my dog

[jserio]

for starters, is dumb. we got him from my sister-in-laws ex-husband. said he didn't have the time for him anymore. "Diesel" is about 16 months old. full blooded boxer. has a nasty chewing habit. and unfortunately another nasty habit i'm afraid may be killing him. he bolts out the front door anytime it's opened a crack, not afraid to knock people(except for me) down to get out. runs the neighborhood for a couple hours, (most likely enjoying some doggy-style) and then comes home. well, today, he didn't make it far. got hit by a car. jumped off and took off again. gone for a few hours. he just wandered back into the yard a few mins ago. he's not himself. looks very sad. breathing funny. drank a lil water but not much. no bones protruding and no visible blood. doens't wimper when i rub him down. he just goes all stiff and such if i try to move him. i've never taken him to the vet, he was in excellent health when we got him a couple months ago. is normally very high energy, loves to wrestle around etc. now, doesn't wanna move at all. and like i said, breathing kinda funny. i know, he did get hit by a car but if he was seriously injured wouldn't i be able to tell? is he just dazed? do they have emergency rooms for dogs? any tips? he's a pain sometimes but i'd really hate for him to die. 

[trumpetguy]

Go to the vet (most vets have an after hours number).  You're dog is trying to tell you something is wrong!

[jserio]

i know something is wrong....he got hit by a car!

[scottpA_GS]

 First... TAKE HIM TO THE VET!

Second... If you are going to take on the responsibility of owning a Dog. keep him on a leash! You have to look out for him, hes not going to look out for himself. He is out running free in the neighborhood and you seem to think that that's an "OK" thing to do you are responsible for your dogs actions if he bites or injures someone or himself. learn to keep your dog under control. It will keep both of you safe in the long run.

I get a bit upset when I see any dog, no matter how well "trained" running free off of the leash in public areas... be responsible and keep your dog "YOUR DOG" be an accountable and responsible owner.

I think its funny when people blame "bad/stupid dogs" for just being stupid. However when you see a well trained dog, people brag about how well "trained" the dog is... Dogs cant figure it out on their own. I think that any dog has the potential to be a great obedient family member...  They just need strong training from strong leaders.

[b_long_1]

I had something like this happen to a boxer of mine. She got hit by 2 cars and then ran away. We searched for her for along time that night and didn't find her.  A week went by and a neighbor spotted her about a mile down the road and let us know. We went and picked her up. She was bruised up and scraped up. I took her to the vet and all the x-rays came back fine. nothing broken. That was amazing. All we did was give her some TLC and she was fine. You should definatley take the dog to the vet though.

[bombadillo]

just watched a stupid a$$ lady hit a chihuahua and run afterwards.  It just ran in circles in the street until I got there.  Please take the dog into the vet because it could have broken his back or something major.  If you can't afford to do that and pay for pretty major bills, give him to a shelter to take care of him in that way.  He needs some obvious medical attention.

[trumpetguy]

Well said, scottpA_GS!  I had a student who owed two boxers that would not stay inside the fence at his rented house.  He was a college student and gone during the day.  The dogs repeatedly got out and terrorized neighbors to the point that the sheriff was called.  It happened again and someone was bitten.  He had to destroy the dogs at his expense and pay for the rabies tests (one of the dogs did not have current shots so both had to have their brains tested).  He was heartbroken and lost a bunch of money on the deal.  Fortunately the person bitten didn't file charges or lawsuit.

jserio, it is very likely that your dog has a closed head wound or is in shock.  The vet will know what the best treatment is.

[tussey]

jesus christ, what's wrong with you people? don't you have common sense? Dog hit by car, your response post on forum.......

take it to the vet. Be a responsible pet owner get your dog fixed, pay for obedience classes.

the chewing habit will go away if you give it structured daily exercise.

[yamahonkawazuki]

chewing dog= bored dog

[jserio]

First... TAKE HIM TO THE VET!

Second... If you are going to take on the responsibility of owning a Dog. keep him on a leash! You have to look out for him, hes not going to look out for himself. He is out running free in the neighborhood and you seem to think that that's an "OK" thing to do you are responsible for your dogs actions if he bites or injures someone or himself. learn to keep your dog under control. It will keep both of you safe in the long run.

I get a bit upset when I see any dog, no matter how well "trained" running free off of the leash in public areas... be responsible and keep your dog "YOUR DOG" be an accountable and responsible owner.

I think its funny when people blame "bad/stupid dogs" for just being stupid. However when you see a well trained dog, people brag about how well "trained" the dog is... Dogs cant figure it out on their own. I think that any dog has the potential to be a great obedient family member...  They just need strong training from strong leaders.

so you put a leash on your dog every time the door is opened? i doubt it. this incident occured when i was not home, my daughter opened the front door to come inside and the dog bolted.

