I hope today holds no surprises, no excitement, no fear. Yesterday was enough.
Early yesterday morning, I decided to get my bulbs planted. I had some hostas and some lily bulbs that should have been in the ground a couple of months ago. Usually when I work in the yard, Sophie hangs with me. Sometimes I have to call her to come back when she wanders over to an adjoining yard and she reluctantly returns.
So I'm sitting on the ground, digging in the dirt and I realize Sophie is out of sight. So I call. She doesn't come, so I call some more. And she doesn't come, so I get up and go looking for her. Looking and calling; looking and calling.
A couple of neighbors hear me and come out and start helping look. They call other neighbors, and pretty soon a good portion of my neighbors are out looking for the black dog.
Gene gets his four-wheeler out, the sound of which will sometimes bring Sophie running to get a ride. No Sophie. So Gene rides the woods behind Bob's house where squirrels are known to frequent. No Sophie.
Meanwhile others are combing the neighborhood in their cars. Paul even goes out of the neighborhood, up on the main road nearby to see if she has wandered over there.
And what am I doing? I'm practically running all over the neighborhood, up hills and down hills, calling and yelling and getting more panic stricken by the moment. Had it not been for the panic, I don't think I could have done that. Every time Gene sees me, he tries to get me to got sit down and let them look. He's worried I will have a heart attack of something. But I won't go; I have to find my Sophie.
Anyway, long story short, a couple of hours later, when I have almost given up but am still calling Sophie and crying and crying and calling and praying, we get a break in the case. I'm in the front yard asking God to please let Sophie come home and I look down the street. There in Nolan's yard next door is Gene, holding up what appears to be a very dirty Sophie.
Gene had spotted her from the street, and called but she wouldn't come. When she saw him, she tried to hide in the hedges. But Gene got her anyway. She had been digging for some kind of critter. She was dirty all over and there was mud up to her ears where she had her head stuck down in the hole she had dug, sniffing for the critter.
I was in such a state of pain and fatigue that I wasn't able to bathe her. I just brushed her off as best I could, took a bath myself, swallowed some ibuprofen, and stayed in Vann's recliner the rest of the day. Sophie knows she did wrong. I can tell. This morning, I let her go out for the first time since her recovery without a leash. She waited beside me at the door until I said "go," then she stayed with me the whole time we were out. But no more letting her roam around while I do yard work. I just couldn't take that kind of fear again.
Andy had been trying to call me all during the Great Sophie Belle Search, and was about to come looking for me when she finally reached me. I told her the story and she laughed and laughed and assured me it would be funny to me too later on. It's not funny yet. I still can feel that terrible panic, knowing that my sweet stubborn Sophie might be gone for good and I'd never know what happened to her. I vow to be a better doggie mom from now on and not let her wander.
And I'm considering calling the Betty Ford Center for Critter Addiction (obedience school) and getting Sophie some treatment for critter detox.
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On 05/26/2010, Barbara Anne said ...
Bless your sweet heart and the rest of you, too! How frightening to not know where your furry baby is for so very long. I'm so glad Sophie was found and not much worse for the experience. Hope you're no worse for the experience, too.
You're a very good doggy mom, but this time you had one disobedient doggy child. I suppose every now and again instinct overrules learned lessons.
Cheers for kind neighbors and friends who searched near and far for Sophie!
Yep, funny someday, but not today ...!
I'm off to the 5th cardiac appt. in two weeks for FIL. Grumpy, difficult, contrary 85 year old that he is, his heart mildly attacked him two weeks ago.
Hugs!
On 05/26/2010, Karla said ...
Thank the good Lord that she is okay! I can understand how you feel. One day Margot was laying half on her bed and half on the floor - very unsual. I went up to her and gently shook her and called her name, no response, tried again, no response. I almost had a heart attack and scooped her up - hubby jumped out of bed in a panic. Margot was fine - she had just been very sound asleep! What these dogs do to us! So happy that Sophie is home with you and happy your cranky neighbor didn't get involved! Sounds like you have a fabulous neighborhood.
Karla
On 05/26/2010, Jan said ...
OMG, OMG, OMG! My heart sank just reading about your awful day. What a terrible scare but thanking God that it had a happy ending! Thanking God for your wonderful neighbors too! Wishing you a totally "uneventful" day today :)
Oh and the picture of "you and you" below is hysterical and I love the "white desk." It looks great :)
On 05/26/2010, gayle said ...
