Houdini Maxx

[Lab_adore]

Dear God...just got home from work to hear a terrifying story from OH. He was in the kitchen, which is right near the back door, and heard our neighbour calling him. He ran out to find the neighbour on the other side of the gate (that is inexplicably open) that leads to the outside steps down to the road. And.....MAXX IS WITH HIM. He was in his garage when Mr Houdini pranced in to see him. The padlock wasn't on because Steve had been watering the front yard. The gate had to be closed because the hose was draped across it and would have anchored it shut. How the freak-me-out did he open this? Obviously the padlock is back on for the photo.

 

[Jacqui-S]

Hmm.....do you think OH left it open by accident, or it slipped open when the hose was over it?

 

[Lab_adore]

I really really really hope so Jacqui....the alternative is too terrifying to bear. OH is adamant but, well, he-who-is-never-wrong and all that

 

[Atemas]

Gosh it’s fortunate your neighbour had got him - phew. These dogs.....

 

[Lab_adore]

Thanks Alison, I'm grateful too. He could have just taken off completely and ended up miles away, but he chose to find a nearby person to visit. I just hope that means he is not prone to go exploring far and wide in case it ever happens again.

 

[Oberon]

Oh what a fright!! Thank goodness he just sought out some local company. He is fine, which is the main thing!

 

[Xena Dog Princess]

It's so easy to hear the gate clang shut, only to realise that it hasn't actually clasped shut properly. Do you think that might be what happened? I think every pet owner has had at least one "there but for the grace of Dog" moment. It happens. Thank goodness Maxx was ok!

 

[Selina27]

He was in his garage when Mr Houdini pranced in to see him

I just love the picture this creates in my mind

I know this was scary for you though, it seems you have a clever boy on your hands

 

[Lab_adore]

He is on the mat in the lounge, chewing on his kong bone and watching the rugby with OH and I am just so grateful he didn't run away. I have to believe that the gate wasn't shut. Thank you

 

[Charlie]

Thank heavens Maxx is OK, the alternative is somewhere you shouldn't go. Maybe some sort of secondary safety mechanism is needed on the gate. Hope you're OK too. xx

 

[HAH]

Urgh, worst blooming nightmare- you poor thing. I reckon the latch hypothesis is very strong- we’ve got one and we added a spring mechanism which closes the gate if it it open. I’ve found the latch open twice - once because it needed oiling and had stuck, once because a ladybird (!) got wedged next to the pivot pin and so jammed it ever so slightly. Maybe an oil might settle the mind?! Xxx

 

[Lab_adore]

OH said he will just put the padlock on every time he comes through it. It's not a big inconvenience and prior to today it was a deterrent for anyone coming into the backyard but now it is also for 'anyone' going out of it!

Thank you for your kind thoughts

 

[Cath]

Glad your neighbour was around to help.

 

[Ashley]

The worst feeling...Quinn has gotten out of my parents yard a few times, and she walks around the house and stands at the front door or the side gate but it is heart stopping for a moment!

 

[Boogie]

 

[Stacia]

Very scary, glad all ended well. In 50 years of owning dogs this has only happened to me once. I had a difficult Lab and a behaviourist came to the house, we were chatting when there was a knock on the door and a near neighbour said "is this your dog" he was in the lane!!!!!! Of all the times for him to do it!

 

[Granca]

It's very scary. I've had one episode of finding Tuppence outside, but I don't remember any of the others getting out. Needless to say, if I'm in the front garden the dogs are firmly behind the kitchen gate and I keep the side gate locked and use the front door! Not an ideal solution, but at least I know where they are, as the front garden is unfenced.

A friend of mine has just returned from Romania, having left her dog with her brother in Sussex. One day while she was away she had a mobile phone call from someone saying that they had found her dog. Needless to say, she was in a state of panic, so much so that she couldn't remember her brother's address but could only describe the house. Fortunately the people who had found the dog recognised the description and were able to return the dog, as they were nearby. My friend only discovered that all was well after a few heart-stopping hours, though. Apparently when my friend returned to England she found the dog had a large Paddington Bear-type lab attached to her collar, as well as her usual tag!

 

[Aitch]

Bear used to be an escape artist when he was younger. I could never understand how he did it until I glanced out of a window one day and saw him climbing up a 6ft fence like a cat. He then went across the roof of an old out building and down into a field. Unbelievable! I had the fences replaced and that was the end of his unscheduled excursions. Honestly these dogs have turned my hair grey over the years.

 

[Naya]

How scary ?, but glad all is well