# Good thing my dog is durable (more balls than brains)



## Matt Grosch (Jul 4, 2009)

Was with him at the fire academy going up the stairs in the burn tower, on the first floor (luckily) he saw an open window and bolted out of it like he has just seen a rabbit. I tried to stop and grab him, but he took an 8 foot leap out of a 12 foot window right onto concrete. He landed and stood up and was holding one leg up, I was sure he had broken it. But a minute or so later he seemed fine, and has continued to be his normal goofy fun loving self.


Not worth it, but some of the firefighters that saw it were amazed/shocked (I was horrified), and I had just finished explaining to one of them why police and military dont use german shepherds that much anymore, that they dont want problem solvers, they want heat seeking missiles, and used the jumping through windows or fire, or chasing a ball of a bridge examples...


very fortunate and lesson learned


but still amazed he could take a fall like that and only seemed bothered for a minute or two


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## Brian McQuain (Oct 21, 2009)

I had an APBT that routinely jumped from stupid heights with hard landings every chance that moron got. He never limped or yelped, but I still had x-rays and mri's done...never did any noticeable damage. He also was a stock dog that had his share of kicks...had a toe ripped off once, and I only noticed it because it looked like his paw was muddy, and I went to clean it off before he climbed in my truck... He did end up tearing a cruciate at 11yo...chasing a rabbit on level ground. Go figure.


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## Jonathan Katz (Jan 11, 2010)

I almost lost my Mali to a HumVee once. Thank God it was going very fast and the force pushed him away from the back tire. Thank God!


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

My female GSD took a similar dive off my roof after a fox once. Tons of people out (late summer) and she landed on her feet and it didn't even phase her as she chased the fox a good 200 feet before the shock wore off and I called her back. Shock and awe from all the neighbors and $20 in lattice work later, she can't get on the roof anymore.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I had a GSD take a similar dive off of an enclosed porch to go for the mail carrier once. No bites but a close call for the dog and for the carrier. I was a good 10 foot drop to the driveway.


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Glad your dog is OK, Matt. After a couple of "lessons learned" through the experiences of other folks, I won't train my dog in any building or at any site where I haven't checked all windows or made sure all doors to the roof are closed. No sense in killing my dog just for the sake of training.

Scary stuff for dogs who have more balls than brains. I've had several of those types of dogs, and forutnately for me, no bad accidents yet (knock on wood).


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Matt Grosch said:


> Was with him at the fire academy going up the stairs in the burn tower, on the first floor (luckily) he saw an open window and bolted out of it like he has just seen a rabbit. I tried to stop and grab him, but he took an 8 foot leap out of a 12 foot window right onto concrete. He landed and stood up and was holding one leg up, I was sure he had broken it. But a minute or so later he seemed fine, and has continued to be his normal goofy fun loving self.
> 
> 
> Not worth it, but some of the firefighters that saw it were amazed/shocked (I was horrified), and I had just finished explaining to one of them why police and military dont use german shepherds that much anymore, that they dont want problem solvers, they want heat seeking missiles, and used the jumping through windows or fire, or chasing a ball of a bridge examples...
> ...


I had a very similar experiance with my 1st partner . Burglary of a very large building . Access was gain through the roof . They wanted me to check the roof because it had sheds and lots of large vents and air conditioning units . 

With the help of a fire rig I got up on the roof and did an on lead search . Finding nothing I then realized it was going to be alot tougher getting down with the dog . We got about 1/2 way down and he descided to jump . A few firefighters saw this and moved to catch him but then realized they were going to catch a Police K9 and backed away . He hit hard and started screaming and limping . 

Thinking he had a broken leg I raced red lights and siren to the emergency vet with some of the K9 guys waiting there holding the door when I arrived. I rushed to get him out of the car and he jumped out like nothing happened . 

Lesson learned was if you are going into a tricky area with your dog after you figure out how to get him in have a plan on how you're going to get him out BEFORE you go in .


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

My old JRT would consistently jump out of my son's tree house window and also off the garage roof.
He's now 13-14 yrs old, blind in one eye, 80% deaf, and gimpy as can be while still being able to clear an baby type expansion gate........... but still nucking futs. 
My son took him when his house was broke into and the crazy little bassid guards it well, in spite of himself.
Terriers! Gotta love em! ](*,)


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## Matt Grosch (Jul 4, 2009)

Ive been so relieved that he is ok that Ive looked the other way the last few times he has buried the snout into someone's junk or rear (often mine)


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

Damn, the first liar doesn't have a chance, huh Matt?? :lol:

I am glad your dog is OK man.


