Shame about the balance staffs but hopefully some good will come from it. I have in the past been able to pull a leather strap off the watch, the reason is that the hole in the strap is a tight fit on the the case pin and it is possible by pushing and pulling the strap, as in vigorous activity, to get the case pin to let go. This is not something you would want happening with customer watches.
What a great dog, mans best friend.