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Gibson and Ghetto continue to drive us mad enhance our daily lives, and in particular with their clever schemes and tricks for … running away.
They have turned Running Away into an art form, and us into paranoid dog owners with a constant eye on the gate and an ear open for shrieking chickens or stampeding horses ….
…. life could be so simple …..
Their Running Away takes two forms. First of all via the gate. If we forget to shut it properly they are both off, hightailing it across fields, punch drunk on their freedom.
Mind you, a closed gate is actually a mere formality for Ghetto. There is a wonderful world out there, just waiting for him and if he can still escape, he will! … this week I actually caught him on film ..
….. this is me watching him go ……
….and this is me waiting for him on the other side …
where he was of course not the slightest bit embarrassed to find me, camera in hand!
As you know I like to walk these mutts as often as I can in the forest – excellent therapy for all concerned be they two or four legged.
I am now in the habit of keeping Ghetto on a lead until we have passed all the horse pastures on the way to the forest. One, because I don’t have time to chase him through fields and two, because I couldn’t afford the vet’s bill if he caused any harm to my neighbours horses.
Horses, in Ghettos tiny mind, are simply toys to play with. He is oblivious to the fact that he weighs 6 kilos and they come closer to 400! Our own horses are fairly calm and more interested in their food than a hairy hound. But our neighbours thoroughbreds are a different story. They are lunatics rather highly strung, and it takes very little to set them off galloping at top speed around their paddocks, the same paddocks that can be dangerously slippery in this damp autumn weather.
Once Ghetto tasted the adrenalin rush obtained by chasing racehorses, he was hooked!
He loved the feel of the wind in his hairy ears, the proximity of flying hooves, and me screaming at him from the side lines just added to the thrill. Hmmmm…
Consequently, he now stays on the lead until the horses are out of sight and I’m sure he has set his cap firmly on the forest.
Once we are in the forest of course, they are both off their leads and rush back and forth, sometimes disappearing for five or ten minutes then charging up behind me panting, wagging their muddy tails, just the time to ‘check in’ before racing off again.
A long time ago they understood that when we start going down hill it means the walk is coming to an end. This became the signal to them to simply disappear.
What was meant to be a 90 minutes brisk and pleasant stroll was prolonged by an extra hour as they had me walking a supplementary loop of the forest, screaming their names and coming back home late, stressed and bad tempered.
And so we have come to an understanding … in the shape of a long cord. (no, don’t worry, I haven’t hung them … not yet). I attach them together! Barbarian? No , not at all. They tried once to take different routes around a large tree … once, but not twice.
They now come home quite happily. The rope fills Gibson with a feeling of Great Responsibility and he becomes eminently Sensible and Obedient. And Ghetto? well he simply doesn’t have the weight to argue.
A simple but delightfully effective solution that brings us all home on time and smiling.[blank]
until of course, they find a new trick
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend
thank you for reading me.
PS, and if you want to share your own dog training tricks, then I’d just love to hear!
53 comments
The look, in that second-to-last picture of The Great Escape! My sympathies on the screaming and calling routine; been there, done that. Oh, I am laughing so hard at this.
Oh I love Ghetto the escapee – what a cheeky face! Great photos and such a lovely post. Have a great weekend with the gorgeous Muttleys! Fx
Wonderful post and pictures. Loved reading your story and love your blog site.
Jan
I always enjoy reading your tales of 'dog life'. Your pets are too cute and bring smiles to so many faces on both sides of the Atlantic
I read this entry as a book as the pictures command my brain scramble for captions.
You are blessed to have such entertaining family members. Thank you for sharing
HIghly entertaining! Great way to start my very early morning before seeing to my own four legged babies.
That Ghetto sure keeps life exciting around there, great pics Sharon. Enjoy the weekend 🙂
Bonjour Sharon. Long time no talk to. Life has taken a different path this year, and it has proved more difficult for me to keep up with my favorite blogs. Some weeks, I barely manage to write on mine! I am so glad to hear things are going well in your corner of my homeland. This is such a cheerful post, and as a dog lover, one I thoroughly enjoyed. These little rascals are handfuls, and they are lucky to have such a patient, resourceful owner.
I love the pictures and posts about Gibson and Ghetto.
Still… I can imagine your frustration and anxiety when they take off on one of their adventures.
I love that you tie them together it's so cute. And better yet, great that it works to help them focus on the task of coming home safely and not disappearing!
