So, the weather has been warmer than average, but until tonight (when the Humidity seems to have arrived) I've been fine with running the air conditioning in the afternoon, but opening up the doors to the balcony at night and leaving them open in the morning. Sophie and Higgins love it - they love their morning sunbathing time. I'm working from home a lot right now, so I will just get up from the computer when it feels warm and close the doors and switch on the a/c. I take a look out on the balcony for sunbathing cat and/or Boston Terrier (Murphy, like me, doesn't like to be hot and thinks they are nuts).
Higgins was on the back of the loveseat at noon, and I looked out the door and didn't see Sophie, and just assumed that she was either in my office or elsewhere. And I closed the doors.
A couple of hours later, Murphy began pestering me. I was in the middle of something and ignored him and chased him away. He pestered me for another hour, when I finally paid attention- he was looking out onto the balcony, and I got up and looked out, and to my horror, Sophie was standing there, wistfully gazing at the door.
I opened it immediately and shrieked, "Oh, my poor BABY!" and she launched herself at me like we had been separated for a month, and jumped and danced and jumped at me again, and I picked her up and hugged her hard, and then took her to the kitchen for a drink of water. She was thirsty but not overheated, thank GOD!
We were lucky - today was warm but slightly overcast, so she wasn't out there baking in the hot sun for those hours - but it was still quite warm, and she's a smooshy faced kind of dog, and smooshy faced dogs are less heat tolerant than average. I'm glad Murphy pestered me, and next time I will do a head count for real before closing the door, instead of just glancing out there while distracted. Especially now that I know that this little idiot will just stand there and look at the door and not make a sound.
And I realized after this happened that this is the quietest dog I've ever had! Maybe she figures Murphy barks enough for both of them, I don't know, but she rarely makes a peep, and if not for Murphy's nagging today, I might have gone out this afternoon and left her there for 6 hours. Now that I know that she won't speak up for herself I won't leave the house until I have done a nose count.
Whew. And thank goodness for Murphy the hero.
ReplyDeleteHe used his pestering for good for a change, but he's cried wolf so many times it took me a while to pay attention. I always take both dogs for a walkie before I leave the house and would have found her then, but now I know she will not complain. She will just stand there and stare at the door. Good grief.
ReplyDeleteWe have a side gate here, and t'other night when we went to bed, having put Ace and Fred out the front door for their late night errands, we both forgot that the side gate was closed. Evenings are getting cool here now, and Ace feels the cold (hey, he's nearly 13). If the side gate was open they would just run around the house and enter via the pet doors. It would never occur to Ace to "speak up" so it is just as well Fred is an opinionated terrier and INSISTED on drawing my attention to my inefficiencies. After all he wanted his nice warm comfy armchair, didn't he?
ReplyDeleteAnd that was not a typo, we have two pet doors onto the screened in back verandah, which gives them access to the laundry door, without any problems of protocol.
Gae, in Callala Bay
Gae, so funny how we each have a Spokesdog and a quiet dog that lets the Spokesdog tell us what we are doing wrong! And Fred is the junior dog, isn't he? So it's not because Sophie feels Murphy has seniority - some dogs are just naturally alpha, and others are content to let them take charge!
ReplyDeleteYes, Fred is the junior by about two and a half years. He is not heavy pawed about the alpha thing, they get on really well together.
ReplyDeleteAce has one 'ace' up his sleeve, he is the only dog allowed on our bed, which means he has a quiet place to retreat to if he needs it.
But Fred definitely has strong opinions -- not unheard of in a Jack!, but he has settled in beautifully and is a one-dog three ring circus. What a waste it would have been if he had been put down. I know I cannot rescue all the 'lost dogs' in the world, but I am so glad we brought Fred home.
Gae, in Callala Bay
Fred found the perfect house. I had started my search for a puppy, but brought home the perfect re-homed young adult dog ever. When it's right, it's right!
ReplyDeleteEven though is is wonderful and special to choose and raise a puppy (and in my youth I have literally raised a few pups from birth), it is equally rewarding (if different) to gain the trust of an adult dog.
ReplyDeleteFred is by no means our only adult adoptee, even Ace was 3 yo when he retired from the show ring. Ace achieved his Australian Championship but was not needed for stud work, so his breeder wanted a home for him.
Gae, in Callala Bay