Oh, this melted my heart...and those puppy-dog eyes in the photos...so sweet.
On 05/26/2010, Jo Wilson said ...
So glad you found your Sophie. She is so precious. Her eyes tell the whole story, she is so sorry she made you worry and she won't do it again. Have a blessed day.
Jo @ jo-andacherryontop.blogspot.com
On 05/26/2010, KAI said ...
HOLY DOGGY, BATMAN! My stomach did flip-flops the entire time I was reading that post! Soooooo grateful for your beautiful, caring neighbors for helping you find Sophie! And you're a WONDERFUL doggy-mommy, Susan! Sophie was just having a 'teenager' day, I think! (Sophie, you lil' cutie, don't you make Aunty Kai go over there and take away your priviledges!) I'd definitely say you deserve a day of serious R & R! LOVE YOU!
On 05/26/2010, Lisa A said ...
Maisy would do the same thing if I let her. That's why I have one of those tie-out stakes that screws into the ground to tether her everytime I work in the front yard. She can bark to her hearts content, but she can't get away! So glad your little scoundrel is safe.
On 05/26/2010, WendyC said ...
oh dear, it has a happy ending though :)
On 05/26/2010, Donna said ...
Our dog did that ONE time when she was living! Scared me so much!! She was actually in our pasture with fence all around her, but at the time I had no idea where she had gone to! I was so glad to find her. I know exactly how you feel!
Blessings,
Donna
On 05/26/2010, Nicole said ...
Oh dear. Those girls of ours sure can get into trouble, can't they?
We once owned a wonderful Airedale named Daniel. My husband kept him off leash all the time when he was working in the yard. One time Daniel didn't come back when he was called. We searched and searched and couldn't find him any where. I remember standing in my driveway in the middle of the night wondering where on earth he had got to. The next morning, our son was riding his bike doing his paper route in the neighborhood, and heard Daniel barking. It turns out there was another family nearby who had an Airedale, and some do-gooder neighbor saw our Daniel and put him in the neighbor's backyard. Only the people were on vacation for three weeks. Can you even imagine? Thank God Ahren heard Daniel barking, and Daniel heard Ahren on his bike! All's well that ends well.
On 05/26/2010, Kelly Ann said ...
My old golden was like that...you could watch her all day and she wouldn't leave the yard for one minute, turn your head and she was down the back yard into the creek...and then would follow that stupid creek for a couple of miles with me chasing her...sure glad we moved and put up a fence..no more creek for Maggie dog...
On 05/26/2010, Stephanie said ...
Oh, my gosh! That must have been so terrifying for you. I love my doggies, too, and that would be scary for me! One time, we were horseback riding, and our border collie was out with us. She went sniffing off some trail and strayed away from us. We kept riding and calling...my husband saying, "She'll come along, don't worry..." Well, we finally stopped when we realized she was not coming. We called and called, and we could hear her wimpering at the bottom of a ravine next to us. The trail she was on took her to the bottom of the ravine, and we were now at the top. The poor thing couldn't figure out how to get up by us. I was so scared she'd take off running and really get lost in the wilderness. My husband had to hike down and find her. Took him 45 minutes of hiking to get down there and back up. Scared the life out of me...all I could picture was the coyotes getting to her at night. She is such a good dog, and I was never so happy to see a dog as I was that day! So, I know how you were feeling. I am so glad it all turned out okay for you!
On 05/26/2010, Jen in NY said ...
Oh for goodness sake, Susan! I'm so sorry you had to go through that. That Sophie! I'm glad she realizes the error of her ways. Pups!
On 05/26/2010, Teresa said ...
Glad you got her back, safe and sound. I have to share a dog story too. My daughter has a little morki, she lets him out in the mornings without a leash, but watches her from the door. Izzy, the dog, runs right to a fresh pile of poop some other dog planted in our yard, and rolls all around in it. My daughter was horrified, lol. She calls to Izzy, who knows she is in trouble - she opens the door..the dog runs straight to the bathroom and jumps in the tub, waiting for her bath. To beat it all - Izzy hates getting a bath and usually hides. Ah, a dog's life has it trials.
On 05/27/2010, Debra said ...
Maybe that stake for the yard should be on your next shopping list. You don't need Sophie running off again. What a bugger!
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