Boy did we have a scare... Missie's "adventure"

TinyAlbinoDancer · 12-12-2005, 12:40 AM

AKA "My Heart Attack at 18"

So the night before last, it's around dinner time, and while standing in the kitchen I noticed our back door was wide open. I figured someone hadn't closed it all the way behind them, and my sister's cat had let himself out (all of our cats can paw doors open if they're not all the way closed, so this was nothing unusual). Figuring we'd go get the cat later, I just closed the door and went about my business. We ate dinner, and I got on the computer. I don't know how long after closing the back door it was, but I went back to my room for something, and my bedroom door was open--telling me Missie was NOT in my bedroom like I assumed her to be this entire time. Suddenly I began to panic, realizing first that Missie wasn't in the livingroom with the family (and she is always with the family or in my bedroom), and second that I'd closed the back door earlier. So I quickly looked through my bed and around my room, then made my way to the livingroom and asked, "has anyone seen the dog?" No one had, and full blown panic ensued.

By the time I told my mom about closing the back door earlier, I was crying hysterically. So we all ran outside (the cat came running back in), in the freezing cold night (note: freezing for us Californians is like, 40. Hehe). And we're hollering all over the yard with flashlights. No Missie. I'm almost hysterical, can't even walk around to look for her. I repeatedly told the family to check our next-door neighbors yards, because both have dogs, so I figured Missie would've gone over to sniff around. And I didn't think she would've gone much farther than that. But Mom wanted to drive down the street, where we normally walk Missie, to see if she took that route. So we did that, and dad drove another street, and my sister stayed in our yard looking in the neighbor's yards.

So the whole time we're driving all I can think is, I have no idea how long ago I closed the back door, my baby is out there all by herself, it's cold, and she has NO identification on. Not even a collar to show she belongs to someone. And this story I overheard a vet tech telling about how her Chi was stolen when it got out of the gate for a few minutes (eeep!). We go all the way up the street, and still no Missie. We finally drive back down our street (a good 30 minutes or so has passed by now since we started looking), and as we're passing the next-door neighbor's yard, I see a grey little blur. I flew over to the fence and she came running over. I've never been so happy to feel her fur... She was all excited to see me, and licked all the tears off my face through the fence (I couldn't squeeze her through, so I held her while Mom opened the gate and went in and got her).

Ugh. I feel that ability to breathe once I was holding her all over again whenever I think of it. I lost some lifespan that night. Fortunately, Missie was completely unharmed. She didn't even care to bark and let us know where she was when we were calling for her. Meh! She recovered completely 10 minutes later.

I don't know what to do to ensure she had ID on her should that ever happen again (it won't, Lord willing!). She can't wear her collar or harness all the time because it mats her fur, and adds to her already- itchiness. :-/ I'm considering getting her microchipped regardless, but that's not fool-proof if she gets lost. I can't stand the thought of tattooing. Anything you guys would recommend?? I've never had such a feeling like that. *whew*

Thanks for reading!

Sayuri · 12-12-2005, 02:50 AM

What a scary story - I've had a scare like that myself, complicated by the fact that my Kimi doesn't wear a collar (traditional collars destroy the show coat - my pet boy does wear a collar though). Fortunately, like your tale, mine had a happy ending.

Anyway, both of my dogs are microchipped and I highly recommend it. I really can't think of a reason *not* to do it.

I understand that the idea of tattooing gives you the willies, but I know plenty of people that have had it done for their pets, and there's no adverse effects - I guess the only real question would be whether or not your lost dog would end up in the hands of someone who would think to *look* for a tattoo on a dog - but hey, if the option is there, and you want all the security you can get, why not? Is there any reason why Missie doesn't wear a collar? (I'm not one to fly off the handle when a dog doesn't - after all, Kimi doesn't - but if there's no particular reason for your girl to not wear one, I'd recommend doing that too. I've also heard of collars that allow for a short recorded message to be played, detailing any important information the owner thinks might be needed in the event that the animal is lost - I'm not sure what else you'd need besides typical tag information, but I gather that some people appreciate the device. Still, I think microchipping is the best plan - in the event that someone takes the collar off, or it falls off, the chip is still there.

