These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

One .... more .... time

I came home this evening and was distraught to find just four dogs in the house to greet me. I looked all over the house and in the back yard for.... well, you know, of course .... Jazmyn. She was no where. No where.

The block on the front dog door was in place and sturdy. She has a new escape, obviously from the back yard this time. #(^#*&%@#*&%, anyway.


I began calling and whistling, then picked up my purse to get in the car and go looking for Jaz. As I went out to the deck, my deck with no roof, thank you very much, I noticed that Maxey was looking rather intently toward the road. I backed up and bent down to see where he was peering, and up the driveway was coming a little black dot. Yep, Jazi was trotting up from the road.

I went down the steps and called her, and she stopped for a moment, then continued toward me much more slowly. Little snot new she was in trouble! I walked a few steps toward her and squatted down, calling her again, and she resumed trotting. I picked her up and got her in the house, then began looking for the escape. I never did find one, but I reinforced every place that might work if she is a shape-shifter! There was one place on the gate where the links were bent a little. Another place was the gate hinge that had become twisted a bit. Over there was a place where a big rock outside the fence as pressing on the fence and might have given a two inch space. I set about moving rocks, straightening hinges, etc.

But the trouble is, I can't continue to let this happen. Well, OK, I'm not letting it happen, but I can't continue to have this much worry. I'm terrified that a big animal might get hold of her or I'll come home and find her dead beside the road. So, sadly, I got out the wire kennel and set it up tonight. I decided that making her unhappy for a while is better than losing her. Thankfully my work days are short, so it won't hurt her to be kenneled. But it's sad.

Later I was talking to TL, and she mentioned that her Margarita used to climb the four foot high fences at the farm, re-kindling thoughts I'd had earlier about Jaz perhaps scaling the fence. It's hard to imagine, because it is the kind of fence with heavy wire squares, big enough that her feet would just poke through and slip. I could see her going up a chain link, but not this type, however .....

So I went out and made my back fence look like something off a military training field! I have put chicken wire over the top of the fence, hooding it toward the inside, so that if she is climbing it, she will encounter the "hood" and hopefully be deterred from continuing. I also reinforced the hell out of the gate, wrapping and tying down all the areas that were loose on the gate. I'm going to give it one more try before caging Jaz. I hope it's the right decision.

A few minutes ago I looked over at the kennel, and look what I saw ....

Lolita seemed to be enjoying a nap in the kennel. I'm glad she's not afraid of it.

I began to wonder where Jazmyn was. She had been alternating between wanting to be right next to me or on my lap, as is usual, and sitting across the room looking at me as if she knew she was in trouble. On a lark, I took a picture in the other kennel, the one that stays in the living room behind a chair for quiet puppy naps, and ....

Yep, there she was.
I hope all the escape holes are patched, filled, blocked, covered and hidden. One more day. That's all the opportunity she has, 'cause one more walkabout, and she's in the big kennel. As I said, I just can't be worrying about her every day.

I can't imagine what has happened to cause her to elope like this. She's been here three years now, and there have been no incidents till I was on the trip. It's as if she discovered an out, and now she is obsessed with running around "the hood." I hope when the deck roof is fixed I can get on securing the deck, and it will be over. Keep us in your thoughts.

8 comments:

  1. lol...our molliedog used to do this when she was a pup..she is not 11. I would come home and there would be calls on the recorder saying Mollie was out and about...but she would always be home when I got home. It was kind of like being in denial if your kids are on drugs...NOT MY MOLLIEDOG!! Well, I cam home early one day and there she was at the neighbors having a gay ole time!!!...

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  2. The TX neighbor's dog climbs fence. She's a fox hound tho and I just can't see your Jaz doing that~~look at those eyes. She knows she did a no-no, doesn't she. Lil stinker, but ya gotta lov'er. Good luck keeping her in with your deterrent fencing. It should work.
    BlessYourHeart

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  3. Ain't, one of the other dogs Max, would not surprise me and would be out having a ball. It shocked me with Jaz, though! She's my glued-to-the-hip pup!

    Dar, I am stunned about it all! Her escape-ability, her determination, etc. It all just blows my mind! And yes, she knew she was wrong, and I didn't even scold her. She's a smart girl .... maybe too smart at times.

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  4. Try not to feel too guilty! You would feel much worse if something were to happen to her. In reality, getting out 4 times, it's lucky that nothing has happened to her so far like getting hit by a car or lost or picked up by a bigger animal like you said. Can you contain her in the house somehow, like to a room instead of a crate? Although, I always crated my dogs when they were younger and they were fine.

    Their safety and your peace of mind are paramount!

    The only other thing I might do is pretend to leave and wait out of sight and try to discover where she is escaping from.

    And that missing roof piece!! Crazy!

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  5. Deb, the only way to contain her to a room would perhaps encourage her to try to get out, and I worry about the physical damage that might occur. I'm torn. I wish I had a better option than crating, although I've always crated my dogs until now, and the only reason I don't now is that 5 crates take up SO MUCH room! My previous dogs were fine with crating, and when we left they knew to run to the crates. I guess right now is a new learning curve for all of us in the house. :(

    I've thought about hiding out this weekend as you suggest and see what happens. Perhaps I'll do that.

    Not only is the missing roof crazy, but my whole life feels a bit wonky right now! GAH!!

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  6. Lyn I'm surprised the rest of the "KIDS" haven't followed her. That might be next!!!

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  7. Not knowing the extent of your fenced in area, I wonder if you put flour or chalk or something around the perimter. Then the tracks should show how that bad dog's getting out. He's a regular Houdini.

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  8. Ruth, there is a very good reason .... she is the smallest one! The others don't fit in the same small holes she is making/finding!!

    Dave, that's a great idea!! I think I have the problem under control for now, but I'll keep it in mind if there is another problem. Thanks!!

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If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!