Author Topic: I killed my dog (Read 1168 times)

Conan The Librarian · « **on:** April 18, 2011, 12:01:22 PM »

Yesterday was the first really nice snow-free day around here. The grass was warming up although it was still about 35F and windy. I took my beagle out for a good romp in the woods, then started walking back to the car. He was so happy to be out sniffing around in the spring that he wouldn't obey when I called him away from the road. He got hit by a car. I should never have been anywhere near a road. He was 8 years old. I don't blame the driver or the dog. It was all my fault.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #1 on:** April 18, 2011, 12:03:56 PM »

just an accident.....those things happen

slim rem 7 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 18, 2011, 12:05:07 PM »

it happens bud..most of us have had similar things happen..sorry for you loss. hope you can quit beating uself up ..stuff just happens .

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #3 on:** April 18, 2011, 12:13:08 PM »

It was bad judgement. I posted it as a warning to others. It was a country road, but it was one of the only blacktops in the area and it gets a fair amount of travel. I picked the spot because there's a good river and woods and some nice trails there. It seemed safe enough, but I really should have taken him deeper into the wildlife management area, away from roads. Beagles will follow their noses and ignore everything else, completely disregarding traffic or other hazards.

powderman · « **Reply #4 on:** April 18, 2011, 12:55:48 PM »

Quote

Beagles will follow their noses and ignore everything else, completely disregarding traffic or other hazards.

That says it all. Not your fault. POWDERMAN.

oldsoldja · « **Reply #5 on:** April 18, 2011, 01:04:23 PM »

thats rough, I feel for you, I have a boxador, boxer lab mix that is a stupid ass running wild near the street that im afraid its going to get hit.

My buddy was getting ready to go on a trip and packing up the rv, they took off and no one noticed the hunting dog wasnt with them untill they were 100 miles away, they turned around and rushed back and found him dead from heat in the back seat of his truck. Very smart nice dog, and a 5000.00 trained dog. He cried like a baby.

things like that happen.

blind ear · « **Reply #6 on:** April 18, 2011, 01:11:27 PM »

Thanks Conan, I get caught up in my own world too often. ear

Mohawk · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2011, 01:13:09 PM »

Sorry for your loss. Things are sometimes meant to be. My wife treats or puts to sleep many snake bit dogs every month. Most are bit just around the house while being let out for a potty break.

Old Fart · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2011, 05:03:12 PM »

Sorry about your pet. I've never been a pet person but understand how you can get attached to them.

ratdog · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2011, 05:45:16 PM »

real sorry for your loss.

bobg · « **Reply #10 on:** April 19, 2011, 12:34:42 AM »

Sorry for your loss Conan. I have lost one that way. I was moving and left her with my father in law for the day. She got away from him and got hit with a car. The next day at work a guy was laughing about running over a beagle. I had him by the front of the shirt and told him that was my dog. Is it still going to be funny when i jam your teeth down your throat? Lets just say i think more of my beagles than i do most people i know.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #11 on:** April 19, 2011, 05:56:20 AM »

Conan,
Sorry for your loss, I know the feeling. My last dog got hit by a car, she use to run away for a day every year into the woods behind the house, then come back. One day she never came back, my wife found her lying alongside the road. Some S.O.B. hit her, and didn't even stop. It still hurts to think about it.

Hit or Miss · « **Reply #12 on:** April 19, 2011, 05:47:49 PM »

Sorry to hear that!

I'd be miserable if it happened to one of mine.

I pulled into a small western Kansas town last week to see a customer and saw a lady loading up a dog in back of her truck. She promptly turned around, seeing me on the road, and clapped her hands and yelled to another dog across the street in front of me. I saw what she was doing and hit the brakes before I even saw the other dog and it made it across in front of me without harm. I had to shake my head in wonder at her carelessness though.

Ron T. · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2011, 05:01:47 PM »

Quote from: bobg on April 19, 2011, 12:34:42 AM

Sorry for your loss Conan. I have lost one that way. I was moving and left her with my father in law for the day. She got away from him and got hit with a car. The next day at work a guy was laughing about running over a beagle. I had him by the front of the shirt and told him that was my dog. Is it still going to be funny when i jam your teeth down your throat? Lets just say i think more of my beagles than i do most people i know.