So glad to hear Missie is back home and safe!

HarleysMom · 12-12-2005, 04:18 AM

OH MY---So glad to hear that this story ended well and that your all home happy---Unforn. things happen that we have little control over. I would also recommend the microchip--I think its worse on the owner to watch then it is for the pet to get it--just like most shots. And shelters scan for them when animals come in--Unforn in the case of animals being stolen Im not sure anything would help that much as they know where the pet came from and obv dont care--Its sad that this kind of thing happens to peoples pets though..

KennelMom · 12-12-2005, 04:43 AM

Microchipping is a great idea. It definitely can't hurt. But microchipping isn't 100%. Sometimes chips aren't compatible with a particular scanner and aren't picked up. Sometimes they migrate in the dogs body so someone scanning may not 'find' it.

The best way to make sure your pup comes back to you is to have regular old tags on them. Greyhounds necks often chaffe with unlined collars, so a lot of collar makers have developed satin and velour lined collars and tag collars. They usually make them for other breeds. http://www.2houndsdesign.com and http://www.majesticcollars.com are two of my favorites. Another alterative is a tag necklace. I ordered a couple leather braided tag collars from http://www.longdogleatherworks.com/ way back in the day I only had two

Maureen and her hubby do amazing work on their leather collars and the leather necklace hangs a bit looser so it is much less likely to chaffe or matt fur.

All of our dogs are tattooed - as puppies....I've seen it done in person and (at least the way the greyhounds are done) it isn't that bad. I guess tattooing isn't as common in non-racing greys and other breeds though.

Glad you recovered your pupper safe and sound. It is terrifying when they escape or get loose!

calgal · 12-12-2005, 11:28 AM

I make the girls their collars out of ultra suede which is extremely light weight, and plastic snap. I don't use buckles. They have long hair but they have not had any problem with matting. You could make Missie a collar out of silk or satin. They are easy to make. Then you could put her name & phone number on a tag. I would strongly suggest having her microchipped, and let her wear her chip tag. This way if someone found her and wanted to keep her they may think twice when they see she's chipped.

***Carrie*** · 12-12-2005, 12:25 PM

Oh whew! That sounded sooooo scary. You poor thing. I'm so glad you got her back. I agree with the microchipping. Go for it.

flyndog · 12-12-2005, 01:29 PM

OMG! I'm so glad you found her!! That *is* heart stopping!! Cozy's getting "chipped" soon. I'm going to try Calgal's ultrasuede collar idea.

calgal · 12-12-2005, 02:28 PM

This is the site where I buy what's needed to make collars and leashes:
Http://www.cdwplus.com/refillDOGpage.html When you order the D-rings, make sure they are cast. The first time I ever made a vest harness and used a D-ring, (bought at Wal-Mart) it had a tiny slit in the middle and came off the harness when I was walking the dog. The cast ones are solid. I prefer them even over the welded ones too. Good luck making the collars. Your going to be hooked when you find out how inexpensive and easy they are to make. Your going to end up with a zillion ideas how to make fancy ones and in all kinds of patterns & material. The ultra suede I buy is $60.00 a yard, but I only buy 1/4 yard and I can make 4 harnesses and 4 collars plus a few bows. This is where I got my inspiration

http://www.gwlittle.com/catalog.php?pt=24

***Carrie*** · 12-12-2005, 03:15 PM

I use to leave a collar on some of my dogs. But I don't now. I'm too paranoid about it getting caught or hung up on something and strangling the dog. My breeder had a Dobe die on account of leaving a collar on and when she was gone for a few hours, she came home to find that her other dog, while playing had gotten it's teeth caught in the collar of the other dog and he strangled to death. That's what she came home to....very sad.

But, when I did use to leave a collar on my GSD, I used a round one which kept his fur from becoming wrecked. The collar would roll a little bit and not stay in exactly the same place.

