Squirt - my Queen has crossed The Bridge

Hi Steph,

Her hearing is going - something I've been noticing for a while now....but she's still selective about it. :p She doesn't always react when I call her name....but open the treat bag and she immediately reacts to the crinkle of the bag from anywhere in the house. :p

It seems to be worse when she is tired and she sleeps very soundly these days so she rarely reacts when she's sleeping. So I know it's slipping away from her. I've started using some hand signs with her so she will know them when it's totally gone. Tash is deaf and she has learned several signals so far but Squirt often just looks at me like, "Why are you doing that stupid thing with your hand??"....or comes to check for treats hidden in it! :D

Awe...poor ol' Squirt! I guess I am lucky in some ways that Ella was trained from a young age to be in the show ring! (Though being neglected as a kennel dog didn't help her health...) She knows tons of hand signals and is a dream on the leash (lead). We do a flat hand down in front of her nose and say "stay" and she will freeze in place...comes in handy!

Well, I had the most heart-pounding Fourth I can remember in a long time. I aged another 20 years, lost 7 lbs in sweat and tears, and can barely move this morning for the aching that covers this old bod.

Around 7pm, I let Squirt out to potty. Thirty minutes later, when she hadn't asked to come back in, I went to tell her it was time to go to bed...and couldn't find her. The back gate has apparently warped as the wood dries and it hadn't latched the last time I went out of it. It was standing open to the field behind the house. Our house sits next to a wooded strip that runs for quite a ways, edged on two sides by very busy highways.

For 2 1/2 hours, I ran the park, calling, knocking on doors. Nothing. I drove the park. Nothing. I drove the surrounding streets and neighborhoods, knocking on doors, asking if anyone had seen her, telling everyone where we lived. Nothing. Several people in the park joined in walking and driving, looking for her; several of us searched the woods. I walked the park again then got in the truck and drove the streets calling her one more time before full dark fell. Nothing. Knowing the odds of me seeing her again were rapidly diminishing as night came, I came back home, devastated.

When I left, I had left all the gates open and the solid front door open so she could see in and know someone was home if she came back. I stood in the street talking with some of the neighbors who had been helping me look then turned to go in. I noticed the front gate was latched as was the one on the porch but thought I must have closed them in habit when I ran for the last drive to search. Just to make sure, I checked the back gate - it was pushed to, tho not latched. Odd, but I was too upset to think much more about the gates. I went up the ramp to the front door and the solid door was closed. When I opened the doors, there was Squirt laying on the living room floor.

I fell to my knees and grabbed her up, bawling my eyes out, never so relieved in my life to see a soul alive. I carried her around the park to everyone I was aware of who had helped look for her but no one admitted finding her and putting her in the house. Whoever it was, saved this old broad. I am no where near close to facing life without Squirt, no where near. I just kept thinking, "Not again. Don't take another child and leave me never knowing what happened, with no answers. That would be asking too much."

The call was made early this morning to the guys who built the fence and none of the babies have been out of my sight. I got up I know 15 times during the night just to make sure she was really here, then to touch Brick and Tash to assure myself we were all safe at home.

Altho we are under a burn ban which means no fireworks for the Holiday, I can assure you there were firecrackers, bottle rockets, Black Cats, and Roman Candles firing one after the other in my old head and heart last nite...and they were NOT enjoyable in the least.

I am happy beyond words to sign this as....
Hugs,
Leslie AND Squirt

Leslie-

I cannot even imagine how terrifying that was! What a horrific experience!

I am so, so, so, so, so, so, so beyond happy that you found her! What a wonderful feeling that must have been. I got teary eyed imagining what it looked like for you to see her there.

I'm so glad someone found her and brought her back to you. Good for you for thinking to knock on so many doors and tell everyone where you live.

Thank God she is okay. I hope you can rest today and just spend time cuddling your pups.

Julie & Hannah

Can't even imagine that gut wrenching feeling. I am so happy Squirt is home. An angel earned his or her wings last night.

Ask your fence guy if he can install return springs on the gates. I put them on my gates, actually it's a city ordinance here because of the swimming pool. I purchased mine at Home Depot.

https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos...22354127_n.jpg

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

This moment deserves a group hug all around. My heart was pounding real hard reading your post. Whoosh!

Group hugs, now, go...

xo Jeanette and my sweet girl Princess

Omg! How totally heart stopping! I'm so glad your little squirt is home safe and sound.

HUGS!

Oh Leslie,

It was terrifying reading your post, and I cried when I read that Squirt was home safe and sound. Many hugs all round,

Jane, Franklin and Angel Bailey xxx

I have had my sweet hearts go missing several times. And just like you you reach a point where you just say... That's it, it's over, I'll never see them again. I certainly have never had one returned in such a manner though. If you had video cameras, we could see the angel who returned her to you. I wonder. For you to loose Squirt in such a way is just plain unthinkable. To put you thru that was crewel beyond words. I'm not a happy camper.

I have a gate alarm. I'm terrified my dogs might get out. My Neeka is forever scaring me. I look all thru the house, calling her... No Neeka! I dash to the back door ... No Neeka! I turn and yell to my husband and there stands Neeka looking at me. I have no idea where she's hiding at but she's been doing it a lot!