Christmas Eve Runaways

[aweitzm1]

I can finally write this post and not freak out since its been a few weeks. I usually let Boomer and Thumper off their leash in my apartment lobby as they like to run to the laundry room and then elevator. When I call them they come right to me.


Well we were returning from our last walk around 9:30 pm and I let them off leash. They went straight to the laundry room but someone must have let the back door open and they escaped. I didn't panic at first because it is gated and it never occurred to me that they could fit through the wholes.


Well as I am walking out the back door to get them I see Thumper zoom by chasing a cat and barking. As he was chasing the cat he leapt right through the bars. Now I am panicking. I scream both for Boomer and Thumper as it is dark and I didn't see where Boomer is. In my head I think which one do I go after first and I've lost them for good. What do I do. My mind is going a mile a minute and I am in tears. All the while I am calling out their names.


Well I hear. the jingle of their collar tag at in the back of the yard. I go looking and Boomer is curled into a ball. I think he got frightened by the cat. But at this point I still don't know where Thumper is.


I pick Boomer up and carry him still calling Thumper's name. I listen and hear another jingle of the collar. Thumper came back but he couldn't get back into my back yard so he went into the neighbors front yard through their bars. I grabbed him and pulled him through the gated area.


This all lasted no more than 3-5 minutes but it seemed like forever to me. I am just glad that they are smart enough that they know which apartment building is theirs.


I felt awful that night thinking I was an bad mom and what would I have done if Thumper didn't come back. I am glad that they always have their tags on and are microchip incase something happens to them.


They did get me back because a couple days later the little monsters got in their treat draw and ate all their treats and I mean all. (Bully Sticks, Rawhides, and Cookies) It was such a mess when I got home and their tummies hurt for the next 24 hours.

[Mayzoo]

Sometimes despite our best efforts and intentions, stuff happens. Glad everyone made it home happy and safe.

[Jkpal]

Originally Posted by Mayzoo

Sometimes despite our best efforts and intentions, stuff happens. Glad everyone made it home happy and safe.

Exact-amundo, Mayzoo! We simply cannot anticipate every possible scenario--try as we might! Your angels were on their game that night and am so very happy everyone is alright!!

[DBlain]

so happy you had a good ending. don't beat yourself up I think every yorkie parent has had a dog get loose. I have had my share of scares and times I ran outside in a nightgown or bare feet in the snow chasing after an escaping yorkie. One time really sticks in my mind, this happened with my yorkie prior to Lola. Normally I come in through the garage, but I was using my husband's truck and came in through the front door with a bunch of grocery bags, I kicked the door closed with my foot, it had looked like it closed. Hours later I was on the phone for work and I heard a dog barking outside by the street and I said to myself that is odd normally anytime a dog would walk by my house my last yorkie Kirby would be barking and going nuts inside, but nothing was happening in my house, so I got up to investigate, and OMG my front door was wide open, the wind blew it open, and the dog barking was Kirby. There were also two cars stopped in front of my house, and one of the guys was out of the car, he asked me if this was my dog I said yes, he said he Kirby was in the middle of the street and so he stopped to try to pick him up but Kirby started barking and running around the car, then by the time I came outside he ran up on the lawn. It took me hours until I could calm down, so I can sure understand what you must have felt like. With each yorkie I get more careful, but these little buggers are so dang quick.
BTW my dad grew up in Elmhurst and I grew up on Long Island, but I have been in MI now quite a long time. Is there still a neighborhood there they call the Manors, or something with Manor in it?

[GracieJane]

Please give yourself some slack. We just moved into a short-term apartment while our house is under construction. Our indoor-only pup, Gracie, ran out of the laundry room (by the front door) and out of the door that my husband had propped open to bring boxes in. Imagine my shock that she had run to the sidewalk outside! Scary as heck because she knows NOTHING about avoiding cars! Fortunately, like your babies, she was recovered without injury, but it happens to all of us from time to time. Let's face it--they are major escape artists!

[Maximo]

I am so glad Boomer and Thumper are safe, and I can imagine how terrified you were!

We've had our share of scary moments here too, even with all of my over-protectiveness. Our scary moments never lasted more than 30 seconds, but that was more than enough for me. Can't imagine the emotional toll when dogs are lost for hours, days, or weeks.

[Nicksy]

About a month ago my 2 scared me!

I was rearranging my new cyclamens on the porch and Gizmo had followed me so I commanded him to stay just inside the front door, which he did. Dexter came over and came straight outside, noticed some people walking past and trotted off after them. Gizmo took this as a cue that he was allowed out too and ran after him, as did I in my socks (in the wet).