I still like the micro chipping idea best of all, as long as it's compatible with the scanner.

Novel · 12-12-2005, 03:40 PM

Because my dogs do not wear collars they are both microchipped and tattoo'd. I would highly recommend both.

So happy to hear that all ended well!

TinyAlbinoDancer · 12-12-2005, 04:28 PM

Sayuri- she doesn't wear one because it mats her fur, and further aggravates her itchiness (allergies--we haven't found a solution yet). The collar Calgal suggested may solve that problem, though, so I'll look into that. She has an ID tag with her info. on it, and one of those little metal tubes (the information on her tag wears off because it rubs her rabies tag, and I put my cell phone # inside the tube). If I can find a suitable collar we can at least put the tube (and did someone say something about a microchip tag?) on it and have her wear that.

The vet tech's story I mentioned... Her Chi had a sweater, collar and tags on, and was microchipped. She got out of the yard for not even a half an hour if I remember correctly, and someone flat out stole her. Gave the owner the sweater, collar w/ tags back, and said they "let out" her Chi (like they didn't know where it was). The tech had the police there and everything, and they said they couldn't do a thing unless her Chi somehow got out and was off the people's property--so they could scan her microchip and give her back to her rightful owner. She never got her Chi back! I'm paranoid after that. :-S

KennelMom- that's why I've never looked into having her chipped before. Our area isn't very dog-friendly, so anyone that found her wouldn't be likely to even know microchips exist. So I'll still look into it, but it's barely a safety measure, really. :-/

Flyn- where do you get them chipped? Is there an approx. price estimate you could give? Let me know how that collar works! Missie is finally getting groomed, on Wed., so the matting will be less of a problem for awhile, at least.

Carrie, that's another reason why Missie doesn't wear a collar. Fortunately, we don't have other dogs, so that's not a problem. But you never know what else it could get stuck on when I'm not home. (Yes, paranoid WOULD be a good word for me

lol!)

Novel, can you give me more info. on tattooing? Where is it put? How big/noticeable is it? Did it seem to hurt much? That idea still just makes me squeamish... I've always thought about it because tattooed dogs supposedly can't be stolen (or sold to labratories anyway

).

Thanks so much everyone for the suggestions! I'm going to see what I can come up with, for my peace of mind.

Sayuri · 12-13-2005, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Sayuri- she doesn't wear one because it mats her fur, and further aggravates her itchiness (allergies--we haven't found a solution yet). The collar Calgal suggested may solve that problem, though, so I'll look into that. She has an ID tag with her info. on it, and one of those little metal tubes (the information on her tag wears off because it rubs her rabies tag, and I put my cell phone # inside the tube). If I can find a suitable collar we can at least put the tube (and did someone say something about a microchip tag?) on it and have her wear that.

Ahhh...makes sense!

Novel · 12-13-2005, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinyAlbinoDancer

Novel, can you give me more info. on tattooing? Where is it put? How big/noticeable is it? Did it seem to hurt much? That idea still just makes me squeamish... I've always thought about it because tattooed dogs supposedly can't be stolen (or sold to labratories anyway

).

Tattoos are placed at the owners discretion to a certain degree but most commonly they are found on the inner thigh of one of the rear legs. It is almost completely invisible, even on short coated breeds, and unless someone were to cut off the leg, it would be difficult to remove. (They used to place them in the ear, and some still do, but a dog that was stolen would show up elsewhere missing an ear and have no identification to bring it back home.)
It depends upon the technician as to its size and clarity. I asked to see the persons prior work before I made my decision.
My dogs have their AKC reg numbers, so thats ten digits, but a Microchip ID # could also be used. That's what we did for Alley since she's not AKC reg.
The area is anesthetized first, like when you receive stitches or dental work, and the dogs didn't seem to notice or care. The good artists move quickly. There is some swelling for a day or so, and then that's it.
If you're looking for some people that tattoo, check with an all breed club in your area. They usually know some. I met the woman I used at a dog show. She does them there as a "clinic" and came to my house since I wanted to have three done and a friend of mine had her three to get done also.