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## Jenna Lea (Jul 25, 2010)

Jeez I probably would have wet myself if I saw one of my dogs fling itself out of a window lol

Stupidest thing one of mine did: was on a pack dog hike and the dog was carrying probably 13 or so lbs in his pack, came to a swollen creek crossing . I went to take the bridge (novel idea right) dog flung himself into the creek it was about 30 some odd degrees out. He discovered not only was it hard to swim in freezing water with a 13 lb weighted pack on but the bank on both sides of the creek was sheer and muddy so he couldn't climb out. I was sure the moron was going to drown or I was going to have to jump in the freezing dang water to fish him out. Managed to get down on my hands and knees and get ahold of his collar as he had clawed his way up about half way up the bank and hauled his butt out.


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

One day when my female was almost a year old ( would always take her up & down the bleecher steps & other obsticles just to expose her to them from a young pupb) while I was working her in OB in front of the bleechers, she darted over to the bleechers ran up the steps & jumped off the back about a 8-9 ft drop. All I could think: was that I just broke my dog!

About a 6 months later during some protection training, the decoy wanted to go up the firescape (we trained on the grounds of an old hospital with old buildings etc) and have her follow him up for the bite. I refused to do that knowing after the bleacher experience & others times when she showed no concern for her safety just the bite that I wasn't going to take that risk with her. 

She is a crazy dog when it comes to bite work. If she were a boy the all balls & no brains might apply. Except she is a very smart problem, solving dog....just not when bite work is involved. LOL









foot drop. She landed looked around like she didn't know how she got there & then ran back to me.


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## Mike Lauer (Jul 26, 2009)

maybe he hates fire training and was trying to commit suicide?


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## James Idi (Apr 19, 2009)

Crazy little buggers...

Glad the dog is O.K..

Imagine how effed up it would have been for some poor schmuck walking below the window.

"No shit, there I was, minding my OWN g'damn business, walking back to the fire truck to get an axe, when all the sudden, by the burn tower, I sense... something....a....presence.....from... up above. I look up expecting to see a bird, or a bug, but what I saw was so unexpected, I couldn't even comprehend it, and I was so shocked, I couldn't move, not that it would have done me any good.
What was it, you may ask? There, above me, was NOT the bird, NOR the bug, NOR the bat one would expect, but a fully grown 65 pound Malinois falling from the sky like a brown furry meteor...with paws, teeth, and tail. Legs akimbo, tongue flapping in the breeze, tail flailing like a rudder on an out of control aircraft, I gazed into the eyes of the beast, and I realized at that moment, we BOTH knew that impact was inevitable. However, unlike the fear and horror that must have registered in my eyes, I will swear to the day I die, that I saw JOY in the eyes of the beast, and he SMILED, and just before impact, I heard the beast make a sound that can only be described as......laughter. The next thing I knew, I was in an ambulance on the way to the hospital for x-rays. And THAT is how I got this scar on top of my head...."


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## Matt Grosch (Jul 4, 2009)

Mike Lauer said:


> maybe he hates fire training and was trying to commit suicide?




pffssss....he hangs out at the firestation, plays tug, and eats steak bones....he said its way better than riding around in the back of a car


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## Rachel Kilburn (May 12, 2010)

Had my 10 year old Mal jump out a second story window to start a dog fight with his own son last year 
He was fine not a scratch on him, he was actually quite proud of himself](*,)


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

James Idi said:


> Crazy little buggers...
> 
> Glad the dog is O.K..
> 
> ...


LOL! The only thing that story is missing is the inevitable "Ride of the Valkyries" theme as the dog is sailing toward the ground, kind of like an older black and white WWII movie, except we're not bombing Germans this time, just unsuspecting firemen.
Now from the dogs perspective...

My ball fell out the window and some dumbass was walking where it fell


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

mike suttle said:


> Damn, the first liar doesn't have a chance, huh Matt?? :lol:
> 
> .


chuckle, chuckle.

DFrost


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Kinda like that old game of "Who can punch the softest".
"You go first". :grin::grin::grin:


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