Monday, February 24, 2014

Where, Oh, Where Has My Little Dog Gone?




Oh, but I am. 

A neighbor spotted the two bad dogs about a mile down the road yesterday morning and when John went to get them, they had disappeared. So we  spent the day fretting and worrying that they might have been dognapped or come to some harm. John drove up and down and all around our area, looking for the wanderers; Justin searched in the woods; and various neighbors kept their eyes open.

When at last Willa and Ali emerged from the woods above Justin and Claui's house about 6:30 pm, they were tired, hungry, covered in rose thorns, and magnificently unrepentant. 

We learned from neighbors that they have been making a habit of traveling farther than we'd imagined so, for the time being, Willa and Ali are grounded.  Willa is going to be let out only when Ali is in -- and vice versa. And for the next week, she'll only be going out on a leash -- an attempt to break them of these wandering ways.

20 comments:

Ms. A said...

Bad dogs... no biscuit!

Brian Miller said...

oh my....i used to hate getting grounded...ha...makes you wonder what they were getting into eh?

Barbara Rogers said...

Ah, the joys of pet parenthood. My little experiment in letting one cat try being outside, taught me that the driveway dirt is oily sand which is hard to get off cat fur...and she repeatedly rolled in it.

Frances said...

Well, they might be bad dogs, but I bet you all were very happy to see them return safely. Not sure if you all includes the kitties.

xo

Vicki Lane said...

They are often off in the woods all morning but generally return around lunch time. And we don't let Willa our after four. But this all day toot is not acceptable -- and they're wandering too far from their own hundred plus acres.

Oh, yes, Frances, all the humans were so relieved. The kittehs hadn't been worried.

Deanna said...

Glad they are back home safe and sound!

Anonymous said...

I bet they were happy dogs! When my Billy, R.I.P., used to jail break he'd come back hours later, with big slobbery doggie grins and furiously wagging tail. Obviously he never understood why we had that nasty fence. After a while, though, he submitted to the restriction if not always graciously.

L. D. said...

Dogs will never tell but they do feel bad when they first see you. They hope you have short time memory loss.

Jill said...

I know how stressful that can be..Glad they were found safe and sound. When we had Bumble and Gus they would always take off if we let them out together. Little devils.

Jime said...

Looks like there maybe a bit of beagle in there somewhere and they love to follow their nose. We had a beagle (Gussie) that everyone knew in the neighborhood. She would get out and visit and beg for treats.

Jime said...

Looks like there maybe a bit of beagle in there somewhere and they love to follow their nose. We had a beagle (Gussie) that everyone knew in the neighborhood. She would get out and visit and beg for treats.

Folkways Note Book said...

I know that feeling when a dog wanders off for hours. Had a few like that in past years. Good plan to break them -- barbara

Lise said...

Ooh, that's a terrible feeling. Glad they are back safe and sound. I wonder if they'll actually understand they're being restricted now because of their actions, or just think the humans are not being reasonable, LOL! I sure wish we knew what they were thinking.

Vicki Lane said...

Jim, could be beagle -- Willa loves to track rabbits and such and does that beagle yike-yike-yike thing when she's hot on the trail.

Lise, I doubt they make the connection -- for them yesterday was a million years ago. We're just trying to break the cycle of behavior. And Willa is still worn out from her adventures -- sleeping heavily and not agitating to go out.

Thérèse said...

Oh I certainly understand the worry, that happened to us too in the past. It makes us appreciate our dear companions even more...

NCmountainwoman said...

What a shame you had to worry and fret and then find them "magnificently unrepentant." Yes, better to break up the duo at least for awhile. And while they have no clue why they are grounded, they will get the idea that they cannot just take off and follow their noses all day.

Brenda said...

Oh Willa! This post brings back such a funny memory! I had a very similar experience when I lived in Knoxville, with my German Shepherd Jessie. She was so conscientious and obedient - rarely leaving my side - until this little wayward stray named Petey came along. Jessie and Petey began wandering... first to the neighbor's yard, then the neighbor's yard after that. One day I could not find them anywhere! I was a worried mess! I got in my car and drove around, calling Jessie's name. To my disbelief and shock, I found them lounging on a deck by a lake in the sunshine, about a mile from my house!!! I got out of the car and yelled "Jessie! What in the world are you doing?!" You should have seen her tiptoe back to the car, head down, slinking in shame. At the time, it was really frustrating/worrisome, but now it is just so funny to remember. Jessie has been gone since 2004, but in my mind's eye I can still see the look on her face when I caught her on the dock with Petey. That little vagabond dog!

Vicki Lane said...

Bitches gotta have fun, Brenda.

Tammy said...

Dog-gone little hound. ;-) I saw today's post first and wondered why Willa was on leash. It sounds like you have a plan in place to (hopefully) break the wanderer's cycle. Why they couldn't just stay on the farm, but no.... I'm glad they turned back up safe and sound. There is a real problem here with dog theft for several 'markets' and none good. Makes for a worry. They do have those (expensive) tracking collars that coonhound hunters use to find their dogs, if it came to that, I suppose.

Good luck!

Tammy

Darla said...

So very happy to know they came home safe and sound (well except for the thorns! LOL). My grandparents' shepherd-type dogs were allowed to be loose because they never went very far, but the hound breeds had to be penned most of the time. My paternal grandpa had coon hounds so they were never loose! ;-) Country dogs and cats definitely have it made over their city kin, I think.