only because I had raised the dogs from puppyhood but because their loss was knowingly and maliciously inflicted: the circumstances of the eviction were deliberately managed to force me into senior housing where any pet over 20 pounds is prohibited. This means that for the rest of my life I am limited to cats -- the one animal I truly I despise -- or to ruinously expensive, hopelessly neurotic pedigreed "toy" dogs; unless I can find some way to escape this senior death-house, I will never be allowed to have real dogs again. Even after nearly a year, the wounds of dog-loss and dog-absence remain excruciatingly painful.

Cherish dogs -- they are infinitely more trustworthy than humans, and their ability to love is of a magnitude humans cannot approach even in patriarchal fantasies about "divine" love.

[undeterred]

13. oh, I am so sorry that happened

I love big dogs (Harry is 70 lbs) and am allergic to cats. Makes my housing options more narrow too, but he's my only true family.

[driver8]

14. Cairn Terriers are great little dogs...I don't know if they get over

20 pounds, though.

Sorry to hear that you had to give up your dogs...I like your words about a dog's ability to love. You are exactly right about that.

[China_cat]

15. There's just something about big dogs

that a little one will never fill. Two of mine just clocked in today at 107 and 105. The 'little' one is about 65.

There's this Irish Wolfhound I've had my eye on.

[driver8]

17. Irish Wolfhounds are so beautiful...

You have got some big dogs!! I had a roommate who had a female mastif who weighed about 170 pounds! If she didn't want to move, you couldn't make her,

[China_cat]

18. I have Bouviers

They are much the same when it comes to moving. I swear they can adjust gravity to suit themselves. Rosie (the larger) can weigh about 700 when she doesn't want to get off the couch and minus 5 when there's something on the back of a counter that she wants.



left to right; Bailey, Rosie, Dot

[undeterred]

19. Mine is a smaller version of a leonberger

but someday I want a full size one!

[driver8]

21. Those dogs are beautiful! What is the breed??? n/t

[undeterred]

22. Its a leonberger

http://www.leonberger.com/

They were bred by monks in Germany in the 1840s to look like a lion. Probably bred from the other giant breed rescue dogs like Great Pyrenees, Saint Bernards, and Newfoundlands. Very popular in Europe but there are more and more in the US - you have to find a breeder. Beautiful, friendly, gentle animals. I got mine by lucky accident as I didn't know what he was!

The puppies are adorable.

[driver8]

23. They are gorgeous. I had never heard of that breed...

that is one cute pup!!

[ghostsofgiants]

12. That must have been scary

Whenever my family would go to our cabin we would let out dog run freely and I was always afraid he'd run off and we'd never see him again, haha.

[roguevalley]

16. my dachsie Pippin got lost from our yard during winter for four days

and I nearly died looking for him. Alaska, snow, moose, trucks driving very fast and one scared little boy who was FINALLY found. He still won't leave the house. I am happy for you, honey. I know the feeling.

[undeterred]

20. 4 days must have seemed like forever

I know someone whose beagle took off for two weeks and the owner eventually found him. The beagle doesn't wander so much any more.

[DemGirl7]

26. One of my sister's American Eskimos got lose once

My sister has two American Eskimos, Shilo (the male) and Yukie (the female), and Yukie got lose and ran around the block of my sister house. My sister at first didn't know where she went, but she spotted the dog a little way up from her house. My sister ran up to get her and called her name at the same time, but she saw my sister coming, andjust started running away from her all around the she ran, with my sister right after her, and finally the dog stopped to smell around, my sister best friend's backyard, which is a few doors down the street from where my sister lives, and my sister finally caught her.

[Wcross]

27. He is in "retirement"!

He figured the walk in the woods didn't sound as fun as two kids, a puppy and grandma on the beach. Glad it all worked out for ya!

I have never been able to get a leash on any of my (6) friends, they come and go as they please. So far they have always made it home. (I live in the sticks and there are no major roads nearby)