Why why why do my dogs enjoy giving me heart attacks?

[Tippsy'smom]

Over this past weekend, my dad, my uncle, my brother, his girlfriend, and I finally fenced in (the majority of) our backyard. It's so nice being able to just open up the door and let the dogs go do their business. However, I found out really quick Tuesday that I can NOT leave Dixie alone for even a couple minutes... I ran inside to grab my phone off the kitchen table (I was expecting a phone call) and as I was walking back out the back door, I saw Dixie jumping off the top of the fence. My heart dropped into my stomach when her feet hit the ground... I was so afraid she was gonna bolt... Head for the highway... Head for the river... Head for the woods... Every bad thing that could happen to her if she bolted for any of those flashed through my head in 5 seconds I allowed myself to freak out. But I hurried and calmed myself and called her name as I headed for the gate closest to her (we have 2 on the fence) but she took off around the corner of the retaining wall towards the front yard, our street, and a little further the highway.... My heart sank again until I saw her run around the back of my car towards the gate on our deck. I ran up the stairs and met her at the gate and let her in. I couldn't even be upset that she jumped the fence (which is 5 feet high) because I know she simply wanted to find me and she went exactly to where she KNEW she could be let back in (she hasn't gone out or in through the gates) when I called her.

I've learned my lesson. Lol No more leaving her out there alone. I'm just glad Todd and Jasper can't do that. Hahaha!!!

[Sirchow]

Heart in mouth moment....glad she is OK Jess .

[Constantina]

Did you hug her tight and burst into tears? I know I would have in fright, anxiety and relief. It's so great that she is so devoted to you that she ran back to meet you. I was not even there and I feel like passing out.

[ski]

I didn't know chows could jump that high with those stubby, straight legs! Loki can run like the wind but I have never seen him jump. Getting him into our SUV is a process. Glad there was a happy ending.

[Tippsy'smom]

Thanks Siriol! I am too!

Constantina, I did. Lol I'm sure our neighbors think I'm insane. Especially having lost a dog to being hit by a car after getting loose.... I've had some really bad reactions to dogs getting loose. This was the best. Because I knew as long as I remained calm, she'd come to me. Lol

Thanks Ski. Dixie's a mix. She's got the straight legs, but they're far from short. Lol She's super athletic and it's not surprising to me that she could accomplish this feat. Lol

[chowpups]

Ahh Jess I was thinking of you last weekend as Bella and hubby and I drove thru Georgia on our way home from a wonderful month in key west( avoided some of the snow storms)...I wondered how far away you lived off the highway but with having to meet a deadline birthday party we trucked on thru, non stop. Anyway my one chow Oneill was mixed with German shepherd and she could jump too! She jumped from our deck over the edge. ( to chase a rabbit).. Crazy chow/ g.shep. She was also a digger and she dug her way out and we were afraid to put a rope on her that she would hang herself off the deck, so we reinforced the digging with burying cinder blocks around the fence ( what a job that was) but it worked , we just couldn't leave her on the deck area alone cause if a critter came by she was after it.. Nikki was a little better to contain, she tried digging but got no where.and gave up !. And now, Bella she could careless about any animals, we actually wish she would chase the geese off the lawn at least....what kind of golden retriever doesn't chase geese?????
Glad Dixie is back and now you know her tricks!

[Cindy J]

Oh My Goodness... that would have been so frightening. Dixie is a very smart girl.

I had a heart in throat moment several years back. My 5 month old puppy darted out past me and took off out of the yard. It was dark out and beginning to rain. I stepped back in the house to yell for my husband to come out and help me find him. I then began running up and down the streets yelling for him, running in the now pouring rain. My husband went back to the house to get the car so that we could cover more ground.

He pulled up to me and told me to come back home. Apparently when I went back in the house to get my husband, our puppy had also come back in. He was fast asleep in his favorite place... his crate. All the most horrible scenarios rushed through my head while I was out searching in the rain...

... I am glad that Dixie was simply in search of you, but I do understand the heart attacks

[Ursa's daddy]

Jess, having a dog get loose is always a heart stopper. The foster I have can jump our fence, which is just under 4 ft, so I had to borrow a fence charger and run a hot wire along the top. It didn't take but one time for him to learn that it was hot.