Sally in the Alley

While Stewart was with us he took lots of photos. Well, you do don't you? Unfortunately our dog-ess, Sally, hates cameras but Stewart tried every trick in the book to get a photo shoot with her. Stick it up his jumper to turn it on? Nope, she's already got one eye open and can see what he's up to. Digi cameras are noisy, hissy, whirry things and it's almost impossible to use one without a dog knowing.

On the Wednesday of his visit a few people came for the evening and, I suppose because everyone was talking, he managed to take a photo of her in her bed. He called her name softly, she turned her head and CLICK the deed was done and she was off behind the sofa, where she always goes when she's had enough.

Just after midnght everyone went home. You know how it is: 3 steps to the door (yack yack yack) another few steps (natter natter) open the door and natter a bit more. But eventually they were waved off. Stewart came in here to email his wife in Canada and Keith called Sally to do her wee-mails (I've pinched that off Jasper at aol's Dog's Blog) before bed. Where was she though? Not behind either sofa, not in our bedroom, not in the garden. Oh no, we thought, she's followed everyone out of the back gate and gone walkies on her own. Well, our Sal is beautiful but I'm afraid as thick as two short planks! She has no road sense AT ALL. Cars are for getting into and going fun places without wearing yourself out. I was afraid she might cause an accident - the main road is at the end of our road, a matter of 150 metres.

Out went Keith with the big torch to look for her, Stewart hot on his heels, while I phoned the police to report her missing. "Sorry madam, we don't deal with missing dogs any more. Ring the Dog Warden in the morning", at which point I dissolved in tears. The thought of her out alone on this cold cold night. What if it rained as well? What if somebody ran her over and threw her to the side of the road? What if somebody illtreated her? What if somebody took her away to a laboratory? What if, what if...........? (and THAT, Jasper - I know you're looking in - is why Ruth was so mad at you)

They couldn't find her of course but where to look? She had 20 minutes start on them. Then Keith went to put his coat away - and there she was, fast asleep on the bedroom floor! Where on earth had she been, apart from the Land of Nod? Then came the answer: the police helicopter, which had been about all day, was still flying around so she would have heard it. It's one of her really big terrors that police helicopter and she will go ANYWHERE to get away from it - except outside. Her favourite place is in the back of my computer cupboard where you can't see her and you can't pull her out and that is where she will have gone when Stewart was emailing.

Here she is, daft article, on a previous panic attack

We were so glad she was safe, we couldn't be mad at her. Well, actually, she hadn't really done anything wrong. I blame Stewart! We all got the silent treatment from her for a couple of days, but she gave Stewart a really wide berth the rest of his stay in case his camera was anywhere around.

Daft mutt!