Following our normal evening routine, Zeus went out at 9pm, then came into the living room. At 10pm I put him back out for a wee before hoping to put him in the bedroom ... but when I went to get him in, he wasn't there. Steve always puts a large rock behind the yard gate in bad weather as the wind rocks it open ... for fear of me not being able to get out at 3am he'd used a smaller rock, the gate had opened about a foot and Zeus was gone. It wasn't a huge panic as I knew he was still on the property, or at least I hoped the top gate wasn't open. I came in and screamed at Steve "your fucking dog has gone, go and find him!" Knowing the impracticality of that, over my P.J's and dressing gown I put on tracksuit bottoms, wellies and the now invaluable big coat. I had a torch, it was piss useless so I got the lamp that Carrie gave me years ago out of the van and came back in to get Sammi. Zeus came up to the vehicles, but no further so Sammi and I went into the top field. I didn't speak to him, I just played with Sammi, that was too much for him and he joined us. I let Sammi off the lead and they both went off up the field ... I ran back and closed the yard gate. At least now he was in a safer place. Sammi realised quickly that I'd gone out of the field and followed me in, Zeus did not. I dried her and considered my option ... Beti or Meerah? Meerah ... Beti is in season. So on a lead I took Meerah into the top field, they played and I came in with her ... I waited, yes he was by the door .. but OMG Steve was busy faffing with the yard gate and hadn't realise Zeus had been in, Zeus was now back in the top field. I'd had enough, we were wet, annoyed and fed up and I told Steve to leave the "fecking twat" where he was and come in. We left the door open and I played with Meerah, within a few mins he was at the door, Meerah and I came over to the far side of the room to play and he joined us. Steve closed the door and went back out to close the gate to the top field. So that's part one!
Part two - This morning at around 7.30am Meerah needed to go out. I got up and let her, Sammi and Loki out. I quickly checked the gate and went to prepare their breakfasts. Ross and Beti were next out, followed by Orin and Siska. Everyone had breakfast. I then went out again, yes the gates were closed and I then let knob head out. I prepared his breakfast and made us a cup of tea. I opened the door, "Zeus come." OMFG he wasn't there. I stormed into the bedroom and woke Steve up with "your fecking dog has gone again." Again I put the tracksuit bottoms, the wellies and the coat on and went out with a torch. How the hell had he got out? Then I saw the big kennel gate was open, but the second gate hasn't been open in a long time, so he couldn't have got through, could he? Oh yes, it had opened slightly and there was just enough room for a fat hairy arse to push through. I struggled over the uneven surface, the wind and rain lashing down. I was well aware that if he got out from there he'd be on the mountain and that finding him in the dark in this weather would have been a nightmare. In torchlight I saw him, he was behind the kennels and heading for the gable end of the cottage, I called, Why did I bother? He never listens. He went as far as he could, realising his escape route was blocked he had no option but to turn back towards me, he considered one more chance of freedom and tried to go up the bank, but we had recently replaced the fencing that the cattle had demolished on the top. I held the collar towards him and with a wag of his tail and the word "Collar" he put his head in it. As much as I wanted to bash his fecking brains in, I did the right thing and quietly praised him before bringing him in. I handed him over to Steve and went into the bathroom where I burst into tears, what could have been was far scarier than what was!
As I composed myself in the bathroom, I could hear Steve talking to Zeus, "explaining" to him that his behaviour was unacceptable. He was quiet and calm with him, and though he may have found this behaviour frustrating, he was still unable to see the big picture. In his eyes the dog does no wrong, how long can you blame his past for his current behaviour? He's been here almost 4 years and still has no willingness to please anyone but himself. I'm sorry but the dog is a fecking knob, yes he's beautiful and glamorous, but that's not what it's about, if he'd been my first GSD I'd have never had another. Thank god he is the exception to the rule, thank god I was here this morning to go and get him back or I don't know what would have happened. Well, he'd have got out, or Steve would have got hurt.
Later in the morning I found myself even more annoyed as a happy Beti was told off for jumping, her exuberance for life reprimanded .. followed shortly by Steve reminding me not to raise my voice to Zeus or I'll upset him ... What else can I say? The End!
