I nearly 'lost' Tilly my X breed terrier yesterday. When I say lost I mean she was so, so lucky thet she didn't get run over. I AM sensible where she is concerned, because I know what she can be like. Once she is on a mission, she goes absolutely STONE deaf. Especially when chasing prey ie: rabbitts, squirels.  I was on my normal afternoon walk & was approx. 1 1/2 miles from any roads. The dogs were put on the lead because a tractor passed us that had been fertilizing the fields. I let the tractor go a good 1/2 mile away & let the dogs off. I was absolutely mortified, Tilly ran off after the damn tractor. Zak (GSD) much more sensible, stayed with me. Even for a small dog, it's an enormous thing to be chasing just because it's moving at speed. I watched her disappear into the distance, I knew there was absolutely nothing I could do. I really, really thought she would be run over, either under the tractor wheels, or by a car when the tractor reached the road. Miraculously she returned about 15 mins later, absolutely knackered, tongue hanging out. This was a first & certainly will be the last time I ever have her off the lead when anything, no matter how big is travelling at speed. She was so lucky to be coming home unscathed.

Sounds like she had a ball though :D :D

Definately lucky! That feeling of not being able to do anything is awful. My puppy staff once pulled the lead out of my hand when we were out walking after seeing another dog and ran off chasing it and playing with it, every time i got close enough to grab the lead she'd see me coming and shoot off again, across roads and in peoples gardens. I was hysterical crying and calling her back and after a good chase I lost sight. I didnt think i'd be seeing her again. Luckily another dog walker took her lead after she had run up to say hello and was walking her back to our address while we were out searching. Its taken me a good 4 years to build confidence to let her off lead afterwards, that event traumitised me! :) To this day i wrap the lead around my hand so tight just to be on safe side when walking up to fields. Thank goodness your dog was ok, must be the terrier spirit thinking she could catch that tractor! :)

Arghh, it's terrifying isn't it. When my Dobe was about 6 months old I had him offlead round a local playing field. His best friend at the time lived opposite and started barking as he'd spotted us through their side gate. My boy went into a full sprint across the field (we were over the back) completely ignoring my shouts, heading towards the road. I could see a car coming in the distance and stood there with my hand over my face barely able to look as I was sure that he was going to shoot out from the trees straight into the path of the car. The car went past and he was literally on the road behind it a split second later. I was shaking like a leaf afterwards - he of course was completely unaware of what had happened!

Glad Tilly is ok :)

Blimey, lucky Tilly!

Remy hada  close shave once at the beach - he shot off after a chi mix to say hello, straight over the sea wall, past the dog and onto the road in front of a Volvo.  Luckily the volvo wasn't going fast - cars often go 60 along that road - and it stopped a few feet in front of him, but I was mortified!

But the closest I've heard of is someone I used to know who has a staff X EBT - the dog's better now, but at the time she was completely and utterly untrained and a bit of a hooligan.  The owner told me that she was walking the dog over a footbridge in my old town one day, it goes over the main road - the dog yanked the lead out of her hand, ran back down the bridge the way they'd come and ran across the road - under the wheels of a juggernaut!  Someone else saw it happen - daft dog actually went between the front and back wheels and came out without a scratch.

They do it to test us I'm sure!

Terriers have 9 lives???  Mine would have no life if he was off the lead near any kind of road or danger because he'd run in the road and be dead.  He once pulled so hard on the lead to get at squirrells that he broke the lead and he was off and no amount of anything I could do was going to bring him back.  He's a small dog and he is FAST.  We were dangerously close to a road and I just thought it would be the end for him.  Thankfully I was on the golf course and a guy grabbed him while he was trying to climb a tree   Never ever again.  Copper is on the lead always then I know he's safe or as safe as I can make it.  So glad yours is safe too!

CG