Furry Interruptions

So, we got a dog.

Yeah, I know.

We found a very nice supposedly mastiff mix at a rescue in our state, went to visit her, filled out an application, and brought her home a week later.

Within five minutes, she slipped her collar and ran away.

After chasing the dog through streets, parking lots, industrial parks, train tracks, across a river (I swam it, my husband took my cell phone and wallet and walked to the bridge), and through a park, we finally lost sight of her as she ran around a house.

We put up flyers all through town, and got people calling us that day and the next. She went from one side of town clear across to the other. But she wouldn't come to anyone.

Then we didn't hear anything for two and a half days.

Finally, some pig farmers about six miles outside of town called and said they had seen her. We drove out there, but we couldn't find her. But they called back the next day and said she had been there again. The folks from the rescue drove up and brought a live trap, and long story short, after five days of freedom she was back home with us.

Needless to say I have been a mental and emotional wreck for the past couple of weeks.

Now that we have her home and have been working with her, she's turning out to be a great dog. I think she will shape up very well, all in all. The biggest thing we need to work on is her intense fixation toward cats, but we worked with her a little on that yesterday and it went well, so I have hope that we'll be able to keep her.

Right now she is being flat on the floor behind my chair. That seems to be her favorite occupation, when not on a walk. Which is what I was looking for, although the furry shadow that follows me from room to room is a little annoying at times.

But now I need to get back to work.