Thanks for the giggles. Great post! I really enjoy your writings and with two puppies of my own I know how they can TRY to outsmart us!! So funny
I just love your stories about Ghetto! :))) And I like his face, it says everything about him! Animals are very funny, very entertaining, if only they could know what we think about them! I have a german shepherd, Kim, and every time I go out with him on the field and in the forest, the main thing is not to sense or see some rabbits or deer 'cause this is the moment when I looooose him…and I stay alone in the middle of nowhere yelling his name 🙂
Shouldn't that be dogs training people tricks? Hmmm? Loved this, it made me smile. Met a lovely couple the other day who raise goats and have grand Pyrenees to guard them, a little Corgi lady who rules the lot of the kingdom. As for myself, I am very well trained by my bird dog mix and Rhodesian ridgeback/Golden Retriever mix, and quite happily, too!
Understand the frustration and the enjoyment equally. Their exploits fill a gap.
Great post today. I think you have found the answer and what a good idea is was. We have a lady in the neighborhood that has a dog that is the same breed as Ghetto, but when I looked into his face he was not nearly a cute, nor does he have the personality.
What a great post! I laughed out loud while I was reading it. Having chased many dogs through the course of my lifetime I could sympathize entirely, and in fact felt like I was right there with you.
Love your post. your little Ghetto knows he's so cute, & you'll forgive him whatever he does. Who's ruling who ? I loved my 3 Labrador dogs which were all so different . One had a character just like Ghetto, always went that one step further, she would take off any minute she saw something more exciting in the next field and completely ignored my command, She would return home wagging her tail and happy and I would be worn out from screaming her name. I know exactly how you feel. Loved the evidence caught on camera of the great escape & the sneaking back in. Thanks Sharon for such an amusing event.
Oh Ghetto! Such an adrenalin junkie. Our first wire hair fox, Winnie, loved water and in the summer would escape to the local swimming pool to run back and forth, chasing the water as it would fly over the fence when someone went off the diving board. When we noted her disappearance, we would have to haul her home, covered in mud and in great need of a bath (not a punishment because she loved baths). I will never tire of the antics of terriers, and especially love the adventures of Ghetto! Happy weekend, Sharon!
Genius. I've told my family they'll probably find me dead of a heart attack in the field someday, from screaming for my dogs and animals.
Thank you Sharon! What a wonderful story to accompany my morning tea. The images in my mind of your dogs dashing about merrily oblivious to (or perhaps reveling in) the havoc they reek had me laughing out loud! Have a great weekend!
Sharon:
Loved the post; laughed all the way through it. Thanks for sharing!!!
As hard as we humans try, it only encourages the canine set to become more creative.
Sharon, this is one of the funniest yet! 😀 I laughed all the way through this post. I always send a link for your Ghetto and Gibson posts to my parents; they're dog lovers, too, and they enjoy reading about these two charming rascals.
Our Scottish Terriers have only escaped a couple of times, but I understand your frustration. They're so excited to be free that almost nothing will induce them to come home willingly. I'm glad you've been able to find a solution that works for the three of you; it causes them no harm, and it allows you to keep your sanity and patience.
Thanks for sharing your fun story, Sharon. I hope you have a lovely weekend!
Denise
Whom ever thought our canine friends couldn't outsmart us??
Delightful photos (I have stitches in my side I laughed so hard), a must to share with friends and family!
Thanks Dear and don't give up! Those two sound like toddlers…Be firm and show them whom is boss!
Yes!!! Remi did the same thing by attaching Kipling (aka The Rascal) to Ben (aka The Good Boy) when we are somewhere new–works like a charm and yes, Ben is soooo proud. 🙂
Bon WE…
Truly one of your best recounting of your adventures with Gibson & Ghetto! Loved the gate photos! He definitely had no regrets!!! That green cord between them is the perfect answer! Lucky for them they have you for an owner.
Sharon, I am leaving this up on my screen to reread when I return from the market…as my eyes are too full of tears, and my tummy in a knot from laughing hysterically.
This is a book!! Please get writing asap and then let me know when/where I can buy!! 😉
OMG…sooooo adorable. L-a-u-g-h-i-n-g!!
The first thing MOTH says to puppy Lulu as the lead goes on for a walk is : 'Lulu, get your brain together!' Does it work? Only from the front path to the road!!
Millie xx
Totally. Rolling. On. The. Floor!
Love your posts about your doggies! I do believe I have Ghetto's American brother. We live on a little farm and I love to walk the dogs off-leash. Henry, however, cannot be trusted. He looks for his first opportunity and up the road he goes! The only reaction I get as I am screaming his name is a backward glance to ensure I am chasing him. Priceless!
Brilliant!
Brilliant!
What an original idea to connect them like that! I would never have thought of that but it makes so much sense
I always love to hear the antics of Gibson and Ghetto.
I have a short haired Border Collie called Minty. We live on a farm in Australia and we go for a daily walk down our quiet dead end lane, where she walks without a leash.