[jserio]

he's doing better now. almost back to his old self. still walking stiff. he wasn't bleeding anywhere and no bones sticking out and didn't whine at all when i rubbed him down when he came home. this is why i didn't take him in to the "emergency vet".  for those of you who have the shaZam! tons of extra cash to take your dog to an emergency vet, pay him time and a half to look over the dog, pay the x-ray fees and if something major is wrong then pay him to put the dog down, good for you. i'm not made of money. if he's gonna die, it will be in my home, with his family by his side. i was posting more along the lines of looking for ways to help curb his behavior. obedience classes aren't cheap.  as i posted previously, he's allready 16 months old and the previous owners did not work with him at all on anything so i'm fighting an uphill battle. he's seems set in his ways and i'm having a hell of a time breaking him of these habits. although i must say he hasn't chewed anything other than his toys in a few weeks so i think we're making progress there. him bolting out the door is now the main issue. and i never said it was "ok" for him to be roaming free. but i'm sick of spending two hours chasing him (yes, chasing because he apparently thinks it's a game) through the neighborhood. that's why i stopped trying to chase him down. maybe i just need to get a freakin shock collar and zap his ass everytime he goes towards the front door.

[trumpetguy]

maybe i just need to get a freakin shock collar and zap his ass everytime he goes towards the front door.

With behavior like that which is potentially self-destructive I think the shock collar is appropriate (and cheaper than the emergency room).

I'm really glad he's doing better today.  Sounds like you're getting a handle on some of the other behavior issues.

[jserio]

any idea where i can pick one up? i know some people think they're "inhumane".  it's not like i'm hooking jumper cables to his testicles and zapping him for fun. i just need to swiftly and effectively teach him not to bolt out the door when it is opened.  speaking of his testicles, i'm considering getting him fixed...think that will calm him down any?

[jserio]

wonder how well this would work?

http://www.radiofence.com/cat-fences/cat_scat_mat.htm

[trumpetguy]

I know Tractor Supply or another farm supply will have both wireless fences and shock training collars.  You could get one online I'm sure.

Wireless fences work for some breeds; not for others.  Our neighbors had one on their dog.  There were problems.  One problem was keeping the thing working.  Another problem is if/when the dog gets OUT of the zone, he's shocked coming back in.  Maybe some systems have that solved by now, but our neighbor's dog ended up shot by a crazy neighbor behind us who raises horses.  He had warned them about their dog chasing his horses.  The dog escaped the shock zone (he was pretty stubborn) and was back in the pasture with the horses.  There's no proof he actually shot the dog, but the dog was never seen again.  I had seen him out that day circling the yard because he couldn't get back in.  It was close to dinner time and I knew they'd be home soon, so I didn't do anything -- now I feel awful that I didn't. 

I have another friend with the radio type of wireless fence and it works pretty well.  The one that didn't work well used a buried wire around the perimeter.

[Skeets]

Did I hear shock collars? Our mut did the same thing till' he was about 1 years old. We finally got fed up, and went to PetsMart and bought a shock collar. We put it on, and whenever we said no, he wouldn't listen. So he decided he was going to run. We first hit the warning button and then a 8 shock. I've never seen a dog jump in the air so high. He was so surprised he bit the tree, thinking it attacked him. It took about 3 shocks and now he is a changed dog. We don't even have to use the shock collar anymore.

Even though some lady came up to me and said "Thats mean, you shouldn't do that" she doesn't have to live with the dog, nor feed him or walk him. All she sees is the shock collar and assumes.

Get the shock collar it's a great tool.!

[darb85]

just dont do a fence,  My dog, a 18 pound wire fox terrier quickly realized that if she ran fast enough she could clear the fence with just a minor shock.  she also spent one after noon walking the perimiter, trying to find a weak spot.  she found it.  and this was with the fence on high!  damn dog is way to smart.

[frankieG]

send me your dog, i will pay the freight and crate. i love boxers.  they may be a bit on the dumb side but they are lovable.  i had a boxer named Frisco who used to lay in bed with me when i was watching TV.  i had a beard at the time and i think he liked the feel of it cuz he would always lick me on my beard.  on night i counted 150 times he was licking my beard before i quite counting.  he was a good boy.  he was a very dark brindle and i used to have a lyric/song for him.  OK please don't be offended because it was a term of endearment and no way meant to be mean or derogatory.  "Frisco, him a good boy,  him a big Homeboyus Africanus, but him a good by" i would sing that to him and his little stub of a tail would wag and wag and jump all over me.  him a good boy.   but i am serious now i would love to have a unwanted dog. i used to be an SPCA inspector and i really miss not having a dog.

[frankieG]

oh and i will pick up the tabs for all or any of the vet bills.  please post a photo of him.  so if you can't afford it i will pay and just ship him to me.

[jserio]

i never said i didn't want him. i'm just frustrated. as i stated the previous owners did not work with him at all on anyting. they just left him in an outside kennel all the time. boxers are awesome dogs. my in-laws have one and she is the greatest dog ever, especially with my kids. he is improving but slowly. i don't think he'll suffer any lasting effects from his brush with death. but that incident alone did not teach him he can't just run out the door, he's tried a couple times since then. but he's slower moving for now because he's sore so we've been able to catch him before he gets out. i hate the idea of keeping him penned up inside but i've started using the baby gate as a doggy gate as well. it keeps him in the back part of the house. i usually only do this when i know there will be lots of in and out traffic through the front door. this will have to work until i can get him a shock collar.