This morning Andy went off on errands in the truck with the dogs in the back. An early morning adventure to start the day.
When he got back, Kelly and I took the dogs on a long hike to the top of the mountain, where Columbus got a lot of attention from people. Right up his alley. Such a great adventure. The dogs were panting a lot, proof of a very good workout.
Tonight, after sitting with Columbus for an hour petting him while watching a movie, I sent him outside to do his business before putting him to bed. A few minutes later I went outside to call the dogs. Koda was barking up a frenzy, eventually came in, and Columbus was nowhere to be found. I listened for his collar; I said the magic word ‘cookie.” Nothing.
So I hopped in the car and drove down the street Andy found him on – the one we do our neighborhood walk on – when he ran off last time. No sign of him. I called my neighbor, who was all settled in for bed and drove over there to look. She had come outside and said maybe he had been there, her dog had been barking. But he wasn’t there now.
I went back home and got Koda and told her to go find Columbus. Now, last time I said that, on the mountain, she was no help whatsoever. But she went outside in different parts of the yard and barked. I think she was calling him. I was whistling for him. So we both were calling him. I even used the “S” word – supper – to try and entice him to come. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
He wasn’t coming. I went back in the house and Koda sort-of sat outside at the bottom of the steps. I asked her if she wanted to come in and go to bed and she looked at me and started barking. To the left, to the right. Looking at me, not coming, just barking. I don’t think she wanted to go to bed without Columbus, either.
So I said, “okay, Koda, let’s try to find him.” She jumped in the car and I tried going down Sam Cobb Lane again. As I was driving down, I saw the flash of an animal’s eyes. Then a body. It was coming down the middle of the street towards the car. My heart leapt. As we got a little closer, the form of Columbus solidified and I called him. He was a little confused by the headlights, but I eventually got him in the back of the car. He was panting heavily, so his jump was only a half jump and I lifted him the rest of the way.
Home again, Columbus is still panting heavily in the mudroom, both dogs are settled in for the evening, and I’m wondering if Columbus is EVER going to be a good dog and stop causing me grief.
And I also learned in this little adventure that we have a bunch of lousy flashlights in the house.
(This picture of Koda isn’t from today, but I included it because, minus the leash, it’s the look she had as we were hunting for her rogue brother.)