[CorkyMax]

Just a warning/something for you to be aware of! I had read about this happening to dogs a few years back. Will give you an example of what could happen using my situation (This did not happen!) I have a chain link fence around my backyard and I have a doggie door with a ramp to this yard. The ramp is home-made and I put some latticework on top of it for better footing in the winter time. I went to work early in the morning and it might be 10 hrs before I would get home from work (sometimes groc. shopping before coming home) My 2 dogs are home alone but I open up the doggie door so they can go in and out freely while I am gone. They (like most dogs) wore their collars all the time.----Until I read an article in a dog magazine. Dogs have hung themselves by getting their collars caught on something! And it happened more often than you think! I started getting this pic. of me coming home--no dog sitting on the little hill waiting for me to come home--wonder why it wasn't there--go in the house--no dog--Went out in back yard and there is my dog hung up on the lattice-topped ramp, dead! Wouldn't that have been horrible to come home to! After reading that article---off came the collars--to be used only when they needed to go to vet or for a walk--WITH ME RIGHT THERE. I would like to impress upon you that there are many things you may never even think of that they could get caught and hang themselves--esp. if they jump down off of something. The point is I would never leave a collar on my dog unless some one was there to keep an eye on the dog----and even then it could happen if you weren't paying close attention and how long does it take for the dog to hang itself?!
Note: Another reason to not buy bandanas for your dog either!!

[sandyh]

ya i have fears like that too. but where do you hang there tags in case they get loose while you are gone.
Another fear is leaving dogs in kennels: what if there was a fire, they would have absolutely no chance of escape
Or if locked up in one room during a tornado. Or wearing a collar that can attract lightening.
my daughters dog broke his hip from falling off 3 stairs cost me 1500 to have it replaced.
I have seen a dog that was hung when i was littler, he was on a chain in a fenced in yard with a small kennel by the fence which the chain was attached to. he must have seen something climbed up on his kennel and jumped over his fence. his owner found him when he got home from work.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by sandyh

ya i have fears like that too. but where do you hang there tags in case they get loose while you are gone.
Another fear is leaving dogs in kennels: what if there was a fire, they would have absolutely no chance of escape
Or if locked up in one room during a tornado. Or wearing a collar that can attract lightening.
my daughters dog broke his hip from falling off 3 stairs cost me 1500 to have it replaced.
I have seen a dog that was hung when i was littler, he was on a chain in a fenced in yard with a small kennel by the fence which the chain was attached to. he must have seen something climbed up on his kennel and jumped over his fence. his owner found him when he got home from work.

Isn't that so sad and tragic!. I am lucky that I live in a small 'burg'--If my dogs got loose, everyone would know whose they were! And even if I was in a big city,etc. I still would rather chance it then to find them dead from hanging. A person could get a chip implanted too but I prob. wouldn't!

[Lunareclipse]

They do have break-away collars for dogs. I have them for mine. And I use a seperate collar to put the leash on when I walk them.

[Lara's mom]

I've always gotten a puppy sitter when I've known that I'm going to be away for more than four hours. However, since my mom died, I can't leave them alone for any longer than an hour. I start to panic thinking about the possibility of a fires, tornadoes, you name it! I'm really lucky to have a lot of dog loving friends who understand and will puppy sit for me when I go grocery shopping, out for lunch with a friend, etc.

I know I must be coming across as completely neurotic but, they're all I have and I'm all they have. All of a sudden, I feel this need to make sure they're watched over every minute...

[sandyh]

Originally Posted by Lunareclipse

They do have break-away collars for dogs. I have them for mine. And I use a seperate collar to put the leash on when I walk them.

If the breakaway collars are anything like the cat ones then no thanks. my cats have their collars off within 5 minutes of putting them on. I spend more time relocating them and putting them back on then they do wearing them.

The animals are all micro chipped, how ever you have to catch the animal first and then you have to find a vet who actually has the machine to read the chip as they all don't have one. At least around here

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

I've always gotten a puppy sitter when I've known that I'm going to be away for more than four hours. However, since my mom died, I can't leave them alone for any longer than an hour. I start to panic thinking about the possibility of a fires, tornadoes, you name it! I'm really lucky to have a lot of dog loving friends who understand and will puppy sit for me when I go grocery shopping, out for lunch with a friend, etc.

I know I must be coming across as completely neurotic but, they're all I have and I'm all they have. All of a sudden, I feel this need to make sure they're watched over every minute...