PitBullie09 · 12-13-2005, 04:15 PM

How scary- I've had that happen before.. Im glad you found her.

12-12-2005, 12:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
TinyAlbinoDancer Always room for one more Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,580 Rep Power: 168	Boy did we have a scare... Missie's "adventure" AKA "My Heart Attack at 18" So the night before last, it's around dinner time, and while standing in the kitchen I noticed our back door was wide open. I figured someone hadn't closed it all the way behind them, and my sister's cat had let himself out (all of our cats can paw doors open if they're not all the way closed, so this was nothing unusual). Figuring we'd go get the cat later, I just closed the door and went about my business. We ate dinner, and I got on the computer. I don't know how long after closing the back door it was, but I went back to my room for something, and my bedroom door was open--telling me Missie was NOT in my bedroom like I assumed her to be this entire time. Suddenly I began to panic, realizing first that Missie wasn't in the livingroom with the family (and she is always with the family or in my bedroom), and second that I'd closed the back door earlier. So I quickly looked through my bed and around my room, then made my way to the livingroom and asked, "has anyone seen the dog?" No one had, and full blown panic ensued. By the time I told my mom about closing the back door earlier, I was crying hysterically. So we all ran outside (the cat came running back in), in the freezing cold night (note: freezing for us Californians is like, 40. Hehe). And we're hollering all over the yard with flashlights. No Missie. I'm almost hysterical, can't even walk around to look for her. I repeatedly told the family to check our next-door neighbors yards, because both have dogs, so I figured Missie would've gone over to sniff around. And I didn't think she would've gone much farther than that. But Mom wanted to drive down the street, where we normally walk Missie, to see if she took that route. So we did that, and dad drove another street, and my sister stayed in our yard looking in the neighbor's yards. So the whole time we're driving all I can think is, I have no idea how long ago I closed the back door, my baby is out there all by herself, it's cold, and she has NO identification on. Not even a collar to show she belongs to someone. And this story I overheard a vet tech telling about how her Chi was stolen when it got out of the gate for a few minutes (eeep!). We go all the way up the street, and still no Missie. We finally drive back down our street (a good 30 minutes or so has passed by now since we started looking), and as we're passing the next-door neighbor's yard, I see a grey little blur. I flew over to the fence and she came running over. I've never been so happy to feel her fur... She was all excited to see me, and licked all the tears off my face through the fence (I couldn't squeeze her through, so I held her while Mom opened the gate and went in and got her). Ugh. I feel that ability to breathe once I was holding her all over again whenever I think of it. I lost some lifespan that night. Fortunately, Missie was completely unharmed. She didn't even care to bark and let us know where she was when we were calling for her. Meh! She recovered completely 10 minutes later. I don't know what to do to ensure she had ID on her should that ever happen again (it won't, Lord willing!). She can't wear her collar or harness all the time because it mats her fur, and adds to her already- itchiness. :-/ I'm considering getting her microchipped regardless, but that's not fool-proof if she gets lost. I can't stand the thought of tattooing. Anything you guys would recommend?? I've never had such a feeling like that. whew Thanks for reading!
	__________________ ~Karen Missie~Trixie~Little Guy~Ollie

12-12-2005, 02:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
Sayuri Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: In the gorgeous NW Posts: 932 Rep Power: 134	What a scary story - I've had a scare like that myself, complicated by the fact that my Kimi doesn't wear a collar (traditional collars destroy the show coat - my pet boy does wear a collar though). Fortunately, like your tale, mine had a happy ending. Anyway, both of my dogs are microchipped and I highly recommend it. I really can't think of a reason not to do it. I understand that the idea of tattooing gives you the willies, but I know plenty of people that have had it done for their pets, and there's no adverse effects - I guess the only real question would be whether or not your lost dog would end up in the hands of someone who would think to look for a tattoo on a dog - but hey, if the option is there, and you want all the security you can get, why not? Is there any reason why Missie doesn't wear a collar? (I'm not one to fly off the handle when a dog doesn't - after all, Kimi doesn't - but if there's no particular reason for your girl to not wear one, I'd recommend doing that too. I've also heard of collars that allow for a short recorded message to be played, detailing any important information the owner thinks might be needed in the event that the animal is lost - I'm not sure what else you'd need besides typical tag information, but I gather that some people appreciate the device. Still, I think microchipping is the best plan - in the event that someone takes the collar off, or it falls off, the chip is still there. So glad to hear Missie is back home and safe!
	__________________ As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

