Gearing Up for Number 10 and Dealing With A Wandering Dog

Double digits... seriously? How about we ignore all those low betas then we'd only be talking about like 4 rather than 10. Anyways - my period has arrived and Thursday will be my screening u/s. On the bright side of all this I should not be getting test results on our anniversary but after which is not a bad thing at all. Although I fear it will be almost literally right after our anniversary. Whatever will be will be right?

Now on to the rest of the story so to speak...

I've mentioned Chance - my oldest pup who is 10 years old as of June... he was my first and is of course truly "mine" so to speak. Well we've had a few episodes of wandering... or as D calls it "I think Chance has alzheimer's and forgets which house is his own." At first it was just to the unoccupied house next door. However twice on D's watch - Chance has taken a long walk down the private drive which is about a quarter mile and across the road (which can be busy at times) and up the neighbors drive which is probably 1/8 of a mile. D not knowing that he's gone on this jaunt - believing he's at the unoccopied neighbor's house or as was the case last night - that he was in the house. Fortunately Chance is a self sufficient sort who is apparently just wanting to get out and say "Hi" to the kids. He walks up to the door and scratches at it.

To me this makes us look like HORRIBLE owners... to the neighbor's it's hillarious. I mentioned to D that this ONLY happens on HIS watch. I instructed him the last time this happened that he needed to put Chance on a leash if he was going to be outside unmonitored. D did not move the chain that I asked him to when that occurred. He now has. It's now at the front door so both D and I can hook Chance up so that he can't go a wandering.

I have visions of what could have happened... namely Chance getting hit. I love my puppies all of them, but Chance will always hold a special place in my heart because it was him and me against the world for so very long. He terrorized enough would be suitors by eating their wallets, peeing on them, getting in their face anytime they attempted a kiss... etc etc etc. Chance was persistent... he frustrated these guys without truthfully doing much. If he didn't like you and you tried to kiss, hug, whatever he'd be in your face being annoying acting as if he LOVED the guy and couldn't get enough of them. Looking back the only person he did not give grief to was D. He apparently has good taste.

Now you find D and Chance cuddling periodically... D protecting Chance by letting the other dogs out first so that Chance can have a minute or two alone as an only dog able to stretch and roll around on his back and seal walk to limber up to face the day. Chance still is "mine" he just shares me a bit more than he used to. He still is very upset by my work schedule and hates that I leave at all... even with D home, but it's better than it used to be. Now I only have to get him to understand that going to the neighbors house is NOT appropriate behavior. Guess the leash will have to do the trick for the time being.

Silly dog... I also mentioned to D that these episodes only happen on his watch... and that he probably should pay closer attention to where the three amigos are so to speak so that it doesn't happen again.