I too can understand why you need some time when your mind is not constantly thinking about the grief, Gen. It's too much. You need to remain intact physically, mentally, and emotionally, or Cookie won't have you to return to.

You and we as a group have sent it out to the Universe. You've sown the seeds for Cookie's return. Maybe it's time to let them sprout. You will reap what you have sown. You take care of you now.

I love your tatoo!!!! Glad Miss Monica is doing so well. You will have to post some photos of her when you get a chance. Glad your business is picking up. Hopefully after all the cold weather people will want to PARTY more this spring! Sharon, Joey and Cabella

Gen, I'm bawling my eyes out! I wish I can just reach over & give you a Big Hug. I've never stopped thinking about Cookie & It sounds like Monica is a little angel. Give her lots of kisses from us & we are still praying & hoping, one day Cookie reuniting w/you & your family...
That's a beautiful tattoo.

Gen, I read your post and honestly I can't stop the tears from coming down. Your tattoo is absolutely gorgeous. I may not be posting every day, but I check the thread at least couple of times a day. You and Cookie are always on my mind.

Keep strong, he will come back.

huuuuuuuuuugs.

Couldn't believe it happened to me
 

I had only 3 hours of what Gen went through, but believe me, they were the most uncontrollable gut wrenching longest hours of my life. Just ask Richard, whom I posted and was crying so hard I couldn't even tell the phone numbers I typed were incorrect. I let Joey and cabella out back to go potty before bath time. I went to let them back in and in runs Cabella, no Joey I went out and he was no where to be seen. I got my boots on and walked the fence. Could not see where he got out. I went back thru the house and out the front door. Joey will always go there if he gets away from us. A white SUV had stopped in the road just down from out driveway, Hum!!! I go back out back and look under the dog house. Then I drove around the neighborhood trying to think of the steps Gen was advising we should do. I went home made some posters, handwritten missing Yorkie with phone numbers and address. Called the shelters and police dept. Called my husband, crying uncontrollably asked him to call the radio stations and to please come home and help look for him. I then went around the outside of the dog lot went back inside and looked up and yes it was just like he had dissapeared. I though of Cookie, could a hawk have grabbed him up? I then walked around the fence again and found a very small space between the fence post and the chimmy to the outdoor grill. Could he have gotten thru that? There were tiny prints on the other side in the snow. I went around and tracked the tracks. I couldn't see where he had went toward the driveway and there were some cleared areas that he could have went up the hill into the woods. I then thought of the deer I saw in the back yard earlier. Hum, perhaps he followed them up into the woods. So I hiked up the hill, and called and called him walking the property line. I went back to where I went up and saw deer tracks with smaller doggie prints behind them in the snow. So I thought I'll go over into the pasture, perhaps the deer are over there, as I started down the hill there was the most beautiful little face ever. It was like he was frozen in time. It took me getting on my knees and calling him before he took a step forward. He was shivering so badly and Had about 4 inches of snowballs attached to his feet. Needless to say I was so releaved to see him and then was concerned for his health, He was out for about 2.5 hours running. During the whole ordeal Gen and Cookie remained in my thought and Gen's post kept me focused. Well, what little I could be through all the tears. When I would lose control I could hear the words I read on here in my head. I would regain control for Joey because I could remember her saying the first few hours are so critical. So as I have Joey here beside me tonight, I say a very special thank you to Gen for allowing us to share her heartbreak and learn from it. I really think Joey would still be out there if not for reading her story. Only staying calm and focusing on things she has posted made me keep my head in this terrible situation. And Richard, thank you so much for going the extra steps to reach me. I truly appreciate your efforts and kindness. Gen and Richard are the only two besides my husband I could thing of to ask for help. I know Gen's title "My baby is missing and I don't know what to do" is the thing that is in your head if this happens. But thanks to her, I did know good steps to follow to help me get my baby back!!!!!! So A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!!!!

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Sharon I havent cried like this in a while.
I kept thinking "NO NO NO NO!!!"
Not another baby, please no!

You have no idea how much more I cried when I read that you found him.
Richard thank you for emailing me! I have been driving most of the day and just so busy. Reading this just had my stomach all twisted.
Please don't even thank me. You did an amazing job. PLEASE dont let him out to potty alone ever again. As you realize how fast they can disappear and its the worst feeling I have ever had to live through.
I was shaking so hard when I read your message.I really feel so relieved right now.


