Gracie was gone before we knew it...literally

[Amber and the zoo]

Last night I got home a little after dark. It was a busy night with Emily's dance pictures (18, 3 year olds running around screaming) and grocery shopping after that...I was just worn. Dan was already home and had the dogs running around the house as usual. I brought all the groceries in, put them away, and went and sat down on the couch. Dan was watching Ladder 23 and had ALL the surround sound up so my ears were literally ringing. Ellie was chasing bubbles that Emmy blew and I called for Gracie because this is her favorite sport. She didn't come, but I didn't think much of it as she doesn't really like the loudness of the stereo system.

Ellie kept running back and jumping on the windowsill and barking between bubble breaks. I just figured it was the normal neighbor cats stretching in the front yard. Finally a commercial came on and I told Dan to mute it--I was getting a headache. After sitting there a second and yelling at Ellie to quit barking I thought I could still here barking. I asked Dan if he could hear Gracie barking and if HE had accidentally left her in the backyard after he took them out. Maybe she's locked in the bathroom or the front porch...I kept searching for the barking Gracie--and where did I find her---IN THE FRONT YARD--The yard that is open to the world--NO FENCE. She ran in as quick as I opened the door! I could not believe it. She must have snuck out while I was bringing in the groceries...I was so worried about Ellie escaping, I didnt even notice Gracie!!!

She was out there for at LEAST a 1/2 an hour AND she didn't leave our sides for the rest of the night. I made sure to give her an extra treat or two for leaving her out.

I am sooooooooo grateful and feeling so lucky today. I have heard all the stories on here of Cairns getting out and you all having to chase them. I can't believe she just sat there and barked. It just gives me chills...if she had run-off, I can't imagine how far she would have been by the time we noticed!!! I feel like such a bad mommy!!!!

[Eliz222]

You are not a bad mommy....you are a CAIRN mommy!!! These rascals can fly by without notice!

Last year, during the evening, Finch did the same thing. We called her name, looked in every closet, and called her name outside...no Finch! I started to panic and DH went outside and walked up and down the street...no Finch! About 1/2 later, I went into the garage (which I had checked by opening the door and calling her name) and what did I see in the back seat of my car? Finch! She loves to ride in cars and must have jumped in when I was getting packages out of the car.

Never a dull moment with Cairns!

[Will&Grace]

I am happy that all ended well at your home last eve. That really amazes me that such a young little Cairn would stay in the front yard and try to alert you as to where she was. She must really know how good she has it there! I have had such luck over the years with other breads but I seriously doubt Will - my Cairn would hang out - he'd be on one big adventure! My Gracie is a shep/husk mix and she - unleashed never leaves my side. My last Cairn - Mr Mack got loose a couple times and by the grace of God didn't get killed as he just took off like lightening - never looking back - or slowing down a bit. Luckily I had my nephew here at the time who was about 11 and was able to keep up with him until he tired a bit and then leaped in to grab him. That was before I knew that chasing didn't work!

Anyhow, so happy that all are home safe and sound, Linda

[LilyGrace25]

I am glad Gracie is safe and sound. I agree with Shoe...you not a bad mommy your a CAIRN mommy!

If my Grace got out I am pretty sure she just huddle against the door until we let her in...my Lily, well that's another story!

[Brody'sMom]

Thank goodness Gracie is okay!

We had a big escape with Mia about a year ago. She somehow got out of the fence and ran into the woods. I chased her and told DH to go open the front door to see if she'd run in (she'd done that in the past). No luck, she kept running through the woods. DH started chasing with me, but we had lost her. We are near hysterical when our neighbor walks up with Mia. He had seen her run by his yard and chased her down. She got to the highway and turned around and ran to him.

About that same time, we realized that DH had left the front door open and Brody was inside. Panicked, thinking Brody may have escaped I ran home. What did I find? Brody sitting in his crate like a good boy! He has never tried to escape (knock wood) and further knock wood, that was Mia's last escape too. Either the sight of the road scared her (she hates cars) or she has gotten to big to scoot under the fence!

[oregoncoast71]

Glad she is home safe. You are a good Cairn mommy!

