August 6, 2007
Defeated by a devious dog
About a week ago I showed you the dog-proofing I’d installed to keep the boys from going under the house to get to the front yard. Lance, the totally scampy beagle, had been rubbing against it and had pushed the latticework in and defeated the screening. I repaired it, hoping that my efforts would solve the problem. I think I knew in my heart, even then, that Lance would not leave well enough alone.
I was right. Yesterday he figured out that he could shove the latticework out of the way again. I was in my office, directly over the area pictured, when I heard a suspicious noise and knew instinctively what it was. Sure enough, by the time I walked to the front of house, Lance was standing on the lanai at the front door, waiting for me to let him in and tell him how clever he is.
I did another, much less attractive repair, knowing for a certainty this time that it would not last long. It didn’t. The lattice is broken and will have to be replaced with a spare I have in the shed. By this afternoon Lance had shoved his way back into the crawl space and out to the front yard. Traffic through the opening is one-way. It takes the pressure of his body against the opening to spread it wide enough for him to pass through. That doesn’t work from the inside of the crawl space, only from the back yard. I’ve spent the evening answering the plaintive bark at the front door that tells me that Lance is on the front lanai, waiting for me to let him back in. I thought I might persuade him to stop by giving Buddy a snack while Lance was trapped on the outside of the door. Surely that would convince him that his Houdini trick was not a good thing. Lance saw me giving Buddy a bit of chicken. He could not get to us. He whined at the injustice of it all. And he let himself right back out through his escape hatch shortly after I let him back in.
I’m still not sure when my handy-friend Paul will show up to help me with chores around the house, but I know what will be first on my list when he does. I also know that if I ever adopt another dog, I want it to be stupid. No more clever beagles for me. They’re much to labor intensive.
[tags]beagle, dog-proofing, dogs, mischief[/tags]
Posted by skeet @ 9:42 pm • Home & Family
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August 6th, 2007 at 10:27 pm, Fez Travel Says:
That’s a cute story. You must really do away with smart dogs.
August 7th, 2007 at 1:39 am, Jennifer Says:
“If I ever adopt another dog, I want it to be stupid.” LOL I love that! I can definitely appreciate it. I have two cats, and they are far too smart for their own good.
August 7th, 2007 at 3:00 am, Lisa Marie Mary Says:
Oh Skeet! All that work you did! Darn smart beagle!! Thank goodness he’s not a runner, though - just a runner to the front door! I used to have a cat like that! He’d jump out my office window when I wasn’t looking, and then run straight to the front door, meowing desperately for me to let him back in!
August 7th, 2007 at 6:09 pm, Tina K Says:
Both smart dogs and smart children are much harder to raise. It is socially acceptable to want a dumb dog, not so much to hope for a dumb kid.
P.S. Skeet, dear, I find myself tagged and am passing on the love. No harm if you don’t want to play, but you are a) friendly b) have a blog I always read, so you win the tag.
August 8th, 2007 at 9:06 am, skeet Says:
I’ve had smart pets and dumb ones, Fez. Dumb ones are definitely less work.
August 8th, 2007 at 9:08 am, skeet Says:
Jennifer, I don’t really need a dumb dog next time. Something easier. A pet rock, maybe.
August 8th, 2007 at 9:10 am, skeet Says:
All beagles are runners, Lisa Marie Mary! I have boulders buried under my fence lines. That’s so that when he does get out of the doggie yard he can’t dig his way out and take off.
August 8th, 2007 at 9:11 am, skeet Says:
I raised a super-smart kid and I’ve had smart and dumb pets, Tina K. I’m convinced intelligence is highly overrated.
Still thinking about the meme. I might do it later today. Mahalo for thinking of me!