AHHHHHHH. Ok, I just needed to let that out now that the tears and panic have subsided.

Today my dad decided he was going to replace the toilet in the main bathroom. With all of the work he was doing the dogs got a little freaked out, but seemed ok when I left for work. I left at 11:30 and only had two patients to see today so I would have been home by 2-2:30. Didn't think anything of it since my dad was home. Both dogs were in the other room while he was working, sound asleep. My dad opened the front door to bring the old toilet outside and.........BAM! Both dogs jumped up from a sound sleep and darted out the front door full speed all the way down the street. My dad grabbed his keys to get in his truck and last saw them about a mile away. It started to thunder so Bruiser returned home almost immediately. But not my Frankie, he decided to go on an adventure. At about 12:35 I get a call from dad telling me Frankie was missing. I darted out of my clients house and cancelled my next appointment and started driving home. First I post on the husky rescue FB wall since I know there are some people in my area, next I call the microchip company, then I start to ball my eyes out while I was rushing home. I HAD to go home since Frankie really doesn't respond that well to my mom or dad and may just run even further if my dad was chasing him whereas he comes to me pretty quickly.
While driving home I see a maintence worker from the golf course where Frankie was last seen and stop to talk to him and give him my info when I get a call from my dad that Frankie was home. HE FOUND HIS WAY HOME!!!!!! He was in front of the house, But he was going at it with the neighbors cat. As I pulled around the corner I see Frankie running away from dad and getting ready to run down the street again. I stopped my car, opened my driver side door, and called him. He came running right over to me and jumped on my lap.
He is soaking wet so apparently went for a swim somewhere since it's not raining yet and he hasn't stoppped panting. I actually think he might have gotten a little scared.

I really thought he was gone and was expecting a long search. As for the neighbors cat, he took off somewhere. This cat has about 20 lives. He has no claws but is one nasty cat and has had a go with both my dogs before and usually comes out on top. I will check up on him, I know who's cat this one is and the neighbors understand the risks and are really nonchalant about it.

So anyway......Thanks for letting me vent/babble. I was a mess earlier. But my baby found his way home and is now back

O my goodness! I'm glad Frankie is safe with his momma! Hopefully that will be his last adventure without you!

oh when i start reading story's like this i always hope for a good outcome! glad Frankie made it home and seems to be safe but a bit wet! i would have broken all speed limits and blown red-lights if i got a call like that! hell if i could get a cop to chase me then help with the search all the better

i have really worked on the stay at the front door command and most times i don't have to say it they just know not to pass the door unless leashed. i do know that if there was a cat, small dog or visitors coming they will go out the door. these huskies test us every day!

OMG DEE!!!!! I was reading through this so fast to see if you found him! Thank god that you did. I think I would be dying if that happened to me (fingers crossed). I'm sooooooooooo happy that he's home safe and sound!

jbealer wrote:

oh when i start reading story's like this i always hope for a good outcome! glad Frankie made it home and seems to be safe but a bit wet! i would have broken all speed limits and blown red-lights if i got a call like that! hell if i could get a cop to chase me then help with the search all the better

i have really worked on the stay at the front door command and most times i don't have to say it they just know not to pass the door unless leashed. i do know that if there was a cat, small dog or visitors coming they will go out the door. these huskies test us every day!

I was going a little fast We work on the door thing all the time and generally they are really good about it. The way they took off down the street makes me really think they were scared with the work my dad was doing in the house, it was very loud. If they go after the neighbors cat, they stop there and Bruiser is usually too scared to go far. But my dad said they hauled ass without looking back.

I hope it's his last adventure without me, but I have a feeling it won't be. After all he is a husky.

hooooly crap. way to go frankie, finding your way home! one of the last times embry got out, he found his way back to our street, i was so proud of him

Scary! Glad he's home.

When I take Appa on walks I try to take him EVERYWHERE in the neighborhood, then from various spots say "go home!" and go straight home; now im testing to see if he will guide us home from the more common spots. He's getting really good at it from most locations now. I'm hoping it would come in handy if he ever gets out...

Whew, breathing a sigh of relief here for you Dee! Gosh these dogs do like to scare us, don't they? I'm with you, thinking it was the noise and work being done that spooked them. Hoping it doesn't happen again as I'm sure you could do without such a scare! So glad to hear a good outcome.

rileyflorence wrote:

When I take Appa on walks I try to take him EVERYWHERE in the neighborhood, then from various spots say "go home!" and go straight home; now im testing to see if he will guide us home from the more common spots. He's getting really good at it from most locations now. I'm hoping it would come in handy if he ever gets out...

thats a really good idea! might try it.

jbealer wrote:

rileyflorence wrote:

When I take Appa on walks I try to take him EVERYWHERE in the neighborhood, then from various spots say "go home!" and go straight home; now im testing to see if he will guide us home from the more common spots. He's getting really good at it from most locations now. I'm hoping it would come in handy if he ever gets out...

thats a really good idea! might try it.