Gen

Yea, My husband has even told him, little man, you won't be going out without the leash attached, not even to get in the car. Joey never, never wonders away from me if he does I can motion come and he comes running. We have a bricked patio with an 8 ft high wall. With the cold weather we put the husky and retriever in the garage where it is warm. So yesterday and today I thought, well you guys haven't been out in awhile and they love to play in the snow, so I thought well I'll let them out for a few minutes before bath time. What a mistake. They were out for perhaps 5 minutes at the most, and yes I was watching thru the kitchen window. The gate was open so they could go up into the backyard. Only because the big guys was in the garage. But this is it, I never want to go thru this again. They won't even get to go out to the patio anymore until spring and I can double check for cracks or gaps they could slip through. Well I'm going to take my swollen, red, burning eyes along with my fluff muffin and go to bed. Sharon, Joey and Cabella

I am so glad you found your little one!
I never take Abby out without a leash. I even take out on a leash to potty.
I know she would probably take off and I would never find her.:( Hug your little one extra tight tonight.


Gen, you, your family and Cookie remain in my prayers.

to Joey's Mom

OMG...I cried through your whole story.. thank god for the footprints in the snow. These stories touch all of us yorkie lovers. we watch over them like hawks but still tragedy strikes. We read these stories & think OMG I hope I'm not next to loose my baby. Thank the good Lord you were able to find little Joey so quickly

Yes, I to was so carefull about always having a leash on the guys, not so much Joey because he would stay right with me, But I had a carefull eye on him at all times. I guess I just felt so comfortable with out back yard. I hadn't walked the fence line looking for the small spaces they could slip through, because where he went out was probally 3 to 4 inches at most. But the thrill of deer hunting was just to appealing and he squeezed thru. Joey's not tiny he is 8-9lbs. Cabella is about 12lbs. But my hope is to help others realize in the blink of an eye, this could happen to any of us. I was concetrating on the white suv, thinking they had picked him up when all the time, he was running the other way. That little scarred face, shivering in the snow is all I could think or dream about last night. I am so grateful that I have followed this thread. I truly believe it's why Joey is inside safe and warm today. We almost lost our daughter in a car wreck Nov 05, it left her a paraplegic and one teen in the backseat didn't make it. Joey has been my replacement for her when she got married last year. (to a really good guy) that I love to death. So I think all of those feelings just sweept over me and I was a basket case for hours. My husband left work immediatly, which for him is serious, but he knows how much I love Joey. It's funny my daughter keeps telling me "Its just a dog" until I remind her, well if I don't give all my attention to him, I guess I will have to start giving it all back to you, she quickly responds, "thats ok". She has texted several times checking on us. Thank you for your support and well wishes.

Just said a prayer for little Cookie and re-lit a candle.

I never knew we had a hole in the fence. This is something VERY important.
I ask everyone to PLEASE walk along your fence,check each board for holes or loose boards if you have a woodfence. If you have a metal fence make sure its not easy to push or has a gap on the bottom.
It only takes a small little space for your dog to slip through. Even if you think your dog "would never fit through there" Joey's mom just proved that.
No matter how safe we feel we are it can happen in a blink of an eye.
Even with a super secure fence I highly suggest not to let them out alone to potty no matter what.PLUS make sure they are wearing a collar and tags.
Since Cookie went missing our furbabies wear collars and tags 24/7.
It doesnt bother them and I feel a little safer. Also never think"this could never happen to me , I never let the dog out" Once you accept that this could happen to anyone it makes you more prepared and your furbaby safer.
I just had to mention this and I almost sound like I'm preaching but I feel I have to.

Gen

I forgot to add a picture of Monica that I took lastnight.
She is my little shadow always wants me to carry her and I love that of course.
When I took this picture she was so sleepy and tired but she was waiting for me to finish an order that I needed to finish and this was taken around 2 am!
I got to bed at 3 am and as soon as I went to bed she fell asleep in my armpit in like 30 seconds lol. I am thankful to my mom every single day for giving me such an amazing gift which is Monica. She really warms my heart and I always imagine how great she would get along with Cookie. They have extremely similar personalities and are just very laid back little babies.

Gen

I am so sorry for your pain with losing your dog. I had that happen to me a few years back, I searched forever and posted signs called anyone and everyone did every thing I could. Years have past and I still cry and miss Tiffany so much, God bless you and I pray you get your little one back. And thanks for the reminder of how quickly they can vanish.

More prayers for Cookie...

