Gypsy Goes on Another Walk-About

by Pa Rock

Dogsitter

Two days ago I had a really good morning with Gypsy, our large, playful pup who loves the Great Outdoors.  I could not find her leash, and consequently let her run free outside twice, and both times she did her business promptly and returned to the house.  Sometimes Gypsy has selective hearing issues and cannot hear commands or pleas to return home, but Saturday morning was not one of those times.

Sunday morning, however, was a different story.  

Yesterday I did have access to Gypsy's leash, but since I don't like being pulled around the yard by an eighty-pound dog any more than she enjoys pulling me,  I let her out at 6:00 a.m. without the leash.  Rosie and I walked with her, and Gyspy behaved - for a while.  Gypsy had disappeared by the time Rosie and I were ready to go in, so I brought the little dog into the house and went back outside, leash-in-hand, to look for the truant canine.

I couldn't find "the Traveler," as I've taken to calling her, and eventually came back in the house to deal with other domestic chores.  At 10:00 in the morning when Gypsy was still not home, I got in the car and drove a couple of miles in three directions looking for her.  One of my stops was a Galloway Park where she had spent a morning on a previous walk-about playing with people in the park.  Gypsy is especially fond of kids, of which we have none at our house.  At Galloway I drove along the edge of the park for about a half-mile, and drove into the facility's parking lot and turned around, but did not see the runaway anywhere.  

I came home without the dog, and for the rest of the day would occasionally go outside and walk the property line calling her name.  But no luck.  By the end of the day I had convinced myself that she had probably hopped in a car with strangers and gone to live somewhere else.  I had caught her hopping in a car with strangers one other time, but they did not want her and threw her out.

Later, at around 7:00 p.m., I heard a light tapping on the front door and knew before I ever up to open the door that the missing canine had probably found a ride home.  Two high school students were standing on the front porch with along with Gypsy.  "Is this your dog, mister?" the boy asked. "We've been to several houses and nobody knows her."  

"I know her," I admitted.  "This is her home."  

The kids told me that Gypsy had spent the day playing with them at Galloway Park and that she had eaten well all day long.  (She is on a diet when she is at home.). As we were talking, the very tired Gypsy stepped out into the yard and fell asleep in the grass.  When I finally got her into the house, she promptly ate Rosie's dinner and then fell asleep for the night.  She arose for an hour or so this morning and is now back asleep.  Playing all day must be really hard work!

I still suspect that Gypsy is preparing to live up to her name and move on down the road, which is a shame because she has had a really good run here whether she realizes it or not.  She has had her shots and been spayed while living at our house, and she has a new bed.  She also has an abundance of yard to run and play in, something which once was plenty but now seems to be too confining.  But, alas, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

This is real life, and we'll just have to see how it plays out.  I hope Gypsy decides to stick around.   We are just now getting used to each other's obstinate behaviors.