That is a really good idea. I'm going to try it too. I always say "time to go home" and we turn around and walk back so maybe that's paid off, but I haven't done it from different places. I really think the cat scent got him home, lol.

My dad is still so mad at them, he told them "no treats for you tonight" as if they will understand not getting treats later. I'm a little mad, but more relieved he's home. Both dogs have been under my feet since we came in, I think they know they did something wrong.

[quote="Dee&Frankie"]

jbealer wrote:

rileyflorence wrote:

When I take Appa on walks I try to take him EVERYWHERE in the neighborhood, then from various spots say "go home!" and go straight home; now im testing to see if he will guide us home from the more common spots. He's getting really good at it from most locations now. I'm hoping it would come in handy if he ever gets out...

thats a really good idea! might try it.

I think I might just try that as well. I'm not overly concerned about Demon...his cataracts actually tend to keep him close to home, but Dakota runs like the wind!

Everyone knows I have had WAY too many scares with Koda (people leaving gates open at dog parks, my nephew opening the door, my mom leaving the gate open, and then the first year when he lived just with Jarod his mom let him bolt out the door a million times.. Every time it's the scariest experience and I am hysterical! The last time he got out at the park I was speeding 80mph in a 45, went through red lights, wrong side of the street, didn't care(it was at night)!

So happy he went home! They seriously try to give us heart attacks. I do always wonder if I didn't chase Koda if he wouldn't run. Once Jarod's mom left their gate open when Jarod and I were out and she left forgetting to close it.. and everyone in the neighborhood saw Koda taking a stroll and then Jarod and I pulled up and found him laying under the neighbor's trailor truck.. we were SHOCKED! But it was also around 110 out so he probably was tired and wanted AC, lol!

Wow how scary! I know Demon would wander around a bit but I honestly think that he wouldn't go too far from home. Ghost on the other hand I'm not so sure about, he's already shown us that he would take off without hesitation, he's very curious but he's getting really good at coming when called I would say about 70% with someone just calling him and 100% if he knows/thinks you have food . That's a great idea to teach them "go home". I'm going to start working on that with my boys.

I got the idea because as a kid I remember telling neighborhood dogs to "go home!" whenever they wandered into our yard (I hated dogs and wanted nothing to do with them, especially in my yard). I always thought it was dumb that they didn't go home... I was a kid, I get it now. Now I'm hoping if we do it enough with Appa if he did get out 1) he'd now how to get home from anywhere. 2) if someone did say "go home!" he might take the command literally and go straight home. Wishful thinking on #2 I think, but it couldn't hurt!

rileyflorence wrote:

I got the idea because as a kid I remember telling neighborhood dogs to "go home!" whenever they wandered into our yard (I hated dogs and wanted nothing to do with them, especially in my yard). I always thought it was dumb that they didn't go home... I was a kid, I get it now. Now I'm hoping if we do it enough with Appa if he did get out 1) he'd now how to get home from anywhere. 2) if someone did say "go home!" he might take the command literally and go straight home. Wishful thinking on #2 I think, but it couldn't hurt!

I like your logic! I think I might be trying this. The ONLY time Sabaka seemed to "lead me home" or even act like he wanted to go home was when we were babysitting the rabbits on our back deck. Oh my, when we turned around in the far cul-de-sac he was doing the "husky getty-up" to get home faster (and he seemed to know the way...hmmm).

BTW, SO glad Frankie is home safe!

Riley, I like your logic too. I still tell loose dogs that, lol. I don't know why I expect them to understand. But it would be really cool if they did. So I'm with you on the wishful thinking.

Frankie has a very good recall with me and me only. I wasn't home so I knew even if my dad did find him he probably would have ran faster. Hence the flight home with my windows down and no seatbelt in case I needed to jump out of the car. I need to get the other members of my family to step up the training since most of the time this stuff happens when I'm not home.

I think Frankie is now apologizing to grandpa. He is in there laying at his feet now just looking up at him with those sad eyes. Either that or he's just waiting for grandpa to open another door.