12-12-2005, 04:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
KennelMom Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Piedmont, SC Posts: 658 Rep Power: 89	Microchipping is a great idea. It definitely can't hurt. But microchipping isn't 100%. Sometimes chips aren't compatible with a particular scanner and aren't picked up. Sometimes they migrate in the dogs body so someone scanning may not 'find' it. The best way to make sure your pup comes back to you is to have regular old tags on them. Greyhounds necks often chaffe with unlined collars, so a lot of collar makers have developed satin and velour lined collars and tag collars. They usually make them for other breeds. http://www.2houndsdesign.com and http://www.majesticcollars.com are two of my favorites. Another alterative is a tag necklace. I ordered a couple leather braided tag collars from http://www.longdogleatherworks.com/ way back in the day I only had two Maureen and her hubby do amazing work on their leather collars and the leather necklace hangs a bit looser so it is much less likely to chaffe or matt fur. All of our dogs are tattooed - as puppies....I've seen it done in person and (at least the way the greyhounds are done) it isn't that bad. I guess tattooing isn't as common in non-racing greys and other breeds though. Glad you recovered your pupper safe and sound. It is terrifying when they escape or get loose!
	Last edited by KennelMom : 12-12-2005 at 04:46 AM.

12-12-2005, 12:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
*Carrie* Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: north panhandle of Idaho Posts: 7,545 Rep Power: 291	Oh whew! That sounded sooooo scary. You poor thing. I'm so glad you got her back. I agree with the microchipping. Go for it.
	__________________ Get more out of Global Paw. Check out these great features. Global Paw Book Club -- Art Classes -- Woof Review As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

12-12-2005, 01:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
flyndog Unleash The Possibilities Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Marfa, TX Posts: 3,969 Rep Power: 185	OMG! I'm so glad you found her!! That is heart stopping!! Cozy's getting "chipped" soon. I'm going to try Calgal's ultrasuede collar idea.
	__________________ mARFa Dog Training and Behavior

12-12-2005, 04:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
HarleysMom Wrinkles In The Way Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 191 Rep Power: 64	OH MY---So glad to hear that this story ended well and that your all home happy---Unforn. things happen that we have little control over. I would also recommend the microchip--I think its worse on the owner to watch then it is for the pet to get it--just like most shots. And shelters scan for them when animals come in--Unforn in the case of animals being stolen Im not sure anything would help that much as they know where the pet came from and obv dont care--Its sad that this kind of thing happens to peoples pets though..

12-12-2005, 11:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
calgal My Yorkster kids! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: central ca. coast Posts: 6,876 Rep Power: 234	I make the girls their collars out of ultra suede which is extremely light weight, and plastic snap. I don't use buckles. They have long hair but they have not had any problem with matting. You could make Missie a collar out of silk or satin. They are easy to make. Then you could put her name & phone number on a tag. I would strongly suggest having her microchipped, and let her wear her chip tag. This way if someone found her and wanted to keep her they may think twice when they see she's chipped.

