Here he is, about an hour after he got back. Mostly dried off, but still worn out. Here's he's heading down the porch steps for a bathroom break. Afterward, he refused to climb back up, but lay down in the grass.
Well, he just turned up in our yard! Wet, bedraggled and much the worse for wear. I had been unable to sleep, and had moved to a recliner in our TV room at about 5:45. About an hour later, I thought I heard a feeble scrabbling at the front door. I opened it, and saw no one. I called his name, before realizing it was a little early for my neighbors.
I looked out the back door — we had kept the storm door propped open all night (inviting him to scratch on the wooden door) and the porch light on. I looked out, saw nothing, and with the gathering daylight turned off the porch light and closed the door. Just then, my wife got up, went to the door right behind me, and then I heard her say, “Hello, buddy!”
He looked like the proverbial drowned rat, and had to struggle to get up the steps. I’m guessing that’s why he hadn’t been scratching on the back door. But he’s inside now, eating the dinner he missed last night.
Where in the world he’s been I have no idea. But he must have gone pretty far before finding his way home. When I was a kid, Disney would have made a movie of such a trek.
So I guess I won’t be putting up those posters I made a few hours ago, and was waiting to put up in daylight.
Thanks so much for the kind concern of so many of you — Burl and Mark and Bart here on the blog last night, and then so many people who reTweeted my appeal or expressed concern on Twitter last night, including @PhilBaileySC, @ToddKincannon, @courtherring, @dphamilton, @bryandcox, @AliNBCNews, @Erinish3, @asnowrose, @nettie_b, @BethBaldauf, @RebeccaKaz and @billy_simons. And Kristine Hartvigsen, Judy Cooper and Cheryl Levenbrown via Facebook. Yep. Folks as far away as Memphis and New York were at least offering sympathy. People closer to home were spreading the hue and cry.
Maybe that’s not why he made it back, but certainly not for lack of good intentions. There are a lot of nice people in the world.
Related Posts
Wonderful! We know the feeling.
So glad he’s home and safe. I have to tell you in the close up face picture you post of Guy he bears a certain resemblance to your other son Matt.
I’m glad he turned. Dogs have a way of getting under your skin. And I mean that in a good way.
By the way, the debrief hasn’t gone well so far. We’ve asked and asked where he’s been, but he’s offered no information so far. Perhaps later, when he’s rested…
Glad he’s back! no amount of electrical jolt would keep our Ruby inside an invisible fence. She has to have a tangible one.
Several years ago we were out of town and left her with friends in Rosewood for a couple of days. She got away, which we first learned by getting a call from a neighbor asking did we know our dog was hanging out outside our fence. Long story short, Ruby had successfully navigated her way from deep into Rosewood neighborhood, across four lanes of Rosewood Drive, all the way through Shandon, across four lanes of Devine Street, to our house (we live a little north of the Whitney Hotel). We finally understood why she always put her head between us on drives, looking intently out the front window. She’s constantly studying the route so she can remember her way home should she need to!
Welcome home, Guy.
Invisible fences work great for some dogs — when the power is on. Guy is one of those. He has a tremendous aversion to discomfort and inconvenience.
The late, great Morgan — about whom I wrote a column when she died — was pretty good about it, unless she had a very good reason to go out.
But the third dog we had in the last few years, Spot — the massive, incredibly strong half-Great Dane (only dog I ever saw that could bite through a leash in a single chomp, no gnawing required) that stayed with us for a time — shrugged off the shock of running through the fence as a minor cost of doing business. If there was something he wanted to chase, that was it — he was gone.
The invisible fence people gave us a special, heavy-duty DOUBLE-strenth collar that should have discouraged an elephant. He ignored it. That was a problem. Eventually, only a real fence would contain him, and sometimes he would jump THAT.
Normally, it’s a perfectly human way of containing animals. After the initial training, they learn not to cross the barriers, and they’re fine — especially with a huge yard like ours. But some dogs rebel against it.
Not Guy. He’s a homebody, who usually prefers to be inside. So it really surprised us that he took off last night. He must have been really confused by the thunderstorm. I think he was searching for us.
If he is not climbing the steps normally do you think he may have been hit by a car and is very sore?
Glad he found his way back where he really wanted to be.
Glad he’s back! I can only imagine how upset I would be if my German Shepherd got lost.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Dog …
One of our mutts, Maisie, is an amusing mix of toughness and fear. She bullies every other dog in the neighborhood and yet trembles at the sound of wind in the leaves.
One night, during a lightning storm, she went berserk with fear and ran off down the street at full speed. Two minutes later she had circled the block and wound up back where she had started. She seemed surprised to be there.
Good dog, Guy!
Come on Brad, interview Guy and get his story down quick.
Well — welcome back, Guy. So glad you didn’t run off and join a fringe group.
P.S. I think he may have some 3rd or 4th New Foundland Hound cousins out in the Chapin area.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Newfoundland_dog_Smoky.jpg
edit — holy smokes. Don’t run that photo. It’s pornographic.
I am off 378 near the zoo. My kitty, also terrified of thunder, also went awol in the storm. Maybe she and Guy had a rendezvous. Sadie came home about 11, though. I’m glad Guy is back safe. Sadie never tells what she has been up to either.
Not to be a party pooper, but Beth has a point. You might want to have a vet check him out for internal injuries. He sounds a bit more than tired.
So glad he’s back, Brad.
Glad I missed the drama–I hate it when anything happens to a dog more so than when it happens to a human, somehow. I guess I have species misidentification disorder.
Welcome back, Guy!
Brad: Glad to hear Guy is back home. My lab/chow mix is also a member of the Hate Thunder contingent. We’ve had success with something called the ThunderShirt. It’s a jacket you put on them when a storm is approaching. Supposed to make them feel more secure. For $35, worth a try.
http://bit.ly/pPiJ6L
My parents’ dog no longer requires tranqs during thunderstorms when she wears her thundershirt. Plus, it lends her a certain Lance Armstrong flair….