I've always told them "home" when we're on the way back. I tell them "home" and they turn around and start going towards the house, BUT I only take them on 2 different walk routes. If they were to get out (god forbid...knocking on wood right now) and didn't go towards their route I don't think they would know how to get home. I would like to take them on alternate routes, but I'm always afraid to run into loose dogs =(

That's terrifying. I know from experience. Your heart just stops!

My last two were off leash a lot and when they did bust a jail break, I was pretty confident they'd come back. My first husky took off after a deer in the woods. I looked and looked, couldn't find him and ran back to my car, five miles away. He was sitting on the roof, waiting for me like nothing was wrong.

Bodhi has gotten loose twice. I was scared to death. He is so fast. I think he is just revelling in the fact that I can't catch him as he tears past me at warp speed.

Seriously. WTF DOGS!!!! These two are cruisin for a bruisin man.

My dad let the dogs out back for like 10 minutes. He didn't see them so calls for them. Frankie comes running into the house and he's soaking wet (no idea how) and Bruiser was down by the canal!!!!!!!

I usually go out back with them or I stand at the door (they hate that). My dad just lets them out but we have a big florida room that's all windows so he can see them while he's in there. We have no idea how Bruiser got out. The only way would have been to go under the shed in this one spot that is usually blocked but wasn't today. There is no way back in which is why Bruiser was stuck so I don't see how Frankie could have gone for a dip in the canal and come back, but how else is he all wet? Right now I am so done with all of them......Frankie, Bruiser, and my dad!!!!

They have been acting really weird too. Makes me nervous. Kinda like how dogs sense natural disater before it happens. But I'm to pissed to be worried.

Uh oh, Frankie you better chill out!

arooroomom wrote:

Uh oh, Frankie you better chill out!

I know, right? The funny thing is that this time I have a feeling that Bruiser is the culprit.

Again Dee?!? I would be totally pissed off as well! I think no more alone time outside should be allow and they must be locked up when anything is going on in the house. They're apparently being bad doggies! At least Frankie was still there when they got called in

I am so embarrassed to admit this , but YES, it happened again. He is home now. But I figured if I can't bitch about it here without getting pooped on then where can I? I know everythign that went wrong here, but am feeling a little helpless.

So here goes my rant now that I am breathing again.

Of course, I wasn't home again. I was supposed to take Frankie to the flashmob practice tonight. After I had already told Frankie we were going to "work", it was cancelled at the last minute due to rain. So I took him for a walk, but Frankie is no fool he knows the difference between "walk" and "work". I decided to go to my son's football practice instead since I have missed the last few and tonight was a practice game. Within minutes of getting to the field, my mom gets a call and all I hear is "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE IS GONE". I grabbed my mom's keys from her and hopped in her car and rushed home, leaving her at the field with my son. I get home and nothing. So I drove around the neighborhood for over a half hour with the windows down in the rain, hysterical crying, trying to whistle and call for him. I stopped every person I saw asking if they saw him. I decided to go back home to send mass emails, posts, phone calls etc. When I got back home my dad said Frankie was out back by the canal, but couldn't get back in the yard. He tried walking Frankie to where there is a gate on the other side, but Frankie either got scared or tired and went back by the canal and just laid in the water. I came out the gate, climbed down a mudslide full of brush and falling limbs in the pouring rain. I called for Frankie and I heard him trying his hardest to get to me. He finally made it and I helped push him up the muddy slippery hill. He was shaking like crazy and I was hysterically crying.

I swear I could kill my dad. What part of do not let the dogs out alone does he not understand!!!!!! My dad didn't believe me that I was sure Frankie got out the back yard last time, but he does now. We are on a canal, but on the other side of the fence there is a steep hill covered with trees, bushes, and stuff that leads down to the canal.

I have not let the dogs out unsupervised since the last incident last week. I swear, ever since they got out last week, they have been searching for ways to get out. And now that Frankie realizes there is way.......game over. I really think my dad gets it now. Last week he was just mad at them for darting out the front door, but tonight I could see he was actually really scared since Frankie apparently hopped the fence. My dad mentioned putting up a higher fence on that one side of the yard. Knowing my dad it will be up by the end of the month. Until then, both dogs are going out on leads. I don't think being supervised is enough at this point. I told my dad not to let them out if he isn't going with them. What is it about getting a taste of freedom that it is now like an obsession?

Here's to hoping my dad gets it.

Ugh Denise! These dam dogs. And yeah, once they know there's a way out... ugh. I'm just so glad you've got him back!!!

OMG! I'm glad he's back home and safe! Hopefully it doesn't happen again! I don't know how much more of that you could handle. lol. You'd think after getting scared by being in a new place, Frankie would wise up and quit escaping.