She loves a pat, and she knows to come to me and sit at my feet when a car is coming so she can get a lovely head rub whilst I hold her collar. Unfortunately it doesn't work when she hears our neighbours on motorbikes rounding up the cattle. That is great fun and she is off to 'help' and refuses to obey any command from us!!
I always love reading your blog, but I especially enjoy the snippets of daily life.
Thanks, Melissa
What a pair to funny, just made my day, I keep your dog posts in a special file, thanks for sharing.
Margo on Vancouver island
Bonjour,
J'adore les photos de Ghetto ! Quel crapouilloux!… J'ai de la chance avec Icarus mon dalmatien. Il ne cherche pas à se sauver en promenade. Toutefois j'ai toujours avec moi un sifflet qui me permettrait de le rappeler au cas ou…
Tout comme vous j'adore ces longues balades… tellement nécessaires pour le bien-être…
Très joli billet.
Gros bisous
i love dogs <3
tone
So cute so many high jinx
Loved your post and pictures. So very very funny ! We also have 2 dogs and have found our trick to get them to come back when we call . It is a tube of liver wurst pate , called PARFAIT here in Switzerland. They tasted some once right out of the tube and now if I call out "PARFAIT" they come racing back. I just show them the tube and I've got their attention. One of my dogs used to drive us crazy,never obeyed, Now, he's the first to come flying back ! Then they get their reward – a taste out of the tube . Now they're hooked !!!
We have 3 very untrained dogs! I love your trick. How did ghetto get his name?
ABSOLUTELY hysterical…….love your solution!How lucky you are to have these BEASTIES with you day in and out……….they bring so much JOY.(Most of the time)I would assume!I cannot imagine our abode without the four-legged beasties…….we too have two dogs and a cat……Winston does not run away but he still has a habit of MARKING the house in his daily doings!He is six………..I know it must be me but believe me I have tried everything!HE IS ONE LUCKY CARDIGAN CORGI!!!!
What a great peak into the lives of these two cuties. They do add an adventure to the typical walk. How fun Thanks for sharing!
Oh Sharon, those photos of your Fox Terrier are priceless! My first real encounter with this breed was in Paris, sur la rue St. Honoré. I name this scamp, BALZAC! To this day, all FT are BALZAC to me. I love those shots of his bum, because that's what this character gave my husband: a bum shot! teehee
Love your world. Anita
LOL! I am so glad I'm not the only one who is paranoid about my dogs being free. If we forget to latch the gate the neighborhood hears me screaming their names as I run towards the railroad tracks, there favorite direction. About 3/4 way there I see them and they start to make their way back to me.. slowly with side trips to sniff and not appear to excited to see me. I hug them and tear up thankful they didn't get hit by a car or make it to the tracks.
Terrifically funny post. We have 2 Norwich terriers that love to run. Just when I tnink that I can trust Betsy off-lead, she is off running, usually at 10 o'clock at night with me in my pj's and slippers running behind screaming her name. When she finally slows down the real game starts. I get close and she runs another 10 feet until some smell catches her attention and I grab her and start the long walk home.
Love this post…reminds me of my granddogs (the little escape artists). Once I was visiting when Bullet and Lucky ran off. My daughter jumped in the car to search for them…meantime they returned and were inside the fence watching as she returned from her search…and yes, I have the photos of them watching her drive up…too cute:-)
Sharon – I love hearing about their antics! They are such characters and the pictures of Ghetto being caught are adorable! My Mum had an Irish Terrier called Harry who was very wicked! It's the terrier breeds! Keep them coming!
Loved your photos + my doggie, barkley, has me very well trained + at least that is what he thinks. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
This is a mood elevating post that brought me a big smile and good laugh! Wonderful photos too!
Such an enjoyable story and I can sympathise, our cocker Ollie used to take off at the beach and disappear behind the sandbanks, chasing rabbits. We could hear his yelping after them above the roar of the ocean. An hour's wait for his return wasn't uncommon. He has settled down considerably now he is 'getting on', but I kind of miss that energetic madness of his 'youth'.
These pictures of the dogs and horse are lovely and the ones of Ghetto going under the gate made me chuckle. Really lovely pictures.
The cutest post ever. I remember when my weimeraner brought in a whole leg and hip of a dead deer he had found after I let him out to do his business in the middle of the night. I had been calling him for about 20 minutes to come home, so finally I left the door open and went into another room. When I came back I saw him but did not see the deer haunch, which he had hidden behind a chair. It was also very dark! In the morning, i came into the room and smelled something HORRIBLE. He was so proud.
Your posts transport me to France everytime, simply love those 2 pooches.