Through the dog door

OLD PICTURE. IT WASN'T SNOWING THE FIRST
DAY I GOT SCOTTIE THROUGH THE DOG DOOR.

(NOTE: Scottie crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Wednesday, April 10, 2013.)

When I awoke today, I saw that the basement door was open and realized that our collie Scottie was in the basement. Scottie has hip problems and can't get back up the basement steps, so I went downstairs.

Scottie was stuck in the dog door, with his head and front legs outside. I managed to get him out, but he immediately collapsed in the doorway. It looked like he just wanted to stay there. Our other dog, Lady, came down to the basement and walked past him, and Scottie suddenly wanted to get up.

I helped him get up, then opened the door to the cage so they could get out in the yard. I went back upstairs and put on layers and a hat and went out and let Scottie into the front yard. I took him in the house, then called Lady back in through the dog door; she came charging up the basement steps a few moments later, and I closed the door to the basement.

So we're all warm and safe, and, now, Scottie's in his crate, and Lady's curled up in the corner.

P.S.: Scottie got stuck in the dog door again yesterday (Jan. 19). This time, he didn't collapse on the ground when I got him out. I just pulled him out of the hole, and he walked off.

P.S.: Yes, Scottie got stuck in the door again tonight (Jan. 23). He collapsed for a second after I pulled him through the dog door, but I got him right up.

The dog-in-the-door has become an almost daily occurrence.

EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com  TWITTER: EDITORatWORK

More entries from The Dog Blog

• Katie cried

• Growl and pull

• 13-plus years with my dog Lady

• ... said the spider to ...

• The Dog Diary (2014)

• OOH! OOH! The stereophonic huskies

• What Lady and Michael Jackson had in common

EDITOR@WORK blog entries

• You really DO need an editor

• Reminders for would-be novelists

• What I do when I'm editing

• What I charge (it's a deal) and what I edit

• Slogging through the Internet

• J-school: More eyes on your stories

• J-school: Go out and learn

• Rookie mistakes for magazine writers

Blog entries from The Auto Racing Journal

• Angel in Black: Remembering Dale Earnhardt Sr.

(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)

• Then Junior Said to Jeff...

(the book of great NASCAR stories)

• My best day as a sports writer

• Jeff Gordon's milk toast to Dale Earnhardt

• Wayne Auton: A life in racing

More blog entries by Tom Gillispie

• Resume for a writer and editor

• An editor's views on powerful writing

• Advice for be and would-be novelists

• Links to TG's stories online

• Favorite quotes

• What I do when I'm editing

Anecdotes by Tom Gillispie

• Wipeout at Death Valley

• Days with rainbows

• A desperate writer working in the dark

• Yer outta there!