Bonnie & Clyde
I think I have only just now recovered from some terrible excitement here on Friday. I had two runaway dogs!
Poe and Bridget were missing for at least five hours. During that time I drove around the neighborhood crying and screaming out of the window for them. I went through half a tank of gas.
It all started when I decided to try starting the lawn mower. I thought the dogs were outback. I spend a good part of my day holding the back door open as the dogs trot back and forth between the house and the yard. The mower started right up, which was a huge surprise. As I was mowing the lawn, I thought it was strange that Poe wasn’t making me crazy with his ball but figured I must have let them back in the house as some point during the morning. So I finish with the lawn and then immediately go to let the dogs outside.
Lucy is the only one at the door. Hmmm. I run through the house yelling for them, run through the back yard yelling for them, back through the house this time looking behind closed doors, back through the yard. No dogs. And no apparent signs of escape either – that is still a mystery although I am suspecting it could be a faulty gate latch.
The only time I wasn’t driving the neighborhood was when I was driving home, hoping they had made their way back. Many people told me they had seen them “just about 45 minutes ago” so I knew they were sticking together. On one of my trips back to the house, there was a message on my answering machine. This man saw someone putting up a sign about finding two dogs and then drove into my neighborhood and saw my signs about losing two dogs!
Poe and Bridget managed to get very lost and ended up on a very, very busy road. (I hate to even think about that part.) Luckily for me and them, someone stopped and took them home. Until this weekend I did not have collars on the dogs – I heard that collars could collapse a pug’s trachea so I use harnesses when I walk them. I was also under the misguided impression that they couldn’t escape from my fenced yard. After spending Friday hysterical and searching for them. I spent a good part of Saturday buying them collars and tags.
Anyway, they are home now thankfully. Poe does not seem to know or care about the magnitude of his transgression. When I went to collect them, there he was laying in the middle of the good Samaritan’s yard chewing on a rawhide. He did not even bother to get up to greet me! little bastard. When we got home, he thought I should start throwing his ball for him right away. Bridget however, was very glad to see me and seemed quite relieved. At least one of them has some sense!
purlingswine 
Oh my god, Ann. I would be devastated. While in FL a few weeks (alone), my hubby thought Lily (almost 9 months old) could go out with the other older dog unattended. What a fool. The little one escaped and we live on a fairly busy road. She had a collar but no tag as yet. What a fool I was. Thankfully the girls and he got her home safe. When I returned home, I kissed her, yelled at hubby for his stupidity, yelled at the girls for not taking care of both of them properly AND BOUGHT A TAG for her collar…just in case. I know your helplessness. Thank goodness they are ok. I love stories with a happy ending!
It is a wonder, after all that running around, Poe would want to chase a ball let alone stand! LOL My two dogs got loose while I was pulling weeds out front. Owen had gone in to get a drink and failed to close the door when he came back out. We went into the house and I was running all over as you did calling their names, opening doors, and searching the backyard. Poor Owen was crying all the while. I was sick to my stomach when I realized they were both gone. I raced out front screaming their names. My exterior search lasted all of 10 seconds. Thankfully, when I got I found them sniffing around in the woods next to our house. I don’t think I could have survived a search that took hours as your search did. I am so glad you found Poe and Bridget. Thankfully, they were well taken care of until you found them.
Glad to hear that everyone made it home safe and sound.
I would have been petrified. I’m so glad they’re back home safe where they belong.
Although I’m sure Poe was heading to the LIRR to try to get to my place. He misses me;)
Hi Ann…I didn’t have waffles for breakfast. ;-)
Actually I know just how you feel when the pups are lost! It was the happiest day when we found our Moxie after 2 days lost.
Dude. I want to be their agent when Disney comes calling. Those dog buddy movies are all the rage.
Freaking Poe.
Lucy’s my favorite now. Even if she does only have one eye.
Mason has gone missing a couple of times and he’s an indoor cat. I know that scary, heart in your throat feeling. I’m so glad your story has a happy ending.
Brigit looks tired after her escapade. Poe looks… Poe-ish.
Our Lucy is a runner. She escaped from my husband once while he was stopped at a rest area 150 miles from home. He hunted and called and searched to no avail. Unbeknownst to him, she had hopped into someone else’s car, but luckily for her and us, that someone was an honest dog lover who called the number on her tag and left us a message. (Thank FSM she was wearing her collar and tag!)
They make you wonder, don’t they? They’re the sunshine of your life, apple of your eye and they — they (Poe) are happy with whoever has the tastiest rawhide. From time to time, we have had cats go missing for long stretches and I always figure they found a better meal…
oh no! I am so glad they are fine and stuck together! How scary though. :(
Boris has escaped many times before — and he is not the brightest of pugs, he just runs uphill [when he was a puppy we lived at the top of a hill, so he thinks home is uphill]. I keep a harness on him with his tags since a collar just slips off him… have you tried putting tags on Poe’s harness?
Oh God Ann. I’m SO glad you you found them both together.
You might also want to consider getting them chipped so that if they should slip out of their collars, any vet can get the chip data and contact you. I’ve done that with my little escape artist Max.
Hugs to you.
That is so scary, but I’m glad it had a happy ending! Have you considered micro-chipping them? One time our gardener left the gate open and our dog got out. She’d just had a bath, so she wasn’t wearing her collar. She didn’t get far and came right back when she heard us calling for her, but in those first moments of blind panic, I was glad to know that at least she’s also got a chip.
I’m so glad this story had a happy ending. We have an escape artist cat, and it is the most horrid thing to have your pets go wandering!
Oh, so scary! I’m glad they’re ok!
poe- bad dog, bridget-good dog. she knows how lucky she is to have a home being rescued from the street, poe however is quite another story. i also have a cat or two story about escaping and i know how frantic you were. glad there was a happy ending
Bad doggie! You called Poe exactly what I called Linus the time he spent the night “out”.
Oh my gosh!!!! I am SO GLAD that they were found and rescued and returned to you unharmed. Both of my sweet dogs are very dumb about streets and traffic, and if either of them is outside off the least I am truly scared.
Hooray for the Good Dog Samaritan!! Hooray!!!
How very scary! I’m so glad to hear they were found safe.
Ann- I am glad your dogs are ok and back safe and sound.Mine have done the same thing but never for 5 whole hours. They have taken off for small bits and I relate the panic, thinking the worst scenarios and yelling curses. Mine are so friendly that they would jump into any car and let them take them.
BAD DOGS! And then not even getting up and greeting you. Poe, Poe, Poe.
Glad to hear that they’re safe and sound though! Scary.
See? It’s a conspiracy I tells ya! Yours are trying to kill you too! They just chose worry and panic as their weapons. A littlbe more subtle than my mental midgets.
So glad to hear it was a happy ending!
Why do I immediately suppose that Mr. Poe was the lead in this little adventure? So sorry you were in such distress; I’m very cross with him for upsetting you!
Thank god they were safe and sound!! How scary!
Oh man, my dog ran away a month or so after I got him and crossed a busy road. I had idiotically tied him up in front of a store but someone who saw him slip his collar ran in and told me. He got a few blocks away before I cought him. I have never tied him out again and still remember that horrible feeling of running around screaming for him. Im glad they are both ok!
Poor you, that has happened to me a couple of times and it is sooooo scary, glad you got them back safely.
Do knitters have pugs like horsepeople have Jacks?