Corgi almost escaped...please help!
I just had the scare of my life. This week, my 10 month old Corgi is finally starting to calm down a bit at home. It's the first time I've been able to sit on my sofa without having her pounce all over me while barking and biting. After coming home from work today, I took her out for her usual walk. When she doesn't want to come in, she lies down and firmly plants herself onto the ground. And at 21 lbs, I can't get her to move. She also won't let me pick her up to go inside. So today, she pulled so hard in the opposite direction that she slipped out of her collar! Luckily there were no cars, squirrels, or birds around - otherwise she'd bolt after them in a second - and I rushed inside to grab her favorite toy. I caught her attention with the toy, but she knew I was trying to entice her in, and she wouldn't be tricked. Finally, I was able to get her safely indoors...! I was fuming mad at her, it was so dangerous she could have escaped and got hit by a car! She could definitely sense that something was wrong after we got indoors, because she kept looking at me and didn't even play with the toy. But how do I prevent this from happening again?
We've tried various harnesses (including the Easy Walker) for her pulling, but none seem to fit her, and she always manages to slip her short front legs out of the harness - quite dangerous as well!
Has this ever happened to anyone else? Any suggestions on what type of collar or harness will prevent slippage and work with the body habitus of a corgi? I know that many of you will say she needs obedience training...but I'm doubtful of that. Will obedience class teach us how to have her obey commands even when she doesn't want to? She's smart, and she KNOWs all the commands (sit, stay, down, rollover, high five, come) but she's a stubborn one and will do it only when SHE wants to.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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Oh how scary. I always recommend Martingale collars and my pups even go home with one. They will save your dogs life in circumstances like what happened to you today. I use them when we are traveling or in any area that I am not sure of. I keep my regular collar on and these stay by the door so I can grab one when we leave. They are only for walking and can't stay on in the house BUT they do prevent slipping. If you want a pic I can find one. They tighten as the dog pulls back and can't slip out!!!!! Any dog can possibly spook and it better to be safe!
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There are some discussions on martingales you can search for on here too.
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Permalink Reply by Karen Dadisman on
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My Rosie did the same thing when she was frightened by a huge dog bolting from his garage into the street. She ran a block away and wouldn't come back until the dog had been captured. I now walk them both with a martingale collar. They have their regular collars with their ID still on and the martingale comes off when we get home but they can't slip out of it while we are walking. No matter where we go, the martingale goes on. Be sure it isn't too big so it can't tighten enough to prevent them slipping out. They need to be able to be slipped over their heads to put on but hard to slip over their heads to take off. And yes, obedience training will help them and more importantly you learn to control the dog even when she doesn't want to do what you want. I recommend them. Be sure to find one that uses positive methods and not the old yank and force methods.
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I agree with Karen that obedience training will help BUT I still use a Martingale also "just because" even though Sage has a 100% recall...in a difficult situation I don't know what might happen. My others are good BUT you just never know...
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oh yes, still use the martingale. Rosie and Rocky both have their Rally Ex, Rosie has her CGC and is a certified therapy dog but you never know what might happen. We travel with them to GA and back and make many stops on the way. I'd sure hate to have one get loose at a rest area or a motel.
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Permalink Reply by Marcie on
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I keep a variety of treats on me either in a pocket or bait bag. They vary from Charlie Bears (low value), Buddy Biscuits, to liver and lung (high value). Even though Becca has a fairly reliable recall (baring squirrel sightings), I still treat her often when she comes. The value of the treat varies from boring to favorites. I would make a game of "come" inside where it is safe. She might know it, but if you can find a way to make it "fun" it will help.
I know how you feel, my last dog, a rescue, never had a recall. It was completely frustrating.
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Permalink Reply by Doglover on
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Thanks to your quick responses. What I'm worried about the Martingale collar is that it is a more "humane" choke collar, essentially. My corgi is very strong and rough, and doesn't know when to stop, even if it's harmful to her. I'm afraid she will keep pulling and as the collar tightens, it will keep "choking" her and harm her neck. I mean, there's a reason why martingale collars are only used on walks, and not kept on when indoors. If they were 100% safe, it'd be ok to keep them on all the time, right? Also, is the collar fool-proof from slipping? If my dog and I were facing each other - and I was pulling her towards me and she was pulling away - wouldn't the collar slip over her head anyway?
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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The martingale is NOT a choke collar; it does not tighten enough to cut off air if it is sized right, just enough to not slip over the head. However, I would not leave it on all the time. Then again, I would not leave any collar on all the time. I've heard too many stories of dogs hanging themselves, even in a plain collar.
My martingales don't have a chain, they are all nylon. I won't let them play with other dogs in them because mine don't have a quick-release clip, since I got them solely for walking in high-risk areas (near busy roads, for instance) and use a regular collar most of the time. However, they do sell martingales with a quick-release tab.
I also recommend training an emergency recall; you can search it on this site.
Finally, yes obedience classes will help. I must say, though, that I have one who is a foot-planter and he's hard to move if he does not want to move. He'll walk on a heel for me without a leash, but once he decides to be stubborn..... Sometimes he'll even flip over on his back when he wants to go a different way or doesn't want to head home when I do. He's thankfully not a collar-slipper though. My female will actively try to slip a collar at times.
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If the dog were to get caught on something, the collar won't slip off so in the struggle of fighting the collar to get free, the dog could get hurt therefore the martingale is not left on unless there is a person at the end of the leash. Rocky and I have been face to face (he weighs 35 lbs and is strong as a bull) and he has not been able to get out of the collar nor has his neck been hurt nor has he strangled. Rosie is an accomplished collar slipper and she can't get out of a martingale. Mine are the simple nylon ones, no chain parts, and I really feel better with them on while we are walking anywhere. The dogs are very comfortable in them and don't mind them at all.
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I started using the collar several years ago after hearing of a family that had just adopted a dog and on their way home they stopped to take the dog out...the dog slipped the collar and was badly smushed(and killed) in front of the whole family:( That's enough to want to keep my dogs safe. The Martingale can't continue to tighten like a choke collar does and that's why it's important to have it tight enough as it will only tighten about 2 inches. NO, they are not safe indoors because if your dog was to get it caught it could possibly tangle and tighten. No the collar will NOT slip off if correctly tightened. As you can see in the picture the area that tightens is not that much. Hope this helps.
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Here's one of several discussions on emergency recall. Basically, you use super high-value treats and continue to give them treats for about 30 seconds each time so they think the recall word means "Time for bacon" or something like that.
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Permalink Reply by Alex deGuzman on
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HI Doglover,
Obedience classes will help a lot! We love our trainers so much that we took a secondary class. Eventually we are going to work on having him become a Therapy dog. The dog trainers will teach you alot of helpful information. Recall, walking, stay and release commands etc etc.
Always have a high value treats for her. We use heavily microwaved hotdogs till they are dry and smelly. Work on recall commands and entice her to come to you with a big smile so that she will really want to be with you.
We also use a plastic pinch collar on walks and have him walk on our left side. The key is to have a very high value treats in hand, patience and praises and smiles. She'll do fine!
Cheers
Alex
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