I have been following your story and check it each day to see if any good news has come. I have never posted in this thread but wanted you to know you are thought of here in Canada. While looking through my craiglist I found you a bit of hope in someone elses story.
HI THERE, I AM JUST POSTING TO OFFER A GLIMMER OF HOPE TO ANY OF YOU MISSING YOUR BELOVED PET.IN JUNE OF 2009 MY SMALL BREED DOG WAS KIDNAPPED FROM MY STREET LEVEL PATIO IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. I SEARCHED EVERY SHELTER , NEWSPAPER AND ONLINE WEBSITE. I POSTED SIGNS IN EVERY PET STORE, VETS OFFICE OR TREE ETC I COULD THINK OF AS WELL AS MAKING A POLICE REPORT. I CALLED EVERY DAY TO THE LOCAL POUNDS AND STILL NOTHING....AFTER 8 LONG MONTHS AND FOLLOWING EVERY LEAD POSSIBLE SHE WAS GONE....UNTIL A MONTH AGO I WENT LOOKING ON THE BUY AND SELL PETS ADS AND TO MY DELIGHT THERE SHE WAS!!!! SOME CREEP WAS SELLING MY DOG FOR $800 I MET THIS LOSER AND BOUGHT MY DOG BACK, MUCH TO MY SUPRISE SHE WAS STILL WEARING HER COLLAR!!! I CONTACTED THE POLICE IMMEDIATLY AND THE MAN IS CURRENTLY BEING CHARGED WITH MULIPLE CHARGES RELATING TO THE THEFT OF MY DOG. SO THE POINT OF MY STORY IS, NEVER GIVE UP HOPE AND KEEP SEARCHING. APPARENTLY THIS OUTCOME IS ONE THAT IS COMMON, PEOPLE STEALING DOGS, WAITING TILL THE HEAT DIES DOWN, AND THEN SELLING THEM ONLINE FOR A LOT OF MONEY!!! SO KEEP SEARCHING FOR YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND NEVER STOP! GOOD LUCK

So here is praying for you and your family.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

We have a wooden privacy fence and always watch them go to the bathroom. One night Scott let him out in the yard w/o watching and he got through a hole. Thankfully he went to our neighbors yard and I heard him bark so I knew where he was, but it was the single scariest moment of my life. Now I have lattice along the bottom of my fence. It was the plastic lattice from Home Depot, and I made sure it was driven a few inches into the ground. The hole was actually where the gutter spout thing drained.

Good advice , always search ads for yorkies being sold, Check craigslist, your local newspapers, Kijiji.com, backpage.com, and any other postings you can find to see if they list your dog, this is a great idea to help her find her dog. And to all the %&%*& oles out thier whom do this , God no's and pay backs are not good. Believe me your time will come. WE LOVE OUR PETS!!!!!!! So happy to here of your great ending, here is hoping for another.:animal36

Hi Gen,

Just checking in....relit candles and crossing my fingers the extra flyers we got out help bring Cookie home...Rose and Levi

Gen, Miss Monica is just beautiful, thank you for sharing!!!! I love to see a glimmer of happiness in your life. You deserve it. And Joey is sending a very big "HI" to you. Sharon

Gen, just want you to know that I think and pray for you every day. Little Miss Monica is an absolute doll, how old is she?

Hi Gen - Just checking in. Still praying for you, your family and Cookie.

Monica is such a cutie, I am glad you can find comfort in her, I don't post much to your thread but I do pray for Cookie to find his way home and now that I have my new little baby (Jojo) I am watching him like a hawk and I never take him outside without a leash,and harness... May God bless you and your family and bring Cookie home safely to you.

i havent been on for a while , was hoping to see that cookie was home. still praying for the little ones return:animal-pa

Monica is a cutie! My god, look at that tongue!!! :)

I am so so so happy for you that you are finding comfort in having Monica in your life. And yes, when Cookie comes home, him and Monica will really get along and make a gorgeous couple :)

So...Cheers to that day!...

Gen,
What a blessing Monica is to help you get through this. I still check everyday hoping to see good news about Cookie. You are still in my thoughts. Monica is a doll!

I talked to you when my Brady was missing for over an hour back in Nov. I live in the Cascades in Port St. Lucie and will check all the dogs for sale ads for you. We still get the West Palm Beach edition of the Palm Beach Post and will look there. How should I let you know what ads I see? What should I look for? Will be waiting to hear from you or email me at lairo@aol.com. With prayers, Lorraine and Brady

Thank you all. Monica turns 4 in April.

Loraine I will email you now and thank you for being a second pair of eyes, I need it!!

Gen

I have still not given up hope for Cookie's return and pray the person who has him really wanted him and will give lots of love and care until he finally has a change of heart and returns him. Our prayers are with you every day and waiting t o hear Cookies returned! Thanks so much for the reminder. We can get so busy, we get lax.... and forget how fast it happens. These little ones just get a notion and off they go. God bless, Jessie and poohbear.