Ever Teach a Child Something, then Wish You Hadn't?

Well, that happened to us with Chrissie...

We've always hung a noise device on the inside of the back door of our houses at just the right height for a cairn. The first one we used with Murdo was a cookie sheet hung just beside the door (didn't have a bell). David taught Murdo to paw at it with his front feet. As soon as Murdo hit the cookie sheet, we'd open the door and let him out.

At about the same time we also installed a doggie door in the storm door of the back door. David also taught Murdo to use the doggie door.

Ring bell/hit cookie sheet, inside door opens and doggie door becomes available. (Our back yard was fully fenced.) Doggies could come and go as they pleased. I always had my mother's internal clock running and if he was out too long I'd go check.

When Geordie came, Murdo was the teacher. It was amazing to watch and it worked very well. Although it was a great conversation starter, we replaced the cookie sheet with a string of sleigh bells.

So, now comes Chrissie. The bells are hung. The doggie door is installed. We both are acting as teachers. We'd take her front paws in our hands and hit the bells with them, then quickly open the doors. After about three days, she got the hang of the bells. All too soon, she was ringing the bell every five minutes because she wanted to be outside just for the sake of being out. She learned the trick too well. :-) So we had to come to terms.

Now that it's warm we have the inner door mostly open when we are nearby so she comes and goes. If we are working and not in the same room, we close the inner door. Chrissie is very athletic and I'm taking no chances by letting her be outside too long alone.

You may be asking why Chrissie wanted to go outside every five minutes... Surely just being outside is not THAT great. Well, I discovered the cause celebre. Chrissie loves to hunt earthworms!! She locates them slithering up out of their holes and along the ground. She stands nearby, head cocked, ears forward, and pounces just as though they were a mouse! I'm guessing that she hears them but I suppose she may see them as they move. Whatever, it surely holds her attention.

A couple nights ago, she had gone out through "her" door and immediately set up a huge ruckus! I ran out after her and saw her barking furiously at something on the other side of the back fence. It was a possum!! Boy do they have big teeth! Thank Little Doggie Gods it was on the other side of the fence. It stopped its lumbering gait, turned around to stare at my flashlight, growled and snarled and then lumbered off. Chrissie was still furious... But I called her off and she was very proud of herself.

Yesterday, I had to go run some errands, so Chrissie was at home alone with David. He said she was kind of morose and quiet. When I got home... WOW!!! I've never had such a welcome home...ever. She was thrilled that I was back home. I was as happy at her reaction as she was to see me. I finally have MY best fur friend.

Well, I've rambled on for long enough. I'll be talking to you again in not too long.