Friday, July 11, 2008

Photo Phriday: In the Dog House

It's not a coincidence that the leash in this photo looks like an umbilical cord -- it's symbolic of the "tight leash" that I have been using with Henry since this past weekend.

When I was in Maine for the 4th of July weekend, my wonderful, supportive parents agreed to watch Henry while I was away. On Sunday, the day I was coming back, I got a call from my Dad that Henry got loose. This has happened before as the area surrounding my parents house is full of wildlife, so it's like heaven for this hound dog, but this time he was gone for over six hours. Six hours! My poor family spent their entire Sunday searching and stressing out about his whereabouts. Meanwhile, Henry would tease them and sprint away -- just thinking it was a game.

Obviously this has a happy ending -- he eventually showed up and my awesome brother-in-law scooped him up (he also saved Henry during an attack from a large Rotweiller at one point), but he was scraped up like you wouldn't believe with many, many ticks on him. The day after he was still a little shaken, but he's back to normal -- the scrapes are healing and the ticks are gone; we even went on a run on Thursday -- but his leash was shorter than usual.

5 comments:

Emilia said...

Oh, poor Henry, it's a good thing your brother in-law got him eventually.

That is so typical of dogs, I once had to chase my sisters dog for an entire night - he would do the same thing, just thinking it was a fun game.

Liz said...

Poor Henry is right Emilia -- I'm lucky to have my bro-in-law in the family.

Henry seems to just want to frolick in the woods, which I totally get -- but until he can come when called, which he can't currently because it's like his brain shuts off when he gets on a scent -- it's scary.


BTW -- I LOVE the photo in your blogger profile. I can has cheezeburger always makes me laugh.

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness Henry came back and all is well! Your story made me think of our dog when I was a child--in those days (pre-leash laws), we'd open the door at about 8:30 AM, let the dog out, and around 5:00 PM he came scratching on the screen door to be let in for dinner. Never knew where he went; no idea how he learned to avoid cars or dogfights; no idea how many little pups he fathered. . . that's just what everyone did in those days! Of course, there were about one-one millionth the number of dogs around in those days, too!

Liz said...

Ricki, I do wonder what he was up to! I know a lot of people who had dogs like this growing up too. It seems like it's the way it should be -- giving dogs their freedom, but it's just too scary: cars, coyotes..

I do know in a lot of rural areas people still have dogs like this.

Tiffany said...

Our little pup, Queso, does the same thing. He has so much fun when he gets out, but it is scary. He thinls it's a game, too.

I'm glad your bro in law found him...poor little guy, he must have been so shaken up! :(