Frightened Phoebe

[Phoebe's Mom]

The strangest thing happened to us yesterday. Phoebe was lying near the front door looking out the sidelight at some men working on our neighbor's property. I was on the phone and washing a glass when I heard the terrible sound of metal scraping along something. At first I could not place the sound but I ran to check what Phoebe was doing before looking elsewhere. Apparently, while lying there her tags got caught in the AC register grate and when she stood up, she took the entire reigster out of the floor and it was swinging against her and everything else in her path. She was trying wildly to get it off, so I approached her as calmly as I could, speaking softly and trying to get her to calm down so I could help. Of course, once I reached her I tried to get her untangled for a moment with her writhing about before I realized how much more simple it might be if I SIMPLY UNCLASPED THE COLLAR!!!! (what a loser, no?) Once I did that, she ran away and I was able to free the collar easily. She was really shaken--as was I--so I spent about 15 mintues on the floor with her giving her a well-deserved belly rub. What a fright!

[Kathy Spyker]

She must of been scared with the noise and something swinging at her :( Lilly got hers caught on her crate when she was about 6 months. Just be glad you were home at the time.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Guinness got caught on the AC vent last summer, and it scared both of us to death. I love the idea of the breakaway collar...I had never even thought of that.

[Rose]

Poor Phoebe, Blaze knows how she feels and I know how you feel! We had a similar experience about a week after I go him. (he was about 3 months old) We were having dinner at my in-laws house and he was lying on the kitchen floor behind my chair and against the wall. All of a sudden we heard what we thought was something falling onto the floor and then Blaze got up crying hysterically and ran into the living room. At first we thought something fell on him but as he ran by I could see the register grate stuck to one of his hind legs up by his hip! Apparently his fur got caught in it somehow and he pulled it right out of the floor! My husband ran over and got it off of him and we checked to make sure he wasn't injured. He did stop crying as soon as DH got it off of him. There were no cuts, scrapes or blood and he was walking normally thank goodness! Needless to say that was one frightening moment! After a few minutes of hugs and kisses from us he was fine. He even came back to lay under my chair, but he never went near that grate again!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

This happened to me when our girls were little. I have since purchased break away collars that they each wear. If they get caught on something or each other it breaks the collar and it comes off. You can put it back together. It doesn't take that much pressure for it to break away. This is the collar that stays on them at all times with their identification tags etc. In the event it breaks away when they are out and would get lost somehow they are micro chipped. I felt I was better off the way the play fight etc and because of the AC registers to have the breakaway in the event they get tangled up. I've found one of their collars missing and laying in the back yard several times since I got them.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Poor Phoebe! It's hard to know what's better. To always have a collar on for identification, grab the dog etc. or not. I crate my dogs when I''m out and I do leave the collars on. I have really checked the crates to see that the collars and tags can't get caught. Once again the idea of break away collars comes to mind and whether I should get some.