@donc I really like and appreciate your post, @DonC . I've been active in the dog world (almost exclusively shelter/rescue work) for 20+ years and opinions and anecdotes pass as facts all the time. I knew I'd get this asking my question in the first place, I suppose, but I also believed to make a decision I needed to hear personal stories; the best on offer. The potential for dogs fighting whether litter mates or not, is more than my husband and I want to take on right now.
Two Frights in 12 hours !!!
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Well I think im going to have to be VERY careful with my new little minx, Vanda…
Last night I was in the middle of cooking dinner, and I opened the kitchen door to throw a bag of rubbish into the porch... I always do frequent checks of where the dogs are, so I can keep an eye on what is being eyed off for the next destruction session :).
I found Saba, Ochre, and the ACD, Nosh, but I couldnt find Vanda. I casually strolled around calling her. No response. ..Gradually getting more and more panicy. Called the kids to come and help... Finally found her sitting patiently OUTSIDE the loungeroom door
. I am nearly 100% sure that she didnt get out while I threw the garbage out, but, I couldnt think of any other reason I worked out she was possibly outside for close to 10 minutes :eek::eek:Then this morning, I was emailing a friend, and I heard this ruckus from the loungeroom. It sounded like the cat was trying to get in or out of the catdoor, very clumsily... I stood up to go and see what was going on, and racing over to me, at a great rate of knots, was one VERY WET Vanda... She has a coat on, and it was drenched :mad:. I followed the wet paw prints, and sure enough it came from the cat door, straight to me... This little *^%#@#, (insert any swear word here !!!), had obviously gone OUT the cat door, and had played in a water bowl outside, again for about 5-10 mins, then just came back inside...
You need to know that we live on 13 acres, of largely unfenced bushland, so the opportunity was there for her to wander anywhere :eek:. Im so lucky she didnt go far. I am also wondering now, if she got out through the cat door last night too
The cat door is broken, so it currently has a crate, (what else), in front of it, so no more outside explorings for her !!!Still trying to calm my racing heart... Is it too early, (at 11am over here...), to have a stiff drink ???
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Thank goodness she didn't get lost or worse, hurt. Such a smart little girl, that Vanda of yours..
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Oh my, I'm glad nothing happened. Wow, if she is this good a sneaking around now, imagine how good she'll be when she gets older!
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Stealthy little fuzzballs, aren't they?? I often do a "dog check" when he's not where I "thought" he was. Especially if I've opened a door. Even if not to outside, there are just places he shouldn't be!!
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I'd fix the cat door (and throw out the cat – just joking) maybe with some sort of barrier around it so the dog cant' get to it.
And it's always noon somewhere so go for the drink
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I am so glad that Vanda is alright. All of my puppies learn the cat door quickly and we have to put a barrier around it so the cats can get in but the puppies can't. If she is not a climber then you can use a ex-pen or something similar. Luckily our cat door only goes to our closed garage since our cats are indoor only but still plenty of trouble for pups to get into in there.
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What a scare! And what a good little girl to stay close to home and come back in. She must like you, hehe!
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Well the clever hoomans managed to keep Vanda inside over the last 24 hours :D.
Nemo, that is exactly what went through my mind, and let me tell you, it scares the $*(^ out of me :D. I think this little lady will be keeping us on our toes a lot more than Ochre and Saba do :p. We were prewarned by her breeder, so I guess I will have to do extra checks on Vanda alone…
wizard, I was thinking exactly that same thought while I was typing, the stiff drink I mean
