Healthy ways to relax/destress

[Guest MayFlower1]

OMG...

 

I let my two labs out into the back yard to "relieve" themselves...it's totally fenced in...I went to do the same...came back...about 2 minutes later...Drake (my smart yellow lab) was at the back door...Willie (my dumb black lab) wasn't. I'm kinda used to this...Willie likes to play hide and sleep...so I looked in all the usual spots...not there...:eek Drake looked guilty...as if he knew something was wrong...I went out and looked thoroughly in the back yard...Willie was gone Immediately, I got in the car and started looking around...it's not that great in our area for "dogs on the streets"... we live two blocks behind the Civic hospital in Ottawa...we're bordered by several very busy streets, including carling avenue (6 lanes of heavy traffic), parkdale (2 lanes of heavy traffic), the 417 (the major highway leading into Ottawa)...and Willie, the last time he got loose, ran down to parkdale and stood in the middle of the road while cars went around him...(he's sooooooooooooooo stupid). Anyway, I got in the car and looked all around for him...to no avail. I called the police, the humane society...no luck. I called home to tell my wife that he got out...there was a message...one of our neighbours picked up Willie at the Experimental Farm...right by the helipad behind the Civic...he crossed 6 lanes of heavy rush hour traffic...to go to "his park" (i.e., the experimental farm)...thankfully, a neighbour (who is also a dog owner) saw him...got him...checked his tag and called me. Thank god we invested ten bucks in that tag...

 

...man, I'm so relieved...I thought I lost my buddy forever...I've not been so sad in a long time...needless to say, we're investing in a 6 foot fence...immediately...the only thing I can figure out is that Willie jumped our 4' fence, through dense 12 foot cedar trees...

 

...definitely a martini moment...interesting how quickly a source of relaxation and stress management can instantly become a major stressor.

 

Thank god for honest people...I'm sending the people who found my buddy a big bouquet of flowers and a nice bottle of champagne tomorrow am.

 

Peter

[Guest grandmellon]

sounds like your dog knows some good tricks peter... or else it is playing a hoodini act on you! you held me in suspense well I read your post... I'm glad to hear things worked out... I only wish that I had found your dog, champagne sounds delicious! :rollin

 

I have had the same type of experiences with my 22y.o. cat... except she doesn't do that any more... moves to slow now and doesn't have enough energy to even leave the house. I also feel the same way when I lose the keys to my car hehehe ( I know that keys aren't really comparable... because they can be replaced at a hefty price [keys with computer chips cost over $100!! such a rip off])

 

I hope that Willie makes it up to you somehow! He sounds really playful. My friend has a black lab as well... it's not the smartest dog either... well, unfortunately their dog was rescued from the humane society and is brain damaged from abuse by a previous owner... but the dog sure does know how to make you feel good when you are feeling down. I hope that 6 feet is high enough!!! My cat used to jump over high fences as well... if it comes down to it you can always put a low voltage electric fence hehehe

[Guest mying]

:eek

 

Yikes, Peter. I would have been terrified. My dog's a bit... iffy... off leash and I get freaked out when she slips out the door even at my parents' house (in the country, down a really quiet road -- the dog has a better chance of falling the river than setting a foot on a road) and I'm in clear view for calling her back.

 

I can't imagine not having ANY idea where she is. I would be in an absolute panic! Thank goodness the doggy gods were looking out for Willie! What a silly dog.

 

Have you microchipped your dogs? We had Misty done a few years ago, after I heard about a friend's cat being returned thanks to a microchip.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

We used to call our golden retriever "Bahini Houdini." Within 3 of her aquiring us , she escaped from the backyard, somehow getting over a 6 foot chain link fence with hedges (we later figured she's found a log pile that my Dad had forgotten about and jumped from there.) We found her lying in front of our front door, waiting for us to come home and let her in so she could sit on comfy rug in the living room (DEFINITELY a house dog.)

 

Next, when we were away we left her with a family friend who coincidentally was owned by our dog's best friend, another golden retriever named Amber. That Amber was Bahini's best friend mattered not, one of the first day's she was staying there she mysteriously disappeared. The family frantically searched for her, finding her, once again, on our front door. I guess she missed the rugs again.

 

This has happened numerous times in numerous settings. She's run away when I've walked her, from neighbours houses, and the like. Every time she returns to our front door. It's amazing she's never been hit by a car, especially in recent years as she's now deaf and has cataracts (16 years old!)

 

Next dog I'll probably lose. . . it'll escape on me, and I'll assume it will just come back on its own to lie on the front porch. Dogs work that way, don't they?