"RunAway Maddie"

Hi everyone,

I am visiting my sister in Minnesota right now but I had to write and ask advice. Off of the subject, it's funny that I logged on today and the "dog of the day" is also right in here in MN!

Anyway, right before I left for the airport yesterday Maddie bolted out the front door. Needless to say, I was not happy. It took my mom and I 15 minutes to catch her. My concern is that she wants to run away to try and find her old home. My other dogs never do this. They are always off their leashes in our front yard or common areas and then always stick around us while exploring. Maddie immediately bolts though. She is so fast and seems like she just wants to be free. That makes us feel bad - like she doesn't want to be with us.

Does anyone understand this? Could this mean she was a stray a lot longer than I thought or could she really be running like that so she can find her old family? Or, do some dogs just like to be like that and explore? She seems to be very happy with us but has only lived with us for just over 2 months now. She is very playful and likes to bolt all over the house to try and play games with me when she is in trouble or whatever.

In case you don't remember, Maddie is the dog I found and who jumped in my car right away... then we adopted her from the shelter she was taken too 4 days later.

Sorry to make this such a long story... I just feel bad - Like I am harboring a free spirited animal... make sense? I'm just not used to dogs who run away whenever they see a chance.

Thanks
Angel

[aly]

I think Jackie said her schnauzers are also like that. Dessi, my lab, was like that too. She just loved to run and smell things. When she was young and ran out the front door, we'd have one heck of a time running all over chasing her. As she got to be a senior citizen, she stopped doing it. Maddie is probably just exploring rather than trying to find her old owners. There are some training procedures that you can go through with her if you want to. I know a few off the top of my head but I'd have to look it up for exact info. I'll look into that tomorrow.

Don't worry, Maddie loves you and wants to stay with you. I'm sure she's just exploring. What breed is she?

[RachelJ]

There's a whole world out there that they can see from your house but "aren't allowed" to go. The more independent of them take it upon themselves to "go anyway". My Hannah has gotten loose around 4 times. She was having a ball running around the neighbors backyards with my husband and I chasing and calling her. We'd get close and off she'd go in another direction. On the third time we discovered that if we didn't follow her she didn't go as far. So the last time, I didn't go one step off the property, but sat on my doorstep with a cookie and a leash in hand. After running around the house across the street for about 5 minutes, she came back home and walked right up to me.

I have practiced the "come" command every day since Hannah was a puppy, but she does a quick mental calculation in her mind, "Would I rather "come" and have a treat, or go exploring?" and "go exploring" will probably take top priority. I know what a disappointment this is when you have had other dogs that aren't inclined, but I would simply make up your mind that you will have to be very careful that she doesn't get the opportunity. She may be one of those dogs that will improve with age or with training. With Hannah, I don't know that I will ever find out because unless another accidental escape happens, I'm not going to experiment.

[Sudilar]

When we first got Shiloh, she managed to escape through the front door as my son was going out (I never saw my son run so fast to catch her!!). After she learned that she was not to do that, she has never tried to escape again.
Maybe as she runs out the door, stand in the doorway and yell, "Cheese" (or some other goody that Maddie LOVES). That would stop either of my dogs dead in their tracks!! Good luck!

[This message has been edited by Sudilar (edited May 21, 2001).]

[jackiesdaisy1935]

doggiemom, we have two Schnauzers that would take off in a heartbeat. I don't believe Maddie is looking for her old home, I'm sure her home with you is wonderful. Perry is not as bad as Daisy, he would stick around close. Daisy on the other hand would run like the wind to find new places to explore.
She has a mind of her own, and does as she pleases, I spoil her terribly, feed her, she sleeps with me, I buy her toys, sit on the floor and play with her, take her for walks and when we are in the house and I call her she ignores me, she will walk over to my husband. It does hurt my feelings, but there are times when she looks into my eyes and I know how much she loves me. Just be patient.

[shais_mom]

I feel like an novice at this subject, I have a greyhound that has gotten away more than I care to admit, she is gone in the blink of an eye. Shai is born to run, and no amount of treats or pampering, love, or a nice warm bed can change that. I just make sure that she is always on leash when she is outside and when I get her I always have hold of her leash or collar, I always watch the door and make sure it shuts behind me when I go out it. Altho when I first got her she figured out how to open it with in the first 5 min of being inside!! So that was quickly nipped in the bud!!! And twice my 4 year old nephew has let her out, so my dad put the fear of god in him to not let her out, tho she still follows him everywhere thinking he is going to slip and let her out! It isn't fun always keeping an eye out for her or making sure noone lets her out, but its something I have to deal with. I grew up with our dog outside and never on a leash, so this is very different for me. But for the safety and wellbeing of my dollface, I will do it!!

[aly]

I was watching a PBS special on working dogs yesterday. They told about a labrador therapy dog for the first part of the show then the second part was about retired greyhounds. It concentrated on one main dog who lost every race and had to be rescued. I must say I am now in love with the breed. The couple that adopted the greyhound have to take her running 3-4 times a week. She was so beautiful, as are all greyhounds.

[This message has been edited by aly (edited May 22, 2001).]

[shais_mom]

Aly, I must say - by the time we are done with you, you are going to run an all breed sanctuary!!! Poodle, yorkies, greyhounds!!ha ha good for you!!!
I had never seen a greyt dog until I saw my Shaianne, I fell in love with her beautiful doe eyes. My boss asked me once if I put makeup on her to make her eyes standout! (I am a bonafide makeup fiend) But her eyes do look like she has eyeliner and mascara on them.
Greyhounds are 40 mph couch potatoes. Shai doesn't require alot of excercise, I try to walk her several times a week, but with my work schedule, it is difficult.
I have been fighting a chest cold this weekend and the other day slept almost 12 hours and she slept right beside me, and never budged. Today I slept 11 hours and she never moved either!
She loves to travel, tho greys are noted for carsickness, she does just fine,she hops in the back of my dad's extended cab, and sleeps with her head on my lap. She got really ticked at me once b/c I had worked 3rd shift the night before with like no sleep and we were going to my parents cottage and I camped out in the back with her and she only had enough room to sit up and not stretch out, my dad and grandma got a kick out of it b/c she would look at me, and let out this big doggy sigh, and turn her head out the window, and sigh again, she kept doing that until I sat up and then she laid out across the seat!! She definately has a personality!!!
sorry to digress, had to add my 2 cents worth.

[aly]

'An all breed sanctuary'... *DROOL* my dream.. If only I had the resources. You could be head of the greyhound department! Ohh I'd hire everyone at Pet Talk. If only I ruled the world, I'd split it in two, the animal lovers and the freaks.. hehehe

[Sudilar]

Can I be head of the German Shep Dept? Wow! What a dream come true would that be! Surrounded by GSDs.....

[tatsxxx11]

Lab and lab mixes for me. Can I fill out an application now? Wouldn't that be a dream come true?? All of us working at one animal sanctuary!!

[AdoreMyDogs]

I'll help Sue with the GSD's And of course, the labbies and mixes too That sure would be fun, but MAN would I have a TON of dogs running all over my house because it was too hard to see them homeless! I can't stand going to shelters for that very reason. I have only voluntered a few times and every time I have walked off with a new pet

I always choose to do fundraising stuff so I don't have to see those many sets of eyes looking back at me from cage bars.

[This message has been edited by AdoreMyDogs (edited May 22, 2001).]

[Sudilar]

Not only do I want the GSDs, but also the Great Pyrs and Leonbergers and Landseers and Tibetan Mastiffs and Shiloh Shepherds and.............

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