What should I have done?

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

Connie's mum is a real estate agent and is no mug. She now realises that Connie is the love of her life - perhaps on par with her children and grandchildren. She is also taking my advice and having a driveway gate installed so as to allow Connie much more outdoor area in which to roam and to get a better visual outlook to where she lives.

Again, Connie's owner has proven to be much more than anyone who was contacted or involved in her and Connie's time of need.

The thing about prescription food for dieting is the calories - ie the lack of calories, so that a Corgi can feel satisfied after eatng a prescribed amount and still get all the benefits of a complete and balanced diet (which can be reduced in amount given if necessary) yet not put on the pounds a la calories.

Micheal I "GET" the diet food concept and what is required to drop weight off of obese corgis - been there done that, got the t-shirts many, many times over. I've even managed to get eight pounds off of a petite girl that also happens to be on prednisone for an autoimmune disorder. The vet was most impressed as pred increases appetite and makes getting weight off much more complicated. There isn't a bag of prescription "diet" food in my house, don't have the need for it and the chubby corgis ARE getting a complete and balanced diet according to AAFCO guidelines. However, if feeding R/D is a help to Connie's owner and the end result is Connie at a healthy weight, then that is the solution we are all hoping for.

Debbie

[MyPemCharlie]

Very nice of you to step up and help out Michael. Sounds like you'll be a good influence in getting Connie's weight under control, one way or another! I'd also love to see some pictures of Connie.

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by MyPemCharlie

Very nice of you to step up and help out Michael. Sounds like you'll be a good influence in getting Connie's weight under control, one way or another!

It is nice to see him giving verbal input as a gesture of being involved and helpful, but then it is always easier to give advice than it is risk getting one's hands dirty. Had someone stepped up and offered assistance months ago when Connie and her owner were in need of a friendly corgi paw, then her weight issue wouldn't be at the extreme it is today.

Debbie

[Michael Romanos]

Took Connie for her first official walk today. Got to the park, five minutes from where I had parked my car (at the Lab's home), unleashed the Corgis and Connie hightailed it over the bridge, up the pathway and into the street. Even with her fat body she outpaced me (being handicapped with a Lab who was resisting travelling away from 'her' park) and I caught up to Connie only when she had found my car and sat down beside it. Meanwhile Taylor stayed at the park even though in my haste, I didn't give him any instructions. So heavy breathing Connie got a real run out of it. That should start the weight shedding process.

[glencorgi]

So you took a dog that doesn't really know you, isn't fond of men to begin with, and for which you have no real sense of how reliable it will be on a recall to a strange location and let it off leash resulting in it bolting across a street and back to the car it saw as a means to go home? Thankfully all Connie got out of it was a good run.

Debbie

[KJohnson]

Aside from the negative comments listed above, it sounds like you are doing a good job to me. Connie probably enjoys the fresh air and I know from experience that sometimes it doesn't matter how "reliable" they are on a re-call, if they want to go in the parking lot, they will. Usually, when Westin isn't listening very well, I take him deeper into the park before I let him off leash, just in case. Maybe next time Connie will listen when she's off leash if she doesn't know how to get back to the car?

[MyPemCharlie]

I believe Michael has all good intentions for Connie, but would have felt pretty embarrassed trying to explain to Connie's owner if Connie had been hit by a car on their first (or any) outing.

There are three off-leash dog parks in Austin (out of 12 parks) which are completely fenced in so the dogs cannot run into the parking lot or street. Those are the only places I would let Charlie off-leash at all (except our fenced backyard). If a squirrel, or other dog ran into the road, or kids threw a ball into the street, I know Charlie would chase and not listen to my call. No point in taking the risk.

I'd be working on teaching Connie to come reliably before letting her run free again, if there is not a fenced park in NZ.

[Jane Austen]

Wasn't it extraordinary that Connie went to a relatively strange car? Duchess has gone toward the parking lot when she was sulkiing, but I am not sure she would go to my car.

[glencorgi]

I apologize if my comments were viewed as negative; honestly I found the handling of the first outing irresponsible and less than professional. Helping on a professional basis, capitalizing and profiting on the unfortunate circumstances of Connie and her owner after turning one's back on them; sorry but it brings out the cynic in me.

So for all of you who think I'm being negative, what IF you had a dog walker and he/she had done the same thing with your corgi their first time together? Would you be having the same reaction?

Debbie

[Peggy]

I personally would not let a dog I did not know well and did not know me well, off leash anywhere. There are too many things that can go wrong.

I would not want someone walking my dogs to let them off leash until or unless they had my permission and/or knew the dogs very well and knew they had a solid off leash recall.

Shoot, I have dogs I have owned since their birth that I won't let off leash. Kelsey for instance is not reliable off leash and she's 8 years old. She's just one of those that likes to play "catch me if you can" games. Even with her owners.

Peggy

[Chip's Mom]

That sounds like my Chip. I do not let him off leash unless he is on a little island in the middle of the lake and I know Chip won't go in the water that is a guarantee. He likes catch me if you can too and those little legs sure can run alot faster then I can.

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by Chip's Mom

That sounds like my Chip. I do not let him off leash unless he is on a little island in the middle of the lake and I know Chip won't go in the water that is a guarantee. He likes catch me if you can too and those little legs sure can run alot faster then I can.

Exactly the way Kelsey is. Even "cookie" dosen't stop her in her tracks the way it does most of my corgis.

You know, some of mine have been just great off leash, very trustworthy. And every so often I get one that just refuses. Shoot, my first dog, a Golden, and one I took to obedince school was never trustworthy off leash. Great on leash, even long lines, recalls were great. But take it off and he seemed to go deaf and just run off. Never could break him of that.

IMO, some can be taught to come when called off leash and some just don't care to learn. And until you know which is which you don't take the chance. Unless you're in a safe (meaning fenced or on Bonnie's island ) place.

Peggy