*******************************************************************************

What kind of SICK SOB would be happy about running over a dog?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I'm sorry for both of your losses, Conan and BobG.

Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

bobg · « **Reply #14 on:** April 22, 2011, 02:02:11 AM »

That is what i thought too Ron T. One sick SOB. The way he told the story it was done on purpose. Sorry now i didn't hit him. Three of us hunted rabbits every week end. I told them don't screw up and shoot one of my dogs because there is a good chance i will bury you right here with the dog. At one time i run 7 beagles. Due to health problems i had to give it up. The two beagles i own now are right behind me sound asleep on my bed. Damn don't get me started on beagles. I love them. Conan i am sorry if it seems like i was trying to take this over.

I am very very sorry for your loss.

Dee · « **Reply #15 on:** April 27, 2011, 07:33:37 PM »

Conan, I've never had a dog run over, but I have friends that have. In some instances, luck was with me, but I see kids that won't come when called either, and the danger is the same for them when their small.
The first thing I always do when I get a new dog is "force train him" to come to me when called. My wife can't watch, but appreciates the results. I used to tell rookie K-9 officers: Your working around traffic, and you need to make up your mind. Do you wanna call him to ya, or watch him get ran over? That always got their attention.
My force training started because I couldn't, an still can't stand a dog that won't come when called. It's ruff on the dog, but once it's been conditioned to come for fear of reprisal, the fear is forgotten, and the dog comes simply because it is supposed to. In other words: At first it doesn't come because it wants to, it comes because it's afraid not to.
I think you'll most likely do better with the next dog, in that dept. Your human, and although you feel guilty, it is a lesson learned.

mirage1988 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 27, 2011, 11:50:16 PM »

Quote from: Dee on April 27, 2011, 07:33:37 PM

Conan, I've never had a dog run over, but I have friends that have. In some instances, luck was with me, but I see kids that won't come when called either, and the danger is the same for them when their small.
The first thing I always do when I get a new dog is "force train him" to come to me when called. My wife can't watch, but appreciates the results. I used to tell rookie K-9 officers: Your working around traffic, and you need to make up your mind. Do you wanna call him to ya, or watch him get ran over? That always got their attention.
My force training started because I couldn't, an still can't stand a dog that won't come when called. It's ruff on the dog, but once it's been conditioned to come for fear of reprisal, the fear is forgotten, and the dog comes simply because it is supposed to. In other words: At first it doesn't come because it wants to, it comes because it's afraid not to.
I think you'll most likely do better with the next dog, in that dept. Your human, and although you feel guilty, it is a lesson learned.

+1 on that dee-
Dogs don't always understand the words but they understand the tone of the words, If you are always yelling at the dog that is normal to him, and he will will wander in front of a car even if you are yelling at him.
When you train your dogs in a conversational voice, they will pay attention when you raise your voice just a little bit.
My boxer will stop in hot pursuit of a squirrel if I say her name and will roll over trying to stop If I yell her name chasing that squirrel.

Dee · « **Reply #17 on:** April 28, 2011, 02:54:37 AM »

We had to put my wife's poodle down a couple of years ago, and she's been pinein ever since. I think I may get her another one in a few days, and I will "force train" that one too. It will painful for the little dog, and Linda, once again, won't watch, but after a few sessions the dog will come runnin when she calls. Like I said, after while the dog will forget the pain and fear, and come because it always has, and knows it's supposed to.
When I'm in town, I' a nervous wreck watchin out of control kids run into a parkin lot ignoring their parents, and arguing with them. I'm surprised more of THEM don't get run over.

Mikey · « **Reply #18 on:** April 28, 2011, 03:15:24 AM »

Conan: what you experienced is what I have always feared for my dogs, that they would be hit by a car and killed and I feel for you.

Dee: I had to put down my 16.5 y/o 92 lb Standard Poodle after his hips failed and he couldn't get up any more. He was still game, but just couldn't move. The Vet came to the house and was very kind.

