You may remember how we got our new dog Scarlett by saving her from life in a crate while her owner was at work. We got her on a Tuesday night, and put her on a lead in the side yard until she learned she belongs here. Hick decided she was ready for release on that Sunday afternoon.
Scarlett roamed around the porch. Jack accepted her. Copper Jack was nervous and went back home. Hick sat on the porch a while with Scarlett. I went out for petting and sweet-talking. Hick came in for supper, and we assumed everything was fine. I heard Scarlett intermittently on the porch. We had some rain that night, but not a storm.
Monday morning, Hick could not find Scarlett. He figured she might be out roaming with the other dogs, and would come home and find her food.
Around noon, Hick was over in Bill-Paying Town at his SUS2 (Storage Unit Store 2). He was playing around on his phone, and saw a picture of Scarlett on the Facebook page of our enclave. He called me with minimum details, and I had to interrogate him for the facts later.
"The lady up on the road where they found the abandoned portable meth lab put Scarlett's picture out. She's sitting on that lady's porch. The lady said, 'Whoever this dog belongs to needs to come get it. I have two Yorkies, and I've had one killed by a big dog. So I can't go out until it's gone.' I called our neighbor across the road, and asked her to call that lady and let her know that I'm on my way."
That gravel road is on the way to the mailboxes. Hick supposes that Scarlett went exploring, and then couldn't find her way back, since the rain might have washed away her scent. It's not far. Maybe a quarter to half-mile from our house. Funny how she couldn't wait to leave here, then was sitting calmly on someone else's porch like it was her new home! Anyhoo... Hick went to pick her up.
"As soon as she saw my truck come up the driveway, she ran out to meet me. She jumped right in the truck, and I brought her home. She's back on the lead. I think she needs to be on it another week."
I think Scarlett was trying to find her way back to her old apartment home. That's the straight-line direction where she ended up on that porch. Of all the 360 degrees she could have roamed, that's the one she chose. I think she was looking for her former PERSON.
Anyhoo, this is a continuing story...
You're right, Scarlett is looking for her former person. She will accept you as her new person soon enough.
ReplyDeleteYes, they don't forget their people just because they are in a new environment. I don't know how long Scarlett was with her former person. I'd like to think that Jack would be looking for ME if somebody took him somewhere else. We are content to be Scarlett's good-enough-people to allow her life outside an apartment and crate.
DeleteThat is good Scarlett jumped right in the truck, that shows a bond and trust building with you and her.
ReplyDeleteYes, that made me believe that maybe she was disoriented and couldn't follow her trail back to us, due to the rain. Since she DID stay on that porch, and not continued towards town.
DeleteOur Max looked for us for about a week after we gave him to a friend when we had to move to a rental that didn't allow pets. Friend said after that week he came out from behind the couch more and taught the other dog that HE (Max) was now the boss of the house. I still miss him, but it's been 33 years and he probably went across the bridge long ago.
ReplyDeleteJust like we can't accept a replacement pet immediately after loosing our beloved fur-buddies. They are still on our mind.
DeleteScarlett must be so confused! Toni would take off in the kampground, even after she was hit by the dumptruck and dislocated her hip, but when she saw the golfcart with HeWho in the driver's seat she would just hop onboard like it was a planned outing. She was a puppy when we got her from the pound, so I doubt she ever had another owner to miss. Cujo, on the other hand, did have a previous owner or three, but when he met me, he knew I was his best person and never looked to found any of his old ones. Good to know she was loved by her other owner. Cujo would always look to find me if someone else dared to pick him up, as HeWho would often do. Poor little guy would hve the most pained expression on his face. Cujo, not HeWho.
ReplyDeleteI was just telling Hick today that we need to get Scarlett trained. I do not want a dog on a chain. It's better than stuffing her in an apartment crate, but still not fair. A dog should be allowed to be a dog when we're not spending time with her.
DeleteThe longer Scarlett is tied up, the more likely she'll be to run off when let loose. Every day she spends on the lead, she's developing the mentality of a captive who yearns to escape!