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Dickens Comes Home

Discussion in 'Sheltie Chat' started by Mignarda, Dec 7, 2014.

  1. Mignarda

    Mignarda Forums Enthusiast

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    Dover, Delaware
    There's no fool like an old fool, and perhaps no old fool like the one who's addressing you now.

    A month or so back I regaled the board with the story of how I nearly lost Dickens when he got spooked while off-leash at the wooded area behind the Governor's Mansion in our home city of Dover, Delaware.

    I thought I knew what had spooked him, and made my mind up that it was a one-off thing that would never happen again. Today, it happened again.

    This time, though, he wasn't spooked, at least as far as I could see. I bent over to pick up a stack of official-looking papers that someone had left lying about in that area, and a minute later, when I looked up, I found Dickens about a hundred yards away, proceeding in the direction we usually went on that particular walk.

    I've trained Dickens to respond to a dog whistle, but when I whistled, he stopped, looked up in my direction, and proceeded to canter onward, away from me, and toward a hill that bordered on a very busy street in the middle of town. I then lost sight of him.

    It was impossible to say which direction he had turned. My car was parked about a half-mile away in the public park, and I spent about twenty minutes looking in that vicinity. I then walked to the car and drove all around the area. No sight of him. It was getting dark by then, and I decided to go home, put on warmer clothes, and spend the rest of the night looking for him. I had reconciled myself to the fact that he was lost, and that I might never see him again.

    My house is about a mile away from the point where Dickens was lost. Because the area is past Route 13, which is a very busy three-lane highway running both ways, I've always driven by car to the park where we commence our Sunday walk. We have never walked from the house to the park.

    Upon arriving home I looked for Diana, my wife, ready to ask her to drop everything she was doing and help me in the search for Dickens. All the lights were on in the house, and Diana was nowhere to be seen, although her purse was still hanging in its usual place; a clear sign that she ought to have been home.

    I went into my room to grab a heavy jacket. Suddenly I heard Diana's voice coming from the kitchen door, and along with that voice, the familiar sound of four paws ambling across the kitchen floor. The next thing I knew, the cold, wet nose of my big, beautiful Sheltie was right up in my face.

    To make a long story short, Dickens had made his way home, down a very busy street, across six lanes of an incredibly busy highway, along a route he had never traveled in his life.

    Diana told me that one of our neighbors, who lives three doors down, had rung the doorbell and inquired whether we knew that our Collie was running loose in the alleyway behind the house. "We have a big Sheltie," she replied, "but he's out walking with my husband." Bemused, she went outside to see Dickens those few doors down, associating with the woman's Beagles. She called him over, and he came right to her, absolutely none the worse for wear.

    It's been four hours now, as I write this, and I'm still quite overwrought.
     
  2. Chris

    Chris Premium Member

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    I cannot imagine what you felt -- bless your heart. I think Dickens must have a whole platoon of guardian angels. I am so very happy for you that Dickens is safe.

    I'd be tossing back a large shot of single malt about now!!
     
  3. trini

    trini Forums Sage

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    Nov 13, 2013
    upstate NY, USA
    That was an awful scare...but I am so happy for you that Dickens found his way home safely!

    Trini
     
  4. Mignarda

    Mignarda Forums Enthusiast

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    Dover, Delaware
    I cannot help but attribute the end of this to Divine Providence. Let every one think as he will.

    I did, indeed, toss back a large shot of single malt (Bowmore) and a couple of glasses of Amontillado (Savory and James; not the best, but perfectly acceptable).

    I've never felt about a dog the way I feel about Dickens, and to lose him now would be quite a blow.
     
  5. Mignarda

    Mignarda Forums Enthusiast

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    Jan 17, 2013
    Dover, Delaware
    Many thanks!
     
  6. Sheltiemama

    Sheltiemama Forums Enthusiast

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    Wow! My heart was in my throat through the whole story! Thank goodness he's home safe!
     
  7. Hannah

    Hannah Forums Enthusiast

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    NSW, Australia
    What a terrifying experience! I can only imagine how you were feeling. I'm so very happy for you that things panned out so well in the end. Clever Dickens for navigating his way home safely! ... although I also believe he must have been watched over :hugs
     
  8. Chris

    Chris Premium Member

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    This seems like the perfect time to crack open my own bottle of Bowmore and propose a toast: To y'all's and Dickens' very good health and long life!
    (Dang! That's good Scotch!)
     
  9. Margi

    Margi Premium Member

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    Nov 2, 2012
    Corona, AZ
    So glad it all worked out! That fear when they are gone and you are looking for them is ice cold gut wrenching.
     
  10. Hanne

    Hanne Forums Sage

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    Nov 13, 2014
    Danmark
    oh my god - what depth and height you saw in those hours.

    I can imagine the sumptuous happiness when you heard those little paws on your floor, I'm so glad on your behalf - I still have tears in my eyes.

    (sorry for my English)
     

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