# Would you proof your dog like this?



## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

I was not there, but if I was I would not do this, even though my dog could. This road is used by transport trucks, all you need is a backfire and a dog bolts, the wrong way.

I told my instructor that I would not do that and the rest of the class looked at me as if I was an over-protective dog owner. 

Would you do this. Am I the only one who feels that this is too risky?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

No freaking way...ever...


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

No way! My dog is great off leash and has a great recall, but look how close they are to the curb- there's no room for error at all- if they break their stay it's too late to call them back.

If they were further up on the grass, sure because that gives me time to call my dog- but NOT THIS CLOSE! Scary!


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## Knave (Apr 29, 2012)

Two words: ****. No.
There are better places and better ways for this.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

No no no no no no no no

Did I mention NO?! Way too dangerous


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

I'm glad I found others who agree with me. The way the others looked at me I was feeling whimpy because I objected.


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

Uh...NO..that's a just a little nuts..


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

WOW?!


Caledon, no way in heck would I do that. The photo makes my stomach turn. This is very risky and like you said one spook, distraction, car driver getting distracted and this is a bad scene.

Wonder why the instructer wouldn't use the distraction by the owner holding the leash, the dog is still in a sit/down?


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

That's not bad. I usually use the median in between the lanes (sarcasm). 

I am very confident in my dogs sit/down stays but that just seems silly.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

Those pictures are scary! And for any American friends that don't know it, that LCBO store in the background is the liquor store in Ontario. I'm actually getting angry thinking about what a risk these people are taking with their dogs.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

No. There are safer ways to create solid obedience... when one risks the animal's life, one is merely being arrogant, careless and a show off. I assume the instructor is going for the "wow" factor, which is false bravado. Shameful.

Good job saying no.


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## Guardyan (Aug 29, 2005)

No way! If you felt even slightly pressured to put your dog in that dangerous position, it's time to find a new instructor.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

No, there is never any pressure to do anything. An option not to participate, or to participate with a long line is always given.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

I was following a truck once and watched as the driver swerved off the road to INTENTIONALLY hit a cat.

I would not trust the DRIVERS.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

Lauri & The Gang said:


> I was following a truck once and watched as the driver swerved off the road to INTENTIONALLY hit a cat.
> 
> I would not trust the DRIVERS.


 
Good point. That thought never even entered my mind.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Insane. Sorry but no way, ever.




Lauri & The Gang said:


> I was following a truck once and watched as the driver swerved off the road to INTENTIONALLY hit a cat.
> 
> I would not trust the DRIVERS.


This happened to my very "road savvy" cat, we know because she made it across 

And yeah, even a person talking on their cell and running up over the curb and it's goodbye Rover


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Can't think of what it's called but it's the reason cops are in danger when they pull someone over and they are outside of the car.

Some people when driving if they look at something on the side of the road (example: pulled over car or in this case a bunch of dogs with leashes dropped on the sidewalk) their car automatically starts going in that direction by their own hand, not their intention but it happens.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Lauri & The Gang said:


> I was following a truck once and watched as the driver swerved off the road to INTENTIONALLY hit a cat.
> 
> I would not trust the DRIVERS.


That's exactly what I was thinking.

No freakin' way would I ever set my dog up like that.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Nope, not worth the risk, even if I were sure that my dogs had a rock solid stay - just because they COULD do that doesn't mean I'm going to make them. My dogs go to off leash parks all the time, and have since they were young (about 4-1/2 months old with Keefer, and 15 weeks old with Halo), but when it comes to streets and cars I'm very, very careful. I don't have anything to prove.


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## SDChicken (May 6, 2012)

Heck No!! That is just...wow no. Not that dang close. Maybe...MAYBE if they were more on the grass and on a long line. But still that street looks extremely busy. 

My lab Mack was killed by a diver not paying attention. Crossed over the oncoming lane, jumped the curb, hit him, and almost the walker, head on. They were well off the sidewalk and up on a slight bank. That is how far he went out of his lane without noticing. He stopped looked back and drove off calmly. 

People also think its great fun to honk and swerve a car at an animal. I've had it done to me while on a trail ride. Never do they give a thought to how the animal will react.


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## jprice103 (Feb 16, 2011)

There is NO freaking way!!! I don't care HOW good my dog's recall is!!


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

This trainer is definitely trying to prove that he can do it,but it could have been done in a safer way. I have actually seen one guy put his 4 GSD in a down/stay in the median of a road, in the middle of rush hour traffic. A lot of people were in awe and wanted to know if he could get them to train their dog to do that,and he said yes! He seemed to like all the extra attention instead of worrying about the 18 wheelers and cars coming dangerously close to his dogs. Proving that you can do something isn't worth it.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I couldn't even watch this kind of training


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## GSD2 (Jan 27, 2012)

OMG no no no no no. I agree the trainer is trying to prove how good he is, wanting to impress someone.......That car is so dang close to those dogs, I shudder to look........

I'm glad the looks of the rest of the class did not deter you from listening to what you knew was best for your dog. Just not neccessary IMO


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## Draugr (Jul 8, 2011)

This has nothing to do with either your confidence in your dog's ability to hold a stay, a little to do with the risk of the dog failing the stay, and a whole heck of a lot to do with misguided and insane trust of the 60mph drivers on that road.

My dog trusts me to keep him safe. Doing something like that "just to prove I can" is breaking that trust.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

GSD2 said:


> OMG no no no no no. I agree the trainer is trying to prove how good he is, wanting to impress someone.......That car is so dang close to those dogs, I shudder to look........
> 
> I'm glad the looks of the rest of the class did not deter you from listening to what you knew was best for your dog. Just not neccessary IMO


Was your vote NO?