12-12-2005, 02:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
calgal My Yorkster kids! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: central ca. coast Posts: 6,876 Rep Power: 234	This is the site where I buy what's needed to make collars and leashes: Http://www.cdwplus.com/refillDOGpage.html When you order the D-rings, make sure they are cast. The first time I ever made a vest harness and used a D-ring, (bought at Wal-Mart) it had a tiny slit in the middle and came off the harness when I was walking the dog. The cast ones are solid. I prefer them even over the welded ones too. Good luck making the collars. Your going to be hooked when you find out how inexpensive and easy they are to make. Your going to end up with a zillion ideas how to make fancy ones and in all kinds of patterns & material. The ultra suede I buy is $60.00 a yard, but I only buy 1/4 yard and I can make 4 harnesses and 4 collars plus a few bows. This is where I got my inspiration http://www.gwlittle.com/catalog.php?pt=24

12-12-2005, 03:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
*Carrie* Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: north panhandle of Idaho Posts: 7,545 Rep Power: 291	I use to leave a collar on some of my dogs. But I don't now. I'm too paranoid about it getting caught or hung up on something and strangling the dog. My breeder had a Dobe die on account of leaving a collar on and when she was gone for a few hours, she came home to find that her other dog, while playing had gotten it's teeth caught in the collar of the other dog and he strangled to death. That's what she came home to....very sad. But, when I did use to leave a collar on my GSD, I used a round one which kept his fur from becoming wrecked. The collar would roll a little bit and not stay in exactly the same place. I still like the micro chipping idea best of all, as long as it's compatible with the scanner.
	__________________ Get more out of Global Paw. Check out these great features. Global Paw Book Club -- Art Classes -- Woof Review As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

12-12-2005, 03:40 PM	#10 (permalink)
Novel Mush Face Lover Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 4,992 Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 222	Because my dogs do not wear collars they are both microchipped and tattoo'd. I would highly recommend both. So happy to hear that all ended well!
	__________________ ~~~My Blog~~~

12-12-2005, 04:28 PM	#11 (permalink)
TinyAlbinoDancer Always room for one more Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,580 Rep Power: 168	Sayuri- she doesn't wear one because it mats her fur, and further aggravates her itchiness (allergies--we haven't found a solution yet). The collar Calgal suggested may solve that problem, though, so I'll look into that. She has an ID tag with her info. on it, and one of those little metal tubes (the information on her tag wears off because it rubs her rabies tag, and I put my cell phone # inside the tube). If I can find a suitable collar we can at least put the tube (and did someone say something about a microchip tag?) on it and have her wear that. The vet tech's story I mentioned... Her Chi had a sweater, collar and tags on, and was microchipped. She got out of the yard for not even a half an hour if I remember correctly, and someone flat out stole her. Gave the owner the sweater, collar w/ tags back, and said they "let out" her Chi (like they didn't know where it was). The tech had the police there and everything, and they said they couldn't do a thing unless her Chi somehow got out and was off the people's property--so they could scan her microchip and give her back to her rightful owner. She never got her Chi back! I'm paranoid after that. :-S KennelMom- that's why I've never looked into having her chipped before. Our area isn't very dog-friendly, so anyone that found her wouldn't be likely to even know microchips exist. So I'll still look into it, but it's barely a safety measure, really. :-/ Flyn- where do you get them chipped? Is there an approx. price estimate you could give? Let me know how that collar works! Missie is finally getting groomed, on Wed., so the matting will be less of a problem for awhile, at least. Carrie, that's another reason why Missie doesn't wear a collar. Fortunately, we don't have other dogs, so that's not a problem. But you never know what else it could get stuck on when I'm not home. (Yes, paranoid WOULD be a good word for me lol!) Novel, can you give me more info. on tattooing? Where is it put? How big/noticeable is it? Did it seem to hurt much? That idea still just makes me squeamish... I've always thought about it because tattooed dogs supposedly can't be stolen (or sold to labratories anyway ). Thanks so much everyone for the suggestions! I'm going to see what I can come up with, for my peace of mind.
	__________________ ~Karen Missie~Trixie~Little Guy~Ollie Last edited by TinyAlbinoDancer : 12-12-2005 at 04:31 PM.

12-13-2005, 04:15 PM	#14 (permalink)
PitBullie09 ACD/Pit Bull Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,477 Rep Power: 132	How scary- I've had that happen before.. Im glad you found her.
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