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Lael
12-07-2008, 08:46 PM
I have always had this fantasy that if I could some way stop time or at least everyone else's time except me and Juno’s, could I go out somewhere, let her go and see if she could get home? I wondered because wherever we go on our walks, she always seems to know the general direction of home.

This morning, while I didn't get the fantasy of stopping other's time, I found out that from 3/4 miles away, Juno does know her way home. Wow...I'm still freaked out about the whole thing. It involved a Great Dane mix and my 15 pound Manchester and Cairn Terrier mix. Let's just say, thanks to a faulty harness, the 15 pounder won.

We were on a familiar walk, one we take several mornings a week. Part of it, the part where we met the big dog, goes through a greenbelt. He was with his owners and other dog, but the man just could not control this dog and in seconds he plowed into Juno. I tried to pull Juno away and got wrapped up in both our leashes and as I pulled her up, she fell out of her harness. For a split second, when I realized I was holding an empty harness, I turned around expecting to see her hanging out of that big jaw. But no, she actually got away and bolted out of the park and down the street like horse out of the gate. She was going in the direction of home. I called, but she wouldn't stop or turn around. I followed, but soon lost sight of her. The first intersection she had to have crossed has a Starbucks on it and people were sitting outside. "Did you see a dog run past here?" "Yes, she went that a way" pointing past the high school still in the direction of home.

I called my neighbor who thankfully was home, "Will you go to my place and see if Juno goes there? She was attacked and got out of her harness and is running...." My neighbor, still in her jammies (what a gal) opened the gates to my backyard and went down the alley calling my dog. About 10 minutes later, I came to the head of the alley, she was pointing, "she's here, she's here, but she's scared."

Yeah, scared, with only some hair pulled away from her skin, she followed the route we always take about 3/4 of a mile away and came home, through two big intersections, past a high school and a big park, a softball stadium and a tennis court. Thank God it was Sunday and the streets were bare.

We are so lucky....and once I get over feeling grateful, I am going to get very pissed…and I don’t mean by drinking :D

Ginny
12-07-2008, 08:56 PM
And later, when the adrenaline wears off, you will hug your "baby" and cry...

{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}

White Tiger
12-07-2008, 09:08 PM
Oh, go ahead and have a drink. You deserve it! ;) Thank goodness Juno made it home okay.

Rosemary
12-07-2008, 10:23 PM
GoodonyaJuno!:thumbsup:
Oh,(((Lael))) you must be so relieved.

katyjan
12-08-2008, 11:15 AM
Oh, my! What a scare! And good on Juno for being able to make it through the traffic to home. She most assuredly feels safe there. This proves it.

(((((Lael and Juno)))))

Jan

Pony
12-08-2008, 01:01 PM
:eek: Having your dog go missing takes years off your life, I'm sure of it. My Cinnamon used to bolt when DH watched football on TV (he's a vocal observer :rolleyes: ) We would go hunting for her, me in the car and DH on foot. She always knew her way home and usually took the shortest route -- through the swamps and underbrush -- a way we'd never walked her! Dogs just have wonderful homing instrincts. Unfortunately they don't all have street smarts, though, and I was always a wreck until we got her home again.

A little liquid comfort could be in order for you. And a few cuddles for Juno.

swan-scot
12-08-2008, 01:54 PM
Oh dear. I'm glad she was not hurt by the Great Dane and she made her way home safely across the roads. I wonder if the Great Dane owner realises his stupidity in keeping and walking a dog he cannot control. :mad:

Lael
12-08-2008, 06:07 PM
Oh dear. I'm glad she was not hurt by the Great Dane and she made her way home safely across the roads. I wonder if the Great Dane owner realises his stupidity in keeping and walking a dog he cannot control. :mad:



Thanks Everyone,

Yes, when I play back the scene, I don't know at what point, if any, he dropped his coffee. He had a Starbucks in his hand, which is the main reason he couldn't pull his dog back. Let's just hope he realizes that, so that it doesn't happen again...:rolleyes:

Gosh, Juno had a rough day and night. She seemed confused and wouldn't come to me. She stayed in corners and had trouble laying down to sleep.

But I took her around the block this morning. She seemed to want to, although she walked very slowly. Still, she didn't seem nervous or scared. In fact, I thought we'd only go around once, mostly, I just don't want her to get stiff, but when we came back to the top of the alley, she wouldn't come down and wanted to go around again. That is a good sign.

I guess in human parlance, I need to give her some space....

White Tiger
12-08-2008, 08:14 PM
I guess in human parlance, I need to give her some space....

So, she was traumatized by the run-in with the Dane. Yes, that owner had best get his dog to obedience training. The day the dog grabs a small child will be a sad day for the Dane owner! :eek:

Sending soothing purple to Juno! She doesn't have an internal injury, does she? Just shook up?? I guess she wouldn't be wanting long walks if it was an injury.