The dogs are giving me more trouble than usual. I think it is the addition of Lucky, to some degree. He holds up our usual modes and methods. I do leave him to take the o.g.s sometimes, though. I think also those troubles we had kept us pent up and required some extra long drive days — I think they had just had it.
The other night Ninja got up at 1:30a and wanted out. We’ve been doing this for years and we all know the drill–they don’t usually get me up in the night but I figure if he’s getting me up he has a need. So I go to the door and open it – my usual thing is to step out, then leash him up from the doorway. He knows this. The minute I opened the door this time he took off. I mean, like a bat. He’s jet black and moves fast. I got a flashlight and tromped around annoying my neighbors for almost half an hour.
The dogs are obsessed with when the diesel truck starts. They get frantic and want in the truck, so afraid I’ll leave them behind, I guess. So I finally thought of that (hey I was sleepy and upset, it took me awhile.) I started the truck (Dean Martin says he thought I was leaving in the night.)
Ninja didn’t show up instantly but did in a few minutes. He must have been a ways away. I was so mad at him that I closed the bedroom door and wouldn’t let him in with the rest of us for the rest of the night. He was sad. I was mad.
Then yesterday on a lovely hike, I let them off leash to run for a bit. They really needed it and took off as fast as they could… then came right back. As they always do, right? I mean, we’ve been at this for YEARS.
We were on a well defined trail and far from roads etc.
They are always so good – staying on trail, running ahead a bit, checking on me, waiting for me…
and they did that for maybe 30 minutes.
Then they took off after something. I waited. They’d gone off the trail so my choices were limited. On our well known trails at home I’d just keep walking and know they would loop back in, but I don’t know this trail and neither do they. And they went off in another direction… not in the direction of the trail forward or back, but perpindicular. So my choices were to follow them through the brush or wait for them.
I waited. I called. And called. Finally after a long ten minutes, Ninja returned. It took Topher another ten minutes. I was crying and furious, by then. I lectured them in a way they surely didn’t understand, promising to never let them off leash again as long as we lived. What an awful feeling.
Little assholes.
Anyway, here’s the hike. It was otherwise so pleasant.
