Lady's little adventure

A RELAXED LADY AT THE DOG PARK

WHEN WE FIRST got Lady in 2002, she got out of the yard on a fairly regular basis. Until today, it had been years since she'd gotten loose.

This morning, I took our collie Scottie out in the yard, and I noticed that a gate to the backyard was open. I closed it, then made a thorough search of the house and yard. Lady was gone.

Heart-sick, I got in my car and drove around the neighborhood, but I didn't see her. I was thinking the worst when I noticed a fluffy tail waving in a front yard two houses from our cul-de-sac.

I slowed, and Lady turned and immediately recognized my car. She didn't come when I stopped and called; instead, she ran to our house. She was at the door, panting hard and waiting to get in, when I got home.

When she went downstairs to cool off, all I could say was, "It's great to have you home."

But that's not the end of the story. A few days later, I opened the side door to take Scottie out, and Lady and Buddy were standing at the door! Lady came right in, but her limp was obvious. A toe was bleeding where she had lost a claw.

I cleaned the wound (she cried) and tried to wrap it.

Buddy wouldn't come in the house, so I got him to go in the backyard, and I closed the gate. I let him in the house through the basement gate.

P.S.: Lady's still limping, although she's getting around pretty well. Buddy died last week, with his problem not related to the above story.

P.P.S.: Lady passed on Sept. 17, 2016 after nearly 14 years with us.

EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com  TWITTER: EDITORatWORK

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