Greta is watched during the day by my folks. Well, my mom watches her. My dad claims to watch her but, that is another story (and a repair of $300 for his hearing aid). Anyways, on Wednesday one of our neighbors came by to visit. Greta greeted her and then after a few minutes my mom noticed Greta was awfully quiet. She called for her and she never responded. Then she noticed the door to the garage was open and the garage was wide open. She panicked, her and the neighbor ran up the hill calling for her. See if Greta does escape she usually runs up the hill to visit the other neighborhood dogs. But they called the other dogs and she wasn't anywhere around them. Then my mom heard her collar and turned around and Greta came running out of our garage and up the hill. She figured she got into the cat box. And would rather feast than run to see her friends.

[Amber and the zoo]

lol. Thanks for all the "good mommy" reassurance! All your stories definitely make me feel alot better. I just hope we don't have another fiasco like that one! Or, if we do, that it turns out just as well.

[Darcy's Folks]

Oh my goodness! I'm so glad she didn't run away. She was probably trying to figure out why you had left her out there. Poor baby! And poor mommy, than can just shake your nerves in a bad way! Obviously she's very close to you to have not left your yard.

Reminds me of my childhood cat. My parents were having a picture window replaced that was knee high and up. Well, Tiny the cat jumped out when no one was paying attention. The window was replaced and life went on that day. When it was time for dinner, Tiny did not come on que when the can opener was running. So my mom searched everywhere calling her name. And then my mom thought she heard the faintest cry coming from Tiny but couldn't figure out from where. We finally opened the front door, there she was with the saddest look on her face. She probably sat at that front door for half the day wondering why she got "kicked" out of the house.

[BradysMom]

I'm so glad that everything turned out okay!

[hallswel]

They are fast, I think there was so much going on in your house and it was so good Gracie wanted back in. They are SMART!

[abe's dad]

We have an escape artist. He will zoom by before you realize it. So one day we coaxed him back by saying that we were leaving and going bye bye. Well from then on, we have been trained, literally!

Abraham (of course its him) will escape, and will not come back for any treat, threat, dire promise or outright frustration. BUT, if I get my keys and say lets go for a ride, guess who beats me to the car? He waits like a tame docile child to be picked up and putin the vehicle! Thank heavens it does not take a big trip to satisfy him. So off we go down the road and back. The other day it was raining and DD and myself were trying to carry groceries in and he sat there, just out of reach and would not budge until I got my keys...I was so aggravated, and then I had to laugh at myself for being so well trained by one of the smartest cairn's!!

He just has my number!

Valerie

[montdoug]

About a month ago I let little Gus out in our back yard in about 8 inches of snow and stood right there with him as I have since we first got him. We have a big yard and live out a ways. As a small puppy it was never a problem but he's almost a year old now. About that time a jogger with a lab went running up our street. It was a few seconds before Gus saw him but when he did he was "gone". The jogger was oblivious to my plight and Gus had a head full of making new friends so I chased him about 6 blocks heading toward our frontage road with a 60 mile an hour speed limit. Did I mention I was wearing house slippers in the snow? About 3 blocks from the frontage road a young lady in a SUV saw what was happening as she drove toward us and stopped her car and got out. Gus likes young ladies better than joggers he can't catch anyway so he ran over to her while I caught up. I was terrified!!!

I've been working with Gus in his training a lot and alone he is quite impressive. As I have trained a number of dogs to a high degree in the past I felt that what I'd heard about Cairns one track minds and ignoring their trainer when distracted was over rated and with my massive ego I felt we could train that out of him. HA-HA-HA-HA!!! So much for ego problems. My beloved bride just smiled and stated without hesitation "we're fencing the back yard." She's a lot smarter than I am.

Long story short my son and I just finished completely fencing an acre and a half of our back yard including burying the bottom 4 inches of the fence so he never realizes he can dig out (fortunately we have really rocky soil and it's extremely difficult to dig in).

As long as I'm still working on the massive ego that almost got my little dog killed I might as well admit it, my son built the fence and I stood around and smiled pleasantly while handing him things he needed, a complete reversal of rolls in my dotage. He was ever so glad to be asked to help, and I totally hated it but at least the little Guster is safe.

I too sure don't see you as a bad mommy, I just see your Gracie as a typical Cairn.

It does happen in an instant doesn't it?

[Fudgie]

I'm starting to think all cairns are escape artists, or soon to be! Ours is just now figuring out how to escape. Fudgie has gotten away from us 3 times now. Each time a little farther and when we try to get her, she will run towards us, then dash sideways and is gone again! I am saving for a fence!