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

That's not proofing, that's denying the fact that a dog is still JUST A DOG. If I were one of the drivers, I'd call animal control and police. Willful endangerment of dogs and humans (motorists).


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

That's nuts. I would have refused. 

We had to proof recall and stay on the town green as a parade went by. I guess the worse case scenario was the dogs could have been run over by a marching band or a group of unruly Cub Scouts.  At least there was no traffic going by.


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## GSD2 (Jan 27, 2012)

llombardo said:


> Was your vote NO?


 
um yeah, I think I vote no on that one:laugh:guess I cleared that up haha


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

There is a fine line between recklessness and stupidity.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

As others said, I'd be less worried about the dogs breaking their stay than I was about stupid drivers.
Or people who would hit the dogs on purpose.


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## GSDGunner (Feb 22, 2011)

I can't believe there was actually 5 people who went along with this! That's just nuts!!


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## Caitydid255 (Aug 28, 2010)

Considering I've had cars intentionally swerve at me when I'm walking a dog or riding a horse to gain a reaction, I would NEVER do this. I'm glad people have that much faith in their dog, but I have little to no faith in other drivers. All you need is someone digging for a phone, yelling at a kid in the backseat, or falling asleep at the wheel, and it doesn't matter how well trained your dog was, the end result will be the same.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Absolutely not. Why risk it? There is just no valid reason. No matter how sound and well trained a dog is, it is still a dog and not a robot and thus never 100% predictable. Why put a dog in a situation where a tiny mistake could result in death?

I remember a couple years ago here on the board a poster bragging about how one of his training exercises with his dog was to work on a divided highway. He'd put the dog in a stay on the side of the road, walk to the median, when traffic cleared he'd call the dog, then do it again from the median to the other side of the road. I don't remember who the poster was but I do remember thinking that was just the most ridiculously misguided and dangerous way of training and proofing a dog I'd ever heard of. Why... why... why?!?!?


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

And for the next lesson, teaching "leave it" with a poison-laced steak. Good grief!


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## 65Champagne (Nov 15, 2011)

I'd like to "proof" that trainer about 6 steps behind the dogs. Just the spectacle of it is enough to cause an accident. I'm not saying I have never tried stupid, but this....


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## GregK (Sep 4, 2006)

65Champagne said:


> I'd like to "proof" that trainer about 6 steps behind the dogs.


LOL!! Indeed!!!!


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## pfitzpa1 (Apr 26, 2011)

I don't see it as much different than walking along a roadside with a dog off leash in heel. I wouldn't ask other dog owners to do it but I'm comfortable doing it with my dog.


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## 65Champagne (Nov 15, 2011)

pfitzpa1 said:


> I don't see it as much different than walking along a roadside with a dog off leash in heel. I wouldn't ask other dog owners to do it but I'm comfortable doing it with my dog.


Yeah, I understand what you are saying, and in a neighborhood with slower speeds, I do as well. But our dogs are within arms reach, yes? I would assume that these dogs are in a training class to be trained because they might not yet be...well.... trained. 

With one dog at my side, my confidence level is 99.5%, with both dogs, 97%. Alongside 5 other dogs that I don't know, I might be 90% (on mine) If this is a "new" skill for any of these dogs, or if any of these dogs are with new owners, all bets are off. Young, un-bonded, or minimally trained dogs are at great risk. I have no issue with your choice what-so-ever, and I would bet you have countless hours in training and a mature dog. I do have an issue with a "trainer" teaching this to others as a good idea. Lots of safe ways to get the job done. JMHO


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

pfitzpa1 said:


> I don't see it as much different than walking along a roadside with a dog off leash in heel. I wouldn't ask other dog owners to do it but I'm comfortable doing it with my dog.


Yes, but you are right beside the dog. So people are going to think twice to make sure that they don't hit the PERSON they see walking along the road.
A dog? I've seen too many people swerve to hit dogs on purpose. My neighbor's dog was killed in her own driveway when a driver drove 6' into her property just to run over her dog. 
No WAY would I leave my dog's side on a busy intersection like this.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

pfitzpa1 said:


> I don't see it as much different than walking along a roadside with a dog off leash in heel.


I wouldn't do that either. :shrug: There's simply no need, IMHO.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Nope, no way .........


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## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

that would be like telling my 2 year old child to stand beside the highway, my children are in high school now and lexie is my 11 month old baby, i would never put them in harms way!


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

No. I think the trainer's ego is far too big.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Honestly I'd trust my dogs to stay but wouldn't trust the drivers, ha! So no. I live in the city and often take walks around our neighborhood and on some busy corners. I always shorten up on the leash, even when walking my dogs that have off leash obedience titles. Just not worth it.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Liesje said:


> Honestly* I'd trust my dogs to stay but wouldn't trust the drivers*, ha! So no. I live in the city and often take walks around our neighborhood and on some busy corners. I always shorten up on the leash, even when walking my dogs that have off leash obedience titles. Just not worth it.


Exactly, the drivers -- not necessarily the dog(s).!!!!! I do NOT trust any drivers!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Seriously, I would not even prop my bike that close let alone something alive!


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Dainerra said:


> Yes, but you are right beside the dog. So people are going to think twice to make sure that they don't hit the PERSON they see walking along the road.
> A dog? I've seen too many people swerve to hit dogs on purpose. My neighbor's dog was killed in her own driveway when a driver drove 6' into her property just to run over her dog.
> No WAY would I leave my dog's side on a busy intersection like this.


NASA Scientist Finds 6% Of Drivers Are Sadists?


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

No way. NEVER. I agree, the drivers are the scary ones; texting, talking on their phones. I saw one girl i work with who is a total dingbat reading the newspaper driving!


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## m1953 (May 7, 2012)

I wouldn't either. Even the best trained easy going dog can be spooked and run the wrong way


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