Yesterday around 1 pm I had just returned from the grocery store and let Gunther out of the car. I then took some groceries up to the house and let Sacha out. Both dogs were doing their business and the phone rang. I went to answer the phone and when I returned both dogs were gone.

Sacha returned about 20 mins later and came up inbetween my barn and Indoor arena so I didn't really have a direction of travel to head in. I went and met every neighbor within 3 miles(most of which for the first time) and made sure they had my number. At this point, I was sure he had been hit by a car or something.

I called the cops(we don't have a designated ACO, they are all designated ACO) and they told me there had been an accident the day before and that there was a beagle mix on the loose in my area. They suggested the two may have paired up, which I thought was a good possibility since Gunther has never attempted to leave my property (22 acres) and is neutered.

Fast forward to a long night of walking ditches, driving in circles and talking to anyone I came across.

I am hoarse this morning.

8:45 the phone rings. My neighbor has him in his ATTIC. Seems he took up residence there in the night, they thought they had a really big rat. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I have never been so glad to be landskiied across my yard to the house in my life.

It only takes a split second... Be careful.

I am very glad that you found your dog and that all is okay. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> There aren't words to describe the fear that one experiences in this situation. I know this first hand.

Several years ago when I only had 5 dogs. I was exercising three of them in the yard and my old
elkhound/husky x opened the gate and I turned around to see 3 dogs dissappering over the horizon! A lot of frantic driving around the countryside calling and checking all the neigbours
and not a sign of a dog. Once it was dark I went home and called and searched some more and around 11 o'clock the 2 older dogs showed up at the back door - but no puppy. I was by this time frantic and bawling my eyes out. When I took the 2 dogs back out to the kennel- guess who was already there asleep in her dog house and wondering what all the fuss was about? They had all been ground hogging and I guess it took the pup a little longer to get home as she had to drag her kill (part of it anyway) home. I was never so glad to see a dog in my life. Lost dogs are one of the scariest things - the pictures that go thru your mind of all the horrible things that could happen!- car accidents, guns, poison, snares, traps, wild animals! It still amazes me that people let their dogs run loose and don't seem to care or worry about it.

Last winter I took my dogs for a walk around my property along the river. Well some idiot decided to ride his ski-doo right through my property and my male decided to chase after him. He was gone for about 20 minutes. When he came back he was all proud with a "look, i chased him away" look on his face. Even though it was 20 minutes I was worried as hell.

Yeah, I have never lost a dog in my life before yesterday and it is not something I want to repeat.

One of the people in my SchH club is the ACO for the next town over(I house sit for her a lot) and she was reassuring that I am not the next candidate for "stupid dog owner of the year" I am supposed to know better....

It is so out of character for Gunther to begin with... he is one of those in your face, up your butt dogs....

We still haven't exactly figured out why he chose that attic... He went up a set of the pull down type stairs... I guess he is ready for the A-frame. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />