Before Moose got hit by a car back in June, I was lamenting his collar trick. You see, Moose has a big head — most German shepherds have a narrow skull, but Moose is crossed with something that has a big, square skull. (The vet suggested a pit bull or a rottweiler.) He’s also got a big neck and lots of thick fur. All that adds up to trouble for me and Moose and the collar.
As much as I tighten the collar, he can still somehow slip out of it. The diameter of his neck must be bigger than the diameter of his head — so although it fits, the right twist can slip Moose free.
The other day, I was out with the dogs and stopped to pick up after Lally. As usual, the two leashes got tangled around my legs while I was bagging the poop. When I finally stood up, I saw that Moose had (once again) slipped out of his collar.
And to my amazement, he was just standing there waiting for me.
The “old” Moose — before he got hit by a car — would have been gone like a shot. I would have been chasing him down and hauling him home. Instead, he stayed close and waited for me to be done with the doggie doo, then came over to get his collar back.
It happened again yesterday: we were maybe ten feet from the door when Moose stopped to piddle and I kept going. He slipped his head out, did his business, and then walked right to the door. You could have knocked me over with a feather!
I joke about how Moose isn’t a very smart dog. But at least one thing has stuck in his brain: when your collar comes off, stay close. Don’t run away, don’t head into the street. Just stay by mom and you’ll be safe.
And for me… that’s the most important thing I want him to know.