[Teddy7]

Hi Friends-
Just wanted to tell you a quick tale about Teddy's scary experience. Who knows, it might help one of you.
Unfortunately, I have to leave Teddy at home when I go to work. He has gotten to the point that I can leave him out without him destroying the chairs, shoes, etc. He's over a year now. I think he quite enjoys it...he is confined though to the livingroom, kitchen and upstairs bedrooms.
Anyway, I had a bad "feeling" all day because Chicago had one of the biggest storms in years, and he was alone during it. I don't know, just had this feeling.
So I come down the driveway, (it took me over an hour to get home this day) and always, there is my Teddy...poking his head out from the vertical blinds anxiously awaiting my arrival. Not today though. I honk the horn, thinking maybe he's sleeping and didn't hear me pull up...nothing. No sign of him. Something is wrong.
I rush into the house and there is my Teddy, running at me hysterical, with - a floor vent hanging from his neck. Oh My GOD. I couldn't tell right away how the heck it was clinging to him. He was so upset, that he couldn't keep his little body still. I quickly realized that his dog tag (it's a flat silver "bone") had went into one of the vent slats when he was probably laying on the vent to cool off. Then when he stood up, the tag "turned" (like a lock) and he couldn't get it off so he pulled it off of the floor and there it stuck on him. He completely freaked out. Tore up the house, trying to get this darn vent off of him. Poor little guy - I had no idea how long he had it on but I guessed it had been a while. The vent was bigger than he is!
Our dogs have always laid on the vents "sucking up all the air" and never did it dawn on me that the tag could get stuck. He recovered within a minute or so. Just very anxious I imagine. Teddy is fine - I thought I would share that.
I now tape the tag to his collar to prevent this from happening again.

Anyway, just wanted to share.

Take care guys!
-Jackie and Teddy

 

[Teddy7]

Gosh, I am sooo glad that he is OK... what a scare!!

I recommend no collars at all when unsupervised. There are just too many things that could happen. My cousin's Doxy puppy accidentally got his collar caught on something (can't remember what) and died. One time a couple years ago I came home and found Kallie with her collar underneath her jaw.. she had tried to take it off or something and it was stuck around her mouth. Ever since those two incidents I don't keep collars on my guys at all.... just too dangerous.


You just raised even more awareness for me with your stories - thank you. I saw Teddy get his collar caught in his jaw once when he was very little, but the ones we have now he seems to have no problems with and isn't able to get the collar around his mouth. Then again, these are mischevious little guys and u can't put anything past them.

I know exactly what you mean about no collars. I have to say though, what worries me is that the dogs can get loose and if they don't have a tag on them, even if they are micro-chipped, the likelyhood of them being returned is far less. My furbabies aren't exactly trustworty, I hate to say. My mom suggested getting his name and address professionally stitched to the collar. I've seen that done before.

 

[Teddy7]

Thankfully, I live in a house and don't have to worry about anyone coming in when I'm not there and accidentally letting them get away. Teddy is too much. He never ever wants to come inside - he absolutely loves the sunshine and will sit outside (even in this dreadful midwest heat) and just smile and watch everything in sight. When his sister Kiki comes over (Pom-a-Poo) she tends to influence Ted to try to get under the fence, the gate, etc. I suppose it isn't too much of an issue to leave the collar off of them, it's just a matter of trying to remember to do it when I leave. My brother leaves a harness on his dog, but Teddy is so "particular" with what he wears, I doubt he'd care for a harness. I don't trust my dogs at all. They have both been to behavior class and they still don't listen attentively. And when I want Teddy to come in the house, he just looks at me, stretches out his two front paws, lays down on the walkway like "what--you are trying to get me in the house? Yaaawwwnn...yea, I don't think so". They don't like to listen. I guess they think they are above that.

 

[Teddy7]

Originally posted by Littlemans Mom@Aug 3 2005, 02:25 PM

  OMG, I am so sorry for Teddy, must have been so scared   

  Thank you for the warning, you just never know what might happen, so better safe than sorry.
I was at a wedding outside of Chicago over the weekend, we flew back Mon. night, I'm glad we missed the storm. I hate flying in bad weather.
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Really? Where were you in Chicago? Were you in the suburbs or the city? The weather here stinks. It's either downpuring or 100+ degrees. And everybody's allergies are just awful

 

[Teddy7]

Originally posted by littlepeanut@Aug 3 2005, 06:47 PM
OMG I'm so glad that Teddy is okay!! 

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I didn't realize that collars were such an issue - I'm glad I am not the only one!
Teddy was babysat (yes, and all you maltese owners can sympothize with me on that one) by my mother for the first 9 months or so. Then she got a dog. He was a poodle puppy, and he and Teddy were all over each other play fighting all the time. I knew he did this with his sister for hours when we first got him but I even wondered "when will this madness end???!!!" Anyway my mom seemed a bit overwhelmed by it and finally I said enough....he can stay at home. I couldn't bring myself to put him in the cage, even though we have two cats. He sleeps in a crate and I just didn't want him locked in a crate all night, then a cage all day. So I let him be. I was a nervous wreck about it. I actually confine him to the first and second floors of the house. No more basement bc although he has his pads, he still prefers to poop in one spot (next to the pad) and peed on the couch - this was every day! I had my moments of just forget it, I need to buy a cage. But Teddy loves to lounge on the couch so I just let him go. He settles down after a bit. I have to keep him out of the cage bc he'll bark all day if I don't. I watch mostly for things like cords. Kiki was notorious for chewing on electrical cords. If you make sure nothing is visible he should be fine. Teddy got pretty upset for a while when I'd go to work. If I put a brown bag behind the garbage he'd manage to find that, or whatever paper, and chew it to bits all over the floor in frustration. I now am just aware of what's around, put anything I think he could get into away, and lol, hope for the best when I get home. Your baby will be fine. It will just take time. Oh, and I take the tag off the collar!