The stray and some finds…

I was going to use this post to show everyone the wonderfuland unique things I found at the quilt show when I returned on Sunday for the vendor portion, but something interesting happened Thursday night that I thought would be good to share.

My wonderfully nice friend, dibbed "Aunt PittyPat" due to there being too many Pat's at our retreat and we needed to differentiate between them, stopped by on her way home from work to pick up her stamping stuff. We were outside discussing window replacement options as we have the same builder, but she built her house about 8 years before mine and their windows were due for change. The hubby came home, went in the garage and shut the door (the reason I mention such a mundane detail will become clear a little further on). I turned back to PittyPat, who was just getting ready to leave, and see a Husky running loose in the street; coming from between the house across the way that I know has 2 Huskies.

Bug and Methos, Christmas 2002

As I also have 2 Huskies, I am well versed in what you need to do when a Husky decides it’s time to run the Iditarod. In my multiple obedience classes with Bug, they told us to get the treat bag, call to the dog and then drop to the ground and roll around flailing and such to get the dog to come to you in their curiosity. Anyone with a Husky knows that the first thing you get is car keys. Bug has been clocked at 35 mph, by the time you get treats, she’s long gone.

I turned to PittyPat and asked her if she would mind driving me to the dog. The neighbors were all out in the amazing 70 degree and sunny weather, and all started chasing the dog (for the record, the wrong thing to do). PittyPat drove me over, but they had chased the dog between houses to the back of the block. Luckily the next cross street went around that way (our neighborhood’s streets are rather labyrinth like). We went around the corner; the dog was running down the middle of the street, straight toward us. I asked PittyPat to stop the car. I opened the door and jumped out of the back seat, left the door open, and started calling to the dog “want to go for a ride!” The dog came straight toward me, and jumped in the car. It’s the only thing that will get Bug, and it has worked for me w/almost all strays I try to help, except my Robbie. But that’s a whole other story.

Robbie smiling

As we drove the dog to my house, I checked her out for i.d., but she only had a collar, no tags. We passed the neighbors w/the Huskies, but it wasn’t their dog. I had figured out by then that it wasn't, because their dog is kind of a whack job. I called the hubby on PittyPat’s phone, he didn’t answer. PittyPat went to ring the doorbell, and was rather insistent in her ringing, no answer. We knew he was in there, we saw him come home (see how that tied in)! She went around to the kitchen window and called for him. Nothing.

I was finally able to get the dog out of the car (she didn’t want to leave) and actually got our garage keypad to work. It never works, so I was lucky this time. PittyPat made sure I was in, and went home. I think she was grateful to be done with the craziness. I went to the door to the house.

We have the “airlock” entry system in our house, for the exact reason of Huskies running amuck in the neighborhood. The laundry room is the path between the garage and house. We close the door to the house, with the dogs in the house, and then open the garage door entrance. The doors are not to be opened until the overhead garage door is shut. Complicated, maybe, but it is way better than your precious pup being squashed on the road.

The hubby had not closed the door to the house when he went in, so when I opened the door to daintily bellow for him, the girl dogs were there going crazy to meet their new friend. I told the hubby to get the dogs out of the laundry room because I needed help. He asked in a suspicious tone “Do you have an animal out there?” I said “YES AND I NEED YOUR HELP!” The reply - “Shit.” Of course, he has no room to talk; he does the exact same thing. We can’t help ourselves. We help dogs in need. It’s how we got Brave Sir Robin after all, and that was all his fault. Well, to be honest, it’s how we got all of our dogs really. And it's how my sister gets her cats. It must be genetic. Oh wait, I rescued her first cat for her and made her take it. I guess it's all my fault.

I asked him to get the leash and bring it out, then go shut all the shades and curtains that show the backyard. He grabbed the leash and came into the garage, looked into those blue eyes, saw that wagging tail and went all soft. She was a totally sweet dog. I took her around to the yard and let her run about, sniffing to her hearts content. The girls were inside going bonkers. He was going to let Bug out to say hi first, but Daisy the Dinglehopper wormed her way through the door. She’s such a weasel. He brought Bug out, but held her back while Daisy introduced herself to the dog. They did ok together. Bug was howling up a storm.

Daisy Dinglehopper

Now anyone who has seen Huskies in a group with other dogs knows that they are little breedist dogs. They prefer other Huskies over other breeds, and will ignore non-Huskies if there is a Husky around. Through my obedience and agility classes with Bug, I noticed that it’s really more of an artic breed thing. She will take a Malamute over a retriever any day.

Bug and the Husky got on well. They started to wrestle, which always sounds like they are killing each other, but their postures were friendly enough. She was so happy to play w/another Husky! Methos is too old now and hasn’t wrestled in a year or two, so she’s resigned to Daisy Dinglehead being her only entertainment.

I went into the house and called Adopt a Husky, then the village police to see if anyone reported a missing dog. They had, and the description matched the one we had. The man was over in about 2 minutes, so I knew he lived close. We talked to him for a bit and found out the dog was not micro chipped. I explained to him that it’s worth the $30 investment, because the authorities are required to check for it. If the dog doesn’t have it, they can and do put animals with out it down at anytime, for any reason. Not to mention that when you have dogs like Huskies that can run 35+ mph, who knows how far they will be before you find them, if ever. They hubby told him to get tags for the dog at the very least.

I wish I had taken pictures of her, but I forgot in all the excitement. She was very pretty and sweet.

I left the hubby to talk with him as I was late for my friend Marla’s spa party. It was great to go to a spa party, relax, drink “Mad Housewife” wine, meet new people and get pampered. A fitting end to the day, don’t you think?

That was longer then I thought it would be, so I’ll save the finds for another post.
Vicki