Okay, first let me say:: we have all but built a damn COMPOUND facility around our yard to make sure Dar doesn't jump the fence; including two different spots for 'tie outs'.
We have this tall-assed-chain link kennel door on our FRONT PORCH that opens onto the sidewalk. *our house is set up weird. It's old. the 'back yard is actually the side yard, and with it being a corner lot, there's a lot of street access*
On the kennel gate, there's this "C' shaped things that lifts up and down, fitting around a pole.
*I can't post pics now. I'm at the hospital while Gerry has all her lady parts removed to get rid of the cancer*
TWICE yesterday Dar BODY slammed the gate and went RUNNING. For you who may remember, There's nothing that Dar loves MORE than Running. No food, No Cat, No Attention, No 'bye bye', nothing.
It takes us FOREVER of walking the neighborhood, wearing him out, 'herding him back to the house ----
*he hasn't been out all winter.
The second time yesterday morning, kelcie and I were headed out the door, which is usually no big deal. Dar was standing there in the dining room, by the door. when the cat went by me, I accidentally stepped on his tail.
Cat Screeched, ran out the door, Dar crashed past the two of us, and HIT that gate and popped it open.
I almost cried .
The neighbor across the street has two dogs *one half pit, very well behaved with not one iota of training;
and We were all trying to catch Dar. He's jumping around Abby and Annie with one keen eye on anyone who tried to get close enough to grab his collar.
Along comes a SUV with this youngish girl who rolls down the window to tell us she has lost HER DOG and have we seen him. It's obvious to her I'm trying to grab Dar, *while neighbors kinda stand around and wait. They're patient with this process. it happened a lot before we got the compound put up.
Young girl in car decides to help by getting her dog out to 'help".....*distract Dar long enough so we can grab collar and I can snap on leash*
sure enough, Dar was thrilled to see little dog *some kind of herding doggiemixed breed* and as Dar is happily romping with young dog, the young woman snags his collar!! horray!!
but the D ring was on the other side, so both dogs are playing and romping and in a split second after I snap on the leash, Dar FLIPS OUT and Grabs Little Furry doggie in his mouth!!!!
Doggie screams, woman screams and cries and I'm yelling Dar's name.....CHAOS.
Total Chaos.
Kelcie hears the screaming from across the street, the woman holding her dog, tears streaming and Kelcie BURSTS into panicked crying and as I"m kneeling down beside Dar, trying my best to apologize, Kelcie grabs me, wrapping both her arms around me crying " Oh my god Momma, Oh my God...you can't lose Dar, you can't lose Him Too":>>.
I"m trying to hold Dar down, the woman still clutching her Dog, saying 'this has got to be reported'; as she runs to her car, Kelcie continues to WEEP......I keep saying "it's okay Sweetie, calm down--it's okay, we're not gonna lose Dar, it's okay>
Kelcie wails, "" I don't care about Dar, I care about You. You can't lose him Too">>>
The woman comes back from her car, and I"m rushing out apologies, the name of my vet, telling her to take her dog, send me the bill, etc....woman kneels down beside Dar and thank god he thumps his tail and let's her pet him.....
Some NOSY ASSED WOMAN from across the street comes running to the owners of the house **who by this time have unhooked their dogs from the tie outs and taken them in the house with them."" this woman is shouting"" I saw the whole thing, I saw the whole thing......
BITCH.We got Dar Home, Me;leading Dar and kelcie and i walking with our arms around each other, weary, frightened and now terrified she's going to report Dar.
I took kelcie to school, drove around and helped that woman look for her dog.**who later, we found out, was hiding under the deck---black as night, sleeping. **
I called my vet and asked about the dog, and Claudia said" that was your dog? Dar did that"??
She said there were a couple little puncture wounds and a little antibiotic would be fine. She told me the total of the bill and I drove the check to the young woman's house that night when I got back from a long day in Lincoln.
The young woman said to tell my daughter its' going to be okay, and she wasn't going to report Dar.
I can't trust him you guys.
It happened with Macy *now we crate*, it happened at Puppy Day Care *we don't board him anymore* and now it happened with a young dog that he played with in one second and attacked a second later.
Now I won't even walk him. The town is FULL of people walking their own dogs, and dogs zipping off porches from time to time. Dar does pretty well with me, but there was one time late last fall while we were walking in the park he all but drug me down, going after a strange cat. At home, I can't make him mind me, reward him, etc. for not yanking me or if I'm trying to get him down out of the window barking. *not easy, but I can do it*.,
But in public, with another animal around, I"m screwed.
Again...............I feel like I've failed my dog.
Everything he knows or wants to do is OUT THE DOOR when he's focused on that other animal.
)
So don't worry about being a bad mom...we all have moments we wish we could just wish away.
You told me the size and the brand that was best, and I bought it. 
