• If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.

The Great Escape? Long post.

*Pauline*

Well-known member
I opened the back door and felt this pull from the breeze and I thought I better close it quickly before a door slams. Then it hit me, I hadn't opened a window, surely the front door wasn't open. I ran through the lounge, "Oh no! The baby gate is open", I ran to the hall, OH NO, THE FRONT DOOR IS OPEN". I grabbed some shoes, my keys and phone and ran out into the street and yelled Dylan a couple of times, no sign of him. I banged furiously on my neighbours door and shouted through the letter box, "Cheryl! Dylan's gone!". Their front door was locked and I wasn't waiting around for her to find the key, I knew she'd come help me.

There's two ways he could have gone. To the right is the town, to the left is the park. I ran towards the park. I spotted my other neighbour and asked her to grab Dylan if she saw him. Off I went, in silver ballet pumps, the easiest thing I could pull on over socks but not good for running. I was so frightened, I could hardly use my legs, I wasn't getting anywhere. I got to the end of my road and turned right up the hill to the park.

I had my mobile so I phoned my Mum, she could hardly hear me I was yelling down the phone. She and my step Dad jumped in the car. In my panic I rang my daughter by mistake but didn't realize and she could hear everything going on, poor thing.

My neighbour Cheryl caught up with me. I had not long turned the corner when I spotted Dylan in the distance, being mostly white, he stood out. He was with a young girl and a woman. I yelled out to pick him up as a car came past but they stopped the car. It is a quiet road thank God. I was so worried Dylan wouldn't come to me, his recall his terrible and he dodges me when I go to pick him up. He also doesn't wear a collar due to having Syringomyelia.

I dropped my phone and keys and knelt on the floor (a good way to get a dog to come to you) and yelled "DYLAN" as loud as I could. He ran as fast as he could straight into my arms, I scooped him up and I started crying. I'm welling up now thinking about it.

The woman went back into her house, the girl joined us. She told us that she had been walking back from town and saw him. He stayed with her for about 5 minutes while she knocked on doors. We all walked home together and I made a mental note of where she lived, just round the corner. (I bought her some presents today.)

We walked back home, me, my neighbour and Dylan in my arms. My other neighbour was waiting for us with her little boy. We all stood together and for some reason, Dylan howled and howled for ages. Maybe he felt our nerves, maybe he wanted to get at the cat in my drive, maybe he heard the horses in the road? Passersby were laughing he was so loud.

Anyone who knows me would understand how this is my biggest fear. I am so careful and drum it into everyone to check the baby gate is closed before opening the door. I don't know who closed the door last, my Mum and step Dad had been over that day...I usually see them out though. I don't want to remember, I'm telling myself it was my fault so I don't get upset with anyone.

An hour later, just to add to Dylan's adventures, his new best friend Foxy came to sleep over. I'll write another thread with pics.
 
Last edited:
So glad that Dylan in safe and sound and back home, what a horrible experience for you. I to am very careful about doors as I know Jasper has no road sense at all, we even have two side gates to the side of our property to the front and we always drummed it in the kids to keep both gates closed at all times.
 
Oh my gosh.....that is my worst nightmare !!!!!! I would have been a basket-case, to say the least. Thank goodness there was a happy ending.
 
So glad you quickly found him -- terrifying to have that happen. :yikes
 
You must have been going through hell. I am so glad you found him in good health. Thank god for the girl. I lost my Rosie in woods 2 years ago and I was lucky that someone found her after 3 hours. It’s one of the worst things that can happen.
 
Oh my gosh.....that is my worst nightmare !!!!!! I would have been a basket-case, to say the least. Thank goodness there was a happy ending.

Thank goodness I found him so quickly, I think I would have been a basket-case too.
 
You must have been going through hell. I am so glad you found him in good health. Thank god for the girl. I lost my Rosie in woods 2 years ago and I was lucky that someone found her after 3 hours. It’s one of the worst things that can happen.

3 hours! I can't begin to imagine.
 
That is my biggest fear Pauline!! I am so glad you got him back safe and sound and so quickly. With a new puppy in the house we are having to be extra vigilant about opening doors.
 
So glad that you got Dylan back unharmed!

Yesterday my hubby was working outside and said that the garage door would be open. Little did I know when I let our golden and Abigail out the side door to backyard that he had also left the back door to garage open.

Next thing I hear is him yelling that dogs got out to the front yard. Fortunately Abigail followed our golden back to the garage . This has also been my biggest fear and now We'll have to be extra careful.

Heather R
 
phew that was scary for you . alls well that ends well :hug:ruby once got out as we were going shopping and was dancing round on the pavement thinking she was going the park. i was frozen as a car came down the road but she dashed back in the house as i shouted come get the ball first then -needless to say we went the park instead of shopping . i just tried to see it as a reminder of how careful i need to be :yikes
 
Thank goodness you found him quickly and nothing bad had happened to him. I've had something similar happen with a gate left open in the past, and it is very scary.
 
Thanks everyone for your kind words and stories, glad I'm not the only one. I've been checking the door so many times since it happened.
 
My worst nightmare ! :eek: So glad for the little girl & that Dylan is home safe & sound. :hug:
 
Thank God you got him back so quickly:hug: Don't even think about why the door was open Pauline; even with the best of intentions and planning, something like this is BOUND to happen once to anyone with a pet so don't fret over it:hug:.
 
Oh Pauline we've been away for Easter so Im on reading this now:eek:

Im so glad you got Dylan back the same thing happened to my friends beagle only last week....she was crying like you...I kept thinking if it was me I'd be hysterical:shock:
Thank God you got him back. There's a lesson for us all to learn there.

Mel X
 
What a nightmare experience for you Pauline, but I'm so glad Dylan was found safely. And you're right - you are NOT alone. Doors don't get shut tightly, gates don't latch properly or get unintentionaly left open, etc, - it happens to all of us. Even though cavaliers seem to be master escape artists (and I will include Margaret's Fonzi in this category) they are our babies and any one of us would be or have been hysterical in the same situation. I'm glad you had a happy ending.
 
I just took a couple of presents round to the girls house. She was out but her dad was delighted to hear how impressed I was with his daughter.:wggle: It's a good feeling making people happy.
 
Back
Top