Usually in the evenings I go downstairs and let her out in the backyard - it's fenced and the gate is usually wired shut so she can't get out - while she's out I check e-mail and stuff and she comes to the door when she's ready to come back in. My computer broke about a week and half ago so I'm using my laptop upstairs so there's nothing to do in the basement so I go down let her out and go back upstairs. I can usually hear her scratch to come back in.
This evening I let her out and then went back up to finish my dinner. About an hour, maybe more, after I let her out I realized I had no recollection of letting her back in. So I went down to get her. She wasn't by the door and in the late day light I could see that the gate was open. Oh. No.
Oh no my blind, arthritic ancient dog was out in the world. And it was dark. And cold. And muddy. And I was in my pajamas. As added drama, she wasn't wearing her tags, so if she wandered over to someone no one would know who she is, unless they know her.
So I put on shoes and a coat - I zipped it up so maybe no one would guess that I'm wearing purple penguin pajamas (but the pants prob gave it away) - and grabbed a flashlight. I set out the back shining the flashlight in the woods and calling her name. The other times this has happened I have found her pretty immediately, but today nothing. She was no where. I had no idea where to look. Even an ancient hound dog has a powerful sense of smell she could have found something interesting and she could be anywhere.
I walked all around my row of townhouses, then around the back and up through the common area to a neighboring court and walked all around that. No Daisy. I walked back around. No Daisy. I'd been out about 25 mins. It was very dark by now. I had no idea what the next step was. I couldn't go in and hope she found her way home, however, I didn't know where to keep looking. I walked back home wondering if she had come home on her own (when she could see she would do that...I wasn't sure if she would now that she was blind).
I was standing outside contemplating what I should do when I heard that familiar clickity click of her too long toenails on the laminate floor. I thought "Oh no now I'm hearing her." I heard it again - this time there was no mistaking it. I went into the house and there was my blind, ancient, arthritic dog right there in the kitchen wagging her tail at me!
I must have let her in. I still have no recollection of this.
Who's senile now?
2 comments:
That would be you, if only by default. Dogs get a lot of things ... arthritic, blind, lethargic, spoiled, cranky, ornery ... but never senile.
Reminds me of one time Puddy got out from our fenced-in backyard. This would've been about a year ago. Evidently, the termite folks left the side gate ajar and she found the opening. We got worried when Puddy didn't come to the back door when she finished her business.
Saw the open gate, and feared the worst. Puddy, you see, has always taken advantage of any gap in her "gated world" and will go running off. Happened once just after Sera and I began dating (she adopted Puddy; Puddy adopted me). Thankfully, she found her -- if mere feet away from a major thoroughfare!!
Anyway, when Puddy got out of the backyard, I went around the side with my flashlight, her life flashing before my eyes. I looked back toward the front door, and there she was. Quivering and a bit scared. Getting old really sucks, doesn't it ol' girl?
Today, Puddy is nearly blind in one eye, and I suspect the cataracts have taken root in the other one too. She turns 13 years old Wednesday.
Oh!!!! She's beautiful!!!
Maddox, my crazy-lazy Lab/Husky mix, is not quite two. So he still has a lot of puppy/adolescent behavior in him. Last night, he decided it would be great fun to torment a poor little birdlet that got trapped in our feeder. He's gotten out only about 3 times -- he can run, but only so far (did I mention he's a little hefty too).....
I'm just glad Daisy was safe!!!
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