In the continuing saga of Farmer H's transgressions, and New Dog Marley...
Sunday evening, Farmer H let Marley out of his pen again. He was mowing (Farmer H, not Marley, wouldn't THAT be a good trick to teach a little white fluffy dog) and said Marley hung around the field. Of course Farmer H didn't tell me this until he came in for supper.
"Is he out there now?"
"He wasn't when I came in."
"This is just like last time! He's gone up to HOS's old place."
"Maybe. He'll come back."
"That's what you said last time."
Farmer H did not seem to be concerned. Like last time. He again said that Marley's pen was open, and he'd come back.
I don't make it a habit to tuck the dogs in at night. I figure they're dogs. They've got many years of evolution providing them with the ability to survive outside at night. Farmer H was in and out of the Mansion on Monday, and left at 4:00 for an auction, so it didn't occur to me to ask about Marley. I figured he'd probably found him sometime through the day. Well. You know what happened when we figured. We made a FIG out of U and RED.
Tuesday, Farmer H was gone all day taking HOSS (HOS's ten-year-old son) to see the Superman statue over in Illinois. He got home around 5:30, mowed a little more, and came in for supper at 6:30.
"Is Marley back in his pen?"
"No. I thought he'd come back Monday, so I didn't go looking for him. I saw him this morning when I went by HOS's old place. But he run down in the woods.
"So he might not have eaten for TWO DAYS?"
"Or he came home to eat and went back up there."
"The dogs were going crazy last night. Maybe Marley came up on the porch and they ran him off."
"I'll go check on him."
Farmer H was gone over 30 minutes, so I sent him a text.
"I guess you didn't find Marley?"
"He's back in the pen. I went up there and found him. He came right over when I called, and I put a rope on his neck. He rode in the Gator. When we got back, he pretty much walked right back in his cage. [I'm sure he meant PEN, but Marley probably thinks of it as a cage!] That's funny, because when I go in to feed him, he tries to run out."
"He was probably starving! You can't keep letting him run off like that."
"I don't like keeping him captive."
"I don't like him living on a vacant lot."
We're not sure yet how to solve a problem like Marley. I think tying him up out here in the yard during the day would be a good start. Then letting him run around while we're outside, and putting him back for the night. As I've said all along.
4 comments:
Perhaps put Farmer H in a dog house, and somehow keep Marley safe when you're not watching him?
Who is the bully? Which dog might be keeping Marley from the getting on the porch? Juno? Or Jack?
Sioux,
It would be better for Marley if he hadn't lived just up the road, a shortcut through the woods. In his mind, he's going back home.
Juno spends most of her time on the porch. She will hear or feel any intruder, and charges around the house barking her fool head off. She stops short of actually getting close enough to bite. Jack is usually laying under the Gator under the carport in the warm months. He's nosy, and might hear an intruder. He'll run up and nip at animals, bark at people. I'd say Jack is the bigger bully.
I'm not even sure Marley wants to come up on the porch. He probably feels like an outsider, his pack being up at his old home, with the neighbor's dogs.
Yours is definitely the better plan. I think you need to start talking about, dropping hints, until Farmer H thinks it is his plan and implements it.
River,
Yeah. I have to make him thing it's HIS idea. That may take a little more time.
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