I didn't catch up with either in the short driveway, but even worse Dexter went right following the people whilst Gizmo saw someone across the street and bolted for them. I had to decide who to go after first.

Luckily there were no cars coming and the person across the road stopped to greet Gizmo allowing me to run after Dexter first then came back to collect Gizmo. So much for me thinking that they had learnt to stop and look before crossing the road (no joke - it's really cute)!

[yavenay]

Originally Posted by Mayzoo

Sometimes despite our best efforts and intentions, stuff happens. Glad everyone made it home happy and safe.

It sure does, Brandi (RIP) got out twice...once when the handyman left the garage door open and a second time when I left the sliding glass door open...talk about being panicked. Fortunately she didn't go far and came running when I called her but I know she was outside for at least 30 minutes before I noticed her missing.

I don't know for sure but one of the reasons why I walk my little one all over the neighborhood is because I want them to know how to get home and they do. Plus all of my neighbors know who they belong to if they do get out and they see them. One of my neighbors dog got out and was running down the middle of the street. I quickly scooped him up and called her. Her dog stayed with me until she was able to come pick him up.

When Brandi got out the first time, my neighbor knew instantly who she belonged to which was good because this one time she just happened not to have her tags on.

[matese]

The horror stories I can tell about dogs getting lose. The most recent one, as careful as I am, Cody this past summer got out of the yard and running in the woods, me with my flip flops crying, calling and chasing after him, giving him all his command words stop, stay, wait, yeah right. Cody was on a quest to find the deer,I was in panic mode, flip flops were not helping me make much head way, he stopped for one second, looked left, then right, in that second I was able to snag him, held him close and just cried from relief. Had I not caught him he would have been gone forever in the woods. We all have been through horrific OMG the dog got lose ordeals. Don't beat yourself up over this. It is good they know where they live. I also walk Cody around my community, if someday he should escape he will know his way home. So glad all ended well.

[gracielove]

I know the awful feeling of seeing your four legged child running top speed in the opposite direction. When Gracie was a pup she was a major escape artiest. Thankfully she is much better trained now but I still make sure that she goes no where near the door when it is open.

She runs so fast! I have taught her to come when called but I don't know what she would do if she got loose with a squirrel in her sights!

Glad to hear you were able to get your babies back quickly. It just makes your heart skip a beat, doesn't it!

[JadeD]

I know all about a Christmas runaway! We celebrate Christmas on Dec 24th because that is the day my husband has always seen his 2 older children for Christmas per the divorce agreement and so even as they are adults we have stuck with that day.

So, everyone is arriving for Christmas and while people are carrying in Christmas presents my oldest Yorkie snuck out the door. No big deal, I take him off leash there often. We are on vacation though and not at home, but staying there for a week. I watch him go sniff a tree and lift his leg and I call him to come back in and he starts walking around the house. I go and get my shoes and coat and go out to get him only he is gone! We are in the country and the yard is HUGE and I can not find him. I go back to the house and yell to my daughter that I can't find him. She comes out a few minutes later and we are circling the house in different directions hoping to catch him and see him and calling for him.

I start going up the road to the neighbors (relatives) where I walk him fairly frequently and ask them to grab him if they see him and call me and I will come get him immediately. They tell me they will grab some food if they see him and get him to come in the house (he goes in there house with me regularly) and they will call me. Their grandsons are visiting so they go outside to look for him as I am leaving. I start heading back up the road and there is my Yorkie!!! Right along the side of the road. I call to him and tell him how happy I am to see him. I get almost to him and he takes of running!!!! He will be 10 in February and he takes off running right up the road. The mail truck is coming up the road and they see him running and me chasing him so they stop and he runs right in front of them, with me having to run right in front of them. I yell my apologies to them. The thing is I could not run 2 years ago at all. Not 3 steps of running. Then I started training for a 5K and so now I can run, but I am slower than a turtle running through molasses and this yorkie and I run the same speed. So here we go past the house we are staying at with me 10 feet behind him and not gaining on him!

So, 1/2 a mile later he slows down and I am really feeling this as I did not warm up first or anything but I push myself to keep going and I manage to finally catch him. I have been running through the mud with my Christmas clothes on! He ran straight through every mud puddle he could find. I scoop him up and hug him, just happy he isn't going to be lost in an area he doesn't know well and I carry him back and I put him in the camper we sleep in because he is too muddy to take in the house and we were almost ready to sit down and eat when he ran out the door.

I went and got him after we ate and brought him into the house (the camper is heated).

The same dog scared me on Halloween too! We were at a friends house and a ton of people were coming in and out and I could not find him anywhere. He was finally found hiding in a bedroom, but this was after I searched outside in the freezing rain for him. I really need to leave him somewhere safe on holiday's.