cavalier on the loose...

A normal morning today,myself,the 3 kiddies and Alex were pottering around the house in our jammies when Aimee my youngest daughter whose almost 5 opened the front door and Alex was gone..He ran straight down the garden across the road which is a very busy road,how he wasnt knocked down I dont know it doesnt bear thinking about.I was gone straight after him in my dressing gown,no slippers and hair like Don King.He went straight over to the park which we live across from,lifted his leg did a wee-wee and waited there till I caught up with him.This is the 3rd time he has done this.he marks his spot out the back garden,hes only doing this about 2 weeks or so.Why would he be doing this in the park.Its not a nice feeling chasing him on the road My stomach was sick for ages afterwards.I've been told cavs have no road sense and I'll believe it.Sorry this a story but its not a nice feeling seeing him dodge traffic

Oh that would be so frightening! I wonder if it would be worthwhile to set up an x-pen around the front door area? That way he wouldn't be able to run outside like that.

I know exactly how you feel, Suki has done the same thing twice with me trailing after her and feeling sick as she ran straight across the main road and into the park. Each time it was because the kids hadn't shut the front door properly - i was left reeling after both times

We all had 'words' indoors and (touch wood) it hasn't happened again since - but i am considering getting an indoor pen just to block access to the front door - thanks for the tip

At Halloween-- we put a baby gate across the exterior doorway-- just in case the door wasn't shut all the way. It would be too easy for one of the pups to just squeak past.

So glad he's okay. I like the suggestions of an x-pen or puppy gate to prevent this from happening again.

Wow that is frightening. Maybe a nice high lock on the door that your daughter can not reach?.... cause this is a disaster waiting to happen.

I'd definitely put high latches on doors so small kids cannot open them -- get a high top bolt for the front door and/or a chain and babygate it for extra protection. For example my front door could not be opened by a child internally -- the latch is too high up. This should be an easy task to install.

If you have a front hall with internal doors you can shut, then I'd babygate off the hall with gates the children cannot work themselves and ALSO secure that front door in some way.

Or can you securely fence the front of the property? Otherwise this is a problem likely to repeat itself and end in tragedy, as small kids are too young to really realise what the problems are with opening a door like this.

It sounds like this is an issue you need to resolve anyway as you also wouldn;t want an under-five year old wandering out into the street or away from the house either. :xfngr:

We lost a cav to this very scenario when I was young, we had not had him long and we were never allowed another pet due to my mums heartache (harsh I know!).

I have built a fence around my front door for this reason, kind of like an open porch on the outside, I also like the sound of the x pen round the front door. You'll definately have to do something as I don't think any amount of training will be enough where there is the excitement of children and dogs mixed together and the potential for some outdoor adventure for Alex. Thank goodness he was ok. I bet you said a prayer to his angels for that *ng*l

Karlin said:

Or can you securely fence the front of the property? Otherwise this is a problem likely to repeat itself and end in tragedy, as small kids are too young to really realise what the problems are with opening a door like this.

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not just small kids my son who left the door open is taller than me so a higher latch would stop me getting out too
in all seriousness i've enforced it into my two that they put the dogs in the living room before they open the door - i also get them to lift the handle so that makes sure it's shut probably

Oh Babs! That must of been so frightening for you. I know how you feel. Wednesday was a nice day here and I was picking up poop in the yard. My Scout kept reaching through the fence for a leaf and lo and behold I looked up and he was on the other side of the fence. Jasmine was half way through also. It is a chain link fence and they found a spot that did not touch the ground and with the ground so soft now and the grass not grown up they were able to slide under. I pulled Jazz back under and blocked the hole and took off after Scout in my jammies and neck brace(from my accident in December). I was so scared. Finally after a good chase he turned and looked at me and ran back to me. Thank the lord!

You must have been really scared. I have no small children but big ones and husbands can be just as silly opening doors.Mine are warned now NOT to open my porch door until the front door is closed and the other way round when coming in, or opening the door to people ..either that or putting the dogs in the sitting room when answering the door..or in pippins case lifting him up.

I think this is one of my biggest fears also. I have a 'baby gate' installed in my hall so the dogs can't get to the front door at all unless someone leaves it open, I don't have very young kids but sometimes they walk through it and leave it open "just for a second" - But then they have to contend with me roaring at them to close it and getting told off BIG TIME and I guess they're well trained now...but it only takes one mistake.

Thankfully I don't live on a very busy road but I remember one time about two years ago we had builder's in and despite all my concerns' and instructions, the front door was left open - within seconds I missed the dogs, I was outside the back garden doing something and it literally took seconds to realize the dogs weren't with me, highly unusual...and we raced out just to see two little tails disappearing into someone else's front garden about 500m away.

We were lucky, any longer and I don't know where they might have disappeared to. It hasn't happened since but even still I have now installed gates at the front of the house so at least if they get out the front door - which they shouldn't (but you never can tell) at least they can't get far - providing of course they gates are kept closed by the humans!

Babies huh!!

Thanks guys for the ideas cos I have to do something,the kiddies were so upset,they were really horrified as was I.We took down the inside porch door when we moved in to make the hallway somewhat bigger and brighter,this was 6yrs ago,but I will make the front door entrance dog friendly somehow.My hubby can get cacking on DIY at the weekend

Alex our little 7mth blenheim darling:luv::luv:

yikes I would be terrified.. For this reason I'm soooo glad we live in a dead-end street..
But we do have a baby-gate in the house and whenever we are not doing anything with them, they are behind the gate.. now I must say the gate is not blocking the backdoor but since there is no danger there, I don't mind

Even if they would run on the road, it's no big deal since there are no cars and the cars that do come there don't drive fast so they are always able to stop... And since most owners have their dogs running around free when taking them out to potty we all know to be careful..

But the fartest Qwebble goes is our driveway and Qwick.. well he mostly is too lazy to run outside unless he knows he's allowed to

But a baby-gate, really is a good solution! (It also gives you a peace of mind when you're doing other stuff, not having to worry if they are doing things they shouldn't be doing )

Oh how very scary indeed!!

As I have 2 special needs children I have found the simplest way to stop this happening is to fit a Chubb lock to the door and keep the key well away from it in the kitchen! We also have a Yale lock and last of all a keep chain fitted at the very top of the door "Just in case"! We live in a large village but the road we live on is usually very busy!

A dog I sold was killed on the road a few years back when he got out through his owners legs, saddest part of it all was his owners couldn't bring themselves to call me and tell me, I had to hear about it from another breeder colleague who they approached for another dog