Well if you are considered neurotic--then so am I! Not only about my own 2 boys but everybody elses---I am so worried about the dog that is taking the 100 mg. of Rimadyl right now--hoping it will be okay. It just tears me up when I think about a dog maybe dying because of some mistake we may make and not know that we may be killing our dogs. And I'm sure a lot of 'strangers' (and also some not strangers!) think I'm a nut because I actually 'lecture' and give advise on how to take care of their dogs.
I even just say "Do you have a dog?" and if they do --in I start!!! LOL, I end up saying, (if they don't have a dog) Well guess I won't have to lecture on that subject then and smile and walk away. That is how compelled I am about helping all the dogs I can!! Is that neurotic or not!

[Lara's mom]

You obviously love dogs and have amassed a great deal of knowledge. I, for one, am blessed to have been able to call upon that knowledge a number of times. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it and how much I've learned from you.

I too am concerned about that nasty drug. However, I didn't feel that I was knowledgeable enough to make a comment. I know that "Hell would freeze over at least twice" before I'd even consider letting my girls take it. Even then, I'd have to be right out of my mind!

For me, the neurotic part comes from the change between being able to leave them alone for a couple of hours to not feeling comfortable running out for a quart of milk without making sure someone is watching them. My Doctor says it will lessen in time. Frankly, I don't know about that...

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Lara's mom

You obviously love dogs and have amassed a great deal of knowledge. I, for one, am blessed to have been able to call upon that knowledge a number of times. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it and how much I've learned from you.

I too am concerned about that nasty drug. However, I didn't feel that I was knowledgeable enough to make a comment. I know that "Hell would freeze over at least twice" before I'd even consider letting my girls take it. Even then, I'd have to be right out of my mind!I told my vet that under no circumstances that my 2 boys were to be given this crap--I think they sometimes give this when operating--even when put under anethesia for teeth cleaning--and be aware everybody, you may not know they gave this until you get your itemized bill and there it is on the statement!! My vet has it in the computer in my account (at my insistance) to never give Rimadyl, Prednisone or Proin!!! Might be a good idea to inform your vet if you don't want certain drugs used because they could just do it while operating, etc

For me, the neurotic part comes from the change between being able to leave them alone for a couple of hours to not feeling comfortable running out for a quart of milk without making sure someone is watching them. My Doctor says it will lessen in time. Frankly, I don't know about that...

Well, I don't do that but I can't even go on a vacation because I would be worrying about something happening to my dogs while I was gone--even for just an overnight trip (and no I couldn't take them with) As far as boarding--can't do that either as I would have to get them shots that are required and won't get them any more shots than I have to! Besides
like you stated before I don't want them shut up in a cage and no one there to watch over them in case of fire, etc. I even worry that if I die first (and this even has me having 2nd thoughts about getting another dog after these 2 are gone)that none will be able to take care of them properly--and who would feed them the raw food diet or for that matter even home-cooked! I told my daughter that if she didn't take my dogs if I died that I would come back and haunt her! (and I was not joking--bad me!) I know she would not feed raw and even doubt that she would cook for them-but hoping she would because my dogs will not touch commercial dog food. That is what she feeds and I can't talk her out of it!!

[B][COLOR="Green"]Yeh, I love dogs for sure and like I said-am COMPELLED to do as much as I can for them--they are so dependent and innocent! Thank you for all the good things you said about me--Makes me feel good and glad I have been of help to you! If I have somehow stopped even 1 dog from dying or helped in any other way with my advise (and I am overbearing sometimes in my 'lectures' and hope I don't 'turn a lot of members/other people too-'turn them off or make them mad) It will well be worth my time and effort!!

[Lunareclipse]

I don't think any of you guys are nuerotic. I start a new job here in a few weeks, after being an at home mom for several years. My kids and my dogs will all be going to the same babysitter. You can imagine how relieved I was to find a babysitter that also has a couple of saint bernards of her own. But I just can't bear the thought of leaving them by themselves. If I go out to get groceries, I am in so much of a hurry to get back and see if my babies are ok. Shame they don't have a grocery store where you can take your dogs too.

[Lara's mom]

I've always thought the rule against dogs going into stores was stupid. I've been in a number of establishments where some of the clientele appear to bathe less frequently than my girls and don't smell nearly as good! Also, my girls are very well behaved. There are a few small neighbourhood stores that have no problem with letting dogs in. I do my best to give them as much of my business as I can.