Tuesday 17 January 2012

puggle runaways come visiting

Penny was spending a few quiet days in the Upper Yarra Valley recently, but her peaceful time was disturbed by two unexpected and uninvited visitors.



When I spotted them frolicking around on our driveway, I hurried outside to say hello, because we are right on a busy country highway. Seeing they were friendly, I just opened the gate to our fenced yard and they dashed in to investigate, not noticing for ages that I had closed the gate behind them.

Penny was mightily unimpressed and went in through her doggy door to keep an eye on them from inside the house.



Presumably they don't have the same kind of doggy door at home, because they couldn't figure it out.





And that was the end of MY peaceful day, because I had great trouble finding where they'd come from. It beats me how come people don't know anything about their neighborhood. I tramped up and down streets sayaing I'd found a beagle and a pug, but either no one answered the door or most people didn't care that two dogs were loose. Eventually I came home again and set off in the car, and finally came across the person everyone needs to find when they're trying to solve a mystery - a young boy. He and his little sister were playing the front yard and knew the dogs. (I'd taken a few photos of them to show people.) Mum came out when they called for her and she rang the owner, who was at work forty kilometres away and would come and get them when she finished, later in the day.

'No rush,' said I. 'The yard's fenced. She can come when she likes."

My heart sank at the reply. 'They're escape artists. They can dig out of anywhere.'

Ohmidog! Off to the car. (1) I don't want them showing Penny how dogs dig under fences. (2) They'll be out on the highway again.

Race home.

ONE dog in my fenced yard. The beagle-looking one (the female) was in next door, playing with the dog who hates Penny and shouts at her through the fence every time we go out.

Grab a towel from the house, put it under her belly, haul her over the fence into my place. (And now I know why I'm sitting here with a bad back!) Open the door to our decking and they both cheerfully accompany me to try again if they can figure out how to get into our house.

I've got visitors of the human variety, and they come out to see how I got on with my search. The dogs rush into the house. Penny's even less impressed. I herd them out, they're locked onto the decking where they can't dig out. Relax at last, have a cup of tea with my very patient visitors.

Time for the visitors to go. What's this? Only one pug-like dog on the decking! And his lady friend exploring the outside world. But, thankfully, hanging around because her mate couldn't jump like she could.

Hang onto the one on the decking and the wanderer comes in to say hello. Hmm... it's going to be a long afternoon...

Thank goodness they were rather tired by this time, and settled down to have a sleep.



Penny showed her disdain for them by lying with her back to the doggy door at this stage.



And then a new visitor. Their owner had been so worried she couldn't stay at work. Was I ever glad to see her!!

And the first surprising thing was that they are both the same breed, puggles. Pug and beagle.

The second surprising thing was that the usual escape artist is the one who looks like a pug.

I made sure to get the owner's phone number. I MAY be seeing them again, I reckon.

6 comments:

Lassiter Chase and Benjamin said...

Oh my goodness. What a story about the escape artists! We are exhausted just reading about that. I don't blame Penny for hiding indoors! You all must have had a good night sleep after that day!

parlance said...

Lassie and Benji, I don't know about Penny, but I sure was tired out after this visit.

proud womon said...

but ohhh don't they look so cute when they're all tuckered out and asleep!!!!

bet that's an adventure the two of you can do without next time you're having quiet, leisurely days...

thanks for sharing - i did get a chuckle out of their antics though - but understood penny's disdain and your concern!!!

parlance said...

proud womon, I did think they were the cutest things ever! Especially the taller one. But to live with them...no way!

Unknown said...

Gosh - I thought you were so good & patient with the whole thing!!

I know I'm probably being harsh but I just don't think it's good enough to say "Oh my dogs are escape artists" and not do something about it. I think it's the owner's responsiblity to make sure -however he/she has to - that their dogs don't get out. Yeah, I know some dogs are easier than others (beagles, terriers) but that's their choice to have them so they need to shoulder the consequences too. Anyway, hope you WON'T be seeing them again - at least, not wandering loose!! :-)

Ha! Ha! I had to laugh at the photos of Penny showing her disdain! AT least she did it with quiet dignity and wasn't too territorial - I think Honey would have been loudly proclaiming her territorial rights and throwing her weight around with the strangers to emphasize it!! :-)

Hsin-Yi

parlance said...

Hsin-Yi, one of the neighbors told me that the people are renovating, so I think that may be the problem. The house had no front fence at all, and the dogs did have electronic tags, so I think they may have been contained by an electronic fence. (The trouble is that the electricity is often out in the Upper Yarra Valley.)