The Escape, X3

Yesterday, being 75 and sunny, I gave The Girls some freedom to hang out in the yard while I was working. I'm paranoid and severely overprotective by nature, so even with the fence, I hesitate to leave them out unsupervised. But we all have Spring fever, and SOMEBODY ought to be able to appreciate such a beautiful day; so, out they went.

I stepped out onto my deck to check on them at one point and Peroguey was madly and enthusiastically chewing on something that was completely concealed in her mouth. I investigated. It was a large knot from the end of a rawhide that I had not given her. Hmmmmmmm. How does a fenced-in dog get a rawhide from a source other than her mother?

Ah, yes, that's right. There was that time last Fall when she wriggled under the fence in a spot where you would never believe a Mastiff could wriggle, streaked through the neighbor-dog's yard, stole his nylabone, and came knocking on my front door, pleased as punch, with both herself and her loot. So here she is again, with some other dog's bone. Has she snuck out, burgled a rawhide, and snuck back in??

Yes! It appears that's exactly what she's done.

In one corner of the yard there is a spot where the little dog might, on a skinny day, be able to get out, but surely a Mastiff could not. Yet, in the past she clearly did, as evidenced by her arrival at my front door. So, at that time I of course reinforced the garden edging I keep over the one 6" gap between fence and ground, and all has been well. But sure enough, after wrestling the slimy knot from her drooly jowls, I turn to see that the garden edging has been moved aside. Confirmation, then, of her thievery.

I go back to the far corner of the yard, replace the edging, give her a stern, NO, and proceed back into the house.

I happen to look back over my shoulder once back inside, approximately 25 seconds after the stern and surely effective NO, to find that the edging is once again displaced and Peroguey is GONE. I run out to confirm, and I see her, through the slats of the fence, loping happily away through the vast goodness that is the wild, fascinating and strange-smelling neighborhood.

Through the house I run, grabbing a box of treats, out the front door, down the street. "PEROGUEY!! WANT A COOKIE?? PEROGUEY?? HONEY?? DON'T YOU WANT A COOKIE??"

And sure enough, here she comes, galloping, "YES I DOOOOOOOO WANT A COOKIE!!!!!"

So I drag her back home. I ensure that she is safely in the house, and back to work I go. I happen to look out after 20 minutes, based on the usual paranoia, not on any Peroguey-specific paranoia, because she's in the house. But there stand Petunia and Phoebe with their heads under that same corner of fence, darn it! So, great, have they now learned the bad habit and they're trying to get out too?? I run out and discover that the edging is again tossed to the side. I doubt very much that these two were paying such close attention to Peroguey's method as to displace the edging in exactly the same way......but Peroguey is inside.

Right?

UH OH!

Through the house I run, confirming there is no Peroguey to be found, grabbing a box of treats (and a leash this time, for less dragging,) out the front door, down the street. "PEROGUEY!! WANT A COOKIE?? PEROGUEY?? HONEY?? DON'T YOU WANT A COOKIE??"

Well, would you look at that? Here she comes a'galloping again. "YES, MOMMY, I DOOOOOOOO WANT A COOKIE!!!!!"

What Peroguey learned today is that if she runs away, best case, she will get a rawhide. Worst case, she'll get a cookie.

Oh, and it's okay to steal. And to trespass.

I need to work on my training skills.