Hello fellow boxer owners.
Monday morning, 9-11-2006, our 13 month old female fawn was struck by a truck.
We live on 10 acres in a rural area, the house sits a couple acres back from the road. The entire lot is surrounded by your typical post and 3 string barbed wire fence with lots of vegetation and trees for a perimeter, we have a long driveway. There is no view of my house from the road. The only opening to the road is a double gate at the end of the drive.I am in the habit of letting my dogs run around offleash when I take them out, they are inside dogs. This has never been a problem before. :(
Well I came home from the office Monday at 8:30am before I went to do field work. I like to check in each morning to make sure my daughters remembered to lock up and it gives me a chance to let the dogs out one more time.
As soon as we went out Harley and Lacy saw a BlueJay on the ground and took off after him, full speed. He flew away from them at eye level, teasing them I think. At this point we were still way back by the house but as soon as I saw them turn the direction of the drive I yelled both their names. No response, they were zoned on catching that bird. I clapped my hands and whistled, still no response. They had already covered half the distance from the house to the road. I yelled both their names again, this time lower, louder and with much more authority in my voice. Harley, the 5 year old male fawn, put on the brakes. Lacy continued, hell bent on catching the BlueJay who continued to fly away from her darting up and down at eye level. They were heading straight for the gate. I yelled "HOUSE", a command both dogs are very familiar with. Harley stayed where he was watching Lacy, she raced on. I had time to yell "LACY HOUSE" one more time and then she had closed the distance to the road. As fate would have it there was a big yellow truck doing 50 mph passing by at that very moment. He didnt have time to tap the brakes or swerve or anything.
My wife came straight home from work when I told her.
We buried Lacy out back that evening after the girls got home from school. Everyone has taken this pretty hard, including Harley. We've all been showering him with affection as much for our needs as his to cope with losing Lacy. Now, even though I come home to a full house with a loving wife and great kids, our home somehow seems empty, less full of energy.
I keep thinking what-if and replaying it in my head. This sucks.
I'm glad Harley didnt follow her. It can always suck worse.
Peace Lacy
Monday morning, 9-11-2006, our 13 month old female fawn was struck by a truck.
We live on 10 acres in a rural area, the house sits a couple acres back from the road. The entire lot is surrounded by your typical post and 3 string barbed wire fence with lots of vegetation and trees for a perimeter, we have a long driveway. There is no view of my house from the road. The only opening to the road is a double gate at the end of the drive.I am in the habit of letting my dogs run around offleash when I take them out, they are inside dogs. This has never been a problem before. :(
Well I came home from the office Monday at 8:30am before I went to do field work. I like to check in each morning to make sure my daughters remembered to lock up and it gives me a chance to let the dogs out one more time.
As soon as we went out Harley and Lacy saw a BlueJay on the ground and took off after him, full speed. He flew away from them at eye level, teasing them I think. At this point we were still way back by the house but as soon as I saw them turn the direction of the drive I yelled both their names. No response, they were zoned on catching that bird. I clapped my hands and whistled, still no response. They had already covered half the distance from the house to the road. I yelled both their names again, this time lower, louder and with much more authority in my voice. Harley, the 5 year old male fawn, put on the brakes. Lacy continued, hell bent on catching the BlueJay who continued to fly away from her darting up and down at eye level. They were heading straight for the gate. I yelled "HOUSE", a command both dogs are very familiar with. Harley stayed where he was watching Lacy, she raced on. I had time to yell "LACY HOUSE" one more time and then she had closed the distance to the road. As fate would have it there was a big yellow truck doing 50 mph passing by at that very moment. He didnt have time to tap the brakes or swerve or anything.
My wife came straight home from work when I told her.
We buried Lacy out back that evening after the girls got home from school. Everyone has taken this pretty hard, including Harley. We've all been showering him with affection as much for our needs as his to cope with losing Lacy. Now, even though I come home to a full house with a loving wife and great kids, our home somehow seems empty, less full of energy.
I keep thinking what-if and replaying it in my head. This sucks.
I'm glad Harley didnt follow her. It can always suck worse.
Peace Lacy