My wife and I drove two hours to go to a shelter downstate to look at some puppies but after only two minutes of the absolute chaos and mayhem that ensued and with cramps from laughing so hard we realized that we should consider a older dog for adoption rather than a puppy or two, and came home with a 11 month old (?) freshly spayed female Golden Retriever mix (of sorts) who has a wonderful personality and is such a lover. We really lucked out. My wife will be taking this one to basic obedience training although she (dog) seems to already have some training - she was found as a stray but I think that whoever owned her previously trained her somewhat. We got lucky with this one....

dukkillr · « **Reply #19 on:** April 28, 2011, 07:37:27 AM »

I've been around hunting dogs all my life. One of the best was hit driving from the blind to a farm house. Another jumped out of the back of a moving truck despite being tied in. He was drug some distance but survived. A friend had a client shoot and kill his dog trying to hit a crippled duck. More than once I've seen them run over by boats after jumping or falling out, although they've never been killed. I've seen the result of 2 nearly fatal fights...

But the worst was something incredibly stupid that we did a couple of years ago. We were riding in the back of a pickup going between pheasant fields like I've done 1000 times before. Two of us were in the back with 5-6 dogs. We had discovered that a specific crossing was wet so we were backing up to try another gate. For whatever reason one of the dogs jumped off the back of the tailgate while the truck was moving a decent speed in reverse. He missed the back tires but not the front. It took him 20 or so minutes to die. It still makes me sick to my stomach thinking about it.

I'm sorry for your loss, and I know how you feel. You can try to be as careful as possible, but sometimes things just happen. One thing my experiences have changed in me is an absolute belief in shock-collars. If a dog is hot on the trail of a pheasant who may run or fly across the road I want to be able to stop that dog cold 100% of the time, and no amount of training can do that without a collar. When you think of the time, money, and emotion you have invested in a good dog, a collar is a cheap addition.

ms · « **Reply #20 on:** April 29, 2011, 08:00:43 AM »

Sorry about your Beagle.

spikehorn · « **Reply #21 on:** April 29, 2011, 10:32:04 AM »

Sorry to hear about your beagle, I had a smooth collie she was the most intellegent loving dog. I let her out one day not seeing that the neighbors dog had broken it's chain and was across the street. Luna made a bee line for and got hit in the process. I felt sorry for the woman who hit her, she was very traumatized.

Brett · « **Reply #22 on:** April 29, 2011, 12:19:26 PM »

Sorry for your loss. Don't be too hard on yourself... stuff happens.

FWiedner · « **Reply #23 on:** April 30, 2011, 07:12:09 AM »

About a week ago I had to take one of my dogs to the vet and have her put down. She was 7 years old, I had her from 8 wks. A pitbull bitch at about 80lbs, she had for a few months been becoming increasingly uncooperative and aggressive toward everyone but me. Don't know why. She seemed healthy.

Last week, she got out of the yard and attacked some little dog that one of the neighbors was walking in the park. Didn't hurt the little fellow, no blood loss, but gave him a good rag-doll type of tossing around. Scared the crap out of the neighbor lady. Payment of vet bill, discussion of events with dog cops, etc.

I had 3 dogs. 2 pitbulls and a little maltese. My other pitbull is what I call 'stupid friendly'. Lilly got out once before about 5 years ago and got hurt on the end of the dog-catchers catch-pole, and since then had no fondness for strangers, even understanding that outlook I cannot have a dog that I have to worry about causing damage or injury to innocent stangers, small domestic animals, or heaven forbid, a child. I loved the dog, and I believe that she loved me, but I had to address the situation. She was happy to be with me and to go with me anywhere, and I used that trust to take her to the vet and kill her. What an ugly and heartbreaking betrayal.

You might hold some management responsibility for not controlling the animal and meeting misfortune, but you didn't kill him.

I, on the other hand cannot pass the buck.

Brett · « **Reply #24 on:** April 30, 2011, 08:18:55 AM »

FWiedner, That must have been a very difficult decision to have to make and I am very sorry that it had to be made. I also admire and respect you for making what was probably the best decision given the potential danger to those who may have come into contact with your dog. I hope I never have to make a similar call with any of my own dogs.