Sunday, December 21, 2008

I'm sure I've mentioned how I feel about this.....

This picture is of two deer walking in deep snow, but I post it here so you can see how my DOG looks walking in this stuff. She's a rat terrier, all white with a black and brown head. All I can see is her head when she goes outside. She leaps through the snow. I actually thinks she likes it.....in moderation.

This morning at 8 a.m. I get out of a nice warm bed and let her outside. The weather has changed somewhat. Now its very windy, making the wind chill plummet to only 8 BELOW zero. Brrrrrr.

I let her outside....her usual time out there is about 10 minutes. She doesn't have a big fur coat to keep her warm. I have to tether her out on a 50 foot nylon leash because she will chase the squirrels to the next county if necessary....fences are no obstacle either; she just leaps over them. Since it was so awfully cold, I cut her time outside in half. When I went to the door, she wasn't there, which is highly unusual. I called her and I didn't see her running anywhere. I grabbed the one end of the leash that's tied to the deck and started pulling on it. I only pulled a little bit, then it tightened up and I couldn't pull it any further. Its hidden underneath so many inches of snow that I can't even see which way the leash has gone or what it's tangled around.

I can't begin to tell you how scared I was. I know in this type of weather a little dog like that can freeze in minutes. I had to rush and get dressed, get boots on, my coat. Of course, I couldn't find my gloves. I only have 1900 pair of them around here but couldn't find a single one. So I had to go without them.

Something told me to go outside the back breezeway door instead of out on the deck. When I went out that door and started calling her, I saw the problem right away. She was underneath the deck. She had come in from the other side, probably chasing a squirrel or maybe a rabbit and the leash only let her go so far and she was trying desperately to get out of the other side of the deck but, of course, could not. Most dogs can't seem to figure this kind of thing out for themselves, unfortunately. So I had to walk in snow that was knee deep to around to the other side of the deck and get her to come out the same way she went in. Once she came to me, then I had to carry her back around the deck and to the back door.....thank goodness she was ok. As for me, I was scared. I kept thinking that if I fell back there in my yard and couldn't get up for some reason, no one would know where I was. The snow would eventually cover me up. Wow...it sure gives you something to think about and a high respect for nature and its power.

So, I'm going to think of a different plan on letting her outside in this deep stuff. I don't want a repeat of this ever again!

Did I ever mention how much I dislike this white stuff? Our weather is so strange. We have all this snow, the wind chill is now about 15 below zero with winds gusting to 40 mph and they are predicting freezing rain on Wednesday. In the meantime, I hope you all are warm and comfy wherever you are and if I don't get back before Christmas......have a very merry one surrounded by your loved ones. Stay safe and don't forget the reason for the season!

13 comments:

fiwa said...

Ok, you just about gave me a heart attack. I'm glad you and puppy are both ok. Is she small enough that you could train her to use one of those puppy training pads? I tried it with Bitsy and couldn't get her to use it. Our snow isn't as deep as yours - but the crust of it is frozen - so this morning when we let Bitsy out she was leaping from spot to spot to get through it and caught her paw in her collar and hog-tied herself.

I don't like snow either - too many problems and scary driving conditions.

Stay safe and warm.
love you -
fiwa

happyone said...

Glad you got your dog back inside and all is fine.
I'm not so crazy about snow either.
No snow for us but it is very cold and very windy. I still walked though but put on an extra layer. I was warm except for my face!
Enjoy your day and keep warm!

Joy Des Jardins said...

Brrrrr....glad your pup is safe and sound Val. Merry Christmas sweetie....Much love, Joy

Anonymous said...

My dogs are small and white so would most definitely be screwed in the snow. Pffft.....what am I saying? They won't even go on the back lawn when it's been raining. God forbid we would get out little tootsies wet. No it's much more pleasant to come back inside and do their business on the carpet.

I can imagine how scared you must have been you poor love. I did have a giggle about the 1900 gloves though. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Val. Lots of great big hugs.

Smocha said...

Oh boy! I know that was scary!

Dogs are not the most brilliant creatures ,are they. LOL

You should have your cell in your pocket at times like that. The snow is beautiful but that dman wind chill ruins the whole thing!

Hope you and you doggie have a wonderful Christmas.

Hugs:)

Summer said...

Merry Christmas!

Forsythia said...

Oooh, scary. Poor little doggy. It is bitterly cold here, but we have no snow. Occasional freezing rain.

Jamie said...

My gosh, I was scared just reading your story...

I am most happy that your baby is okay.

I want you to know how much I appreciate you Charlotte. Merry Christmas.

Hugs.

Jamie

Brad said...

When I lived in Fairbanks we always used the buddy system. You didn't go out in the snow esp. at night. If you fell down on that ice you might not be able to get back up,

Scary honey! I'm glad your safe.

Merry Christmas Dear! Love you!

desert dirt diva said...

Merry christmas val, and glad the little pooch is o.k....My god if the snow got like that here i think i iwould hate the stuff too...Have a very merry christmas....and stay warm...

Mama Llama said...

Merry, Merry Christmas to you, Val!

Be well.

fiwa said...

Val, dear friend, thank you so much. Merry Christmas to you and your family too - I hope they are treating you like royalty today - because you surely deserve it.

All my best and my love to you -
fiwa

ac said...

Merry Christmas and Blessings to you and yours. Hugs! ac