Ouch...

So yesterday afternoon, my next door neighbor called to ask me to feed her woofies while they are out of town this weekend. I was, of course, more than happy to do so. They have Roscoe the Border Collie and Shipley the (pit) Bulldog. (Think you know what a Pit Bull looks like? Try this quiz and be educated.) They are both unneutered and are backyard dogs, so they are very friendly and sweet but just totally hyper.

I took Suki for a walk in the heat around 4pm. I planned to come back, feed the boys, and head out to do a couple of errands on my way to Downtown Bryan for Art Step.

I have just thrown food over the fence to them before, but this time, Donna had told me where their bowls were, so I thought I'd feed them the way the family does. As I went in the gate, Shipley was trying to get out of it. I managed to hold him back, but Roscoe escaped. I wasn't too worried, he's the collie, so I figured he'd come back when he heard the food being poured. I got their bowls and despite my best efforts, Shipley managed to get past me this time as I went out the gate to get the food. *sigh*.

I banged the bowls together and hollered for them, filled the bowls & went into the backyard to put them down. Sure enough, both dogs came tearing back into the yard. But now they were between me and the open gate. Dang. They dithered a moment, "Food? Freedom? Food? Freedom?" and then high tailed it out the gate. *sigh*.

I put the food up on a table so they wouldn't be able to get it right away if they came back. I walked out & couldn't see them, so I went to my house and got Suki's leash (boy, was she confused!), and started walking the way I'd seen them head off. A gal came around the corner and said she'd seen them go out of the neighborhood, across the park, down the street and onto a side street. *sigh*. She had tried to stop them but couldn't get to them in time.

I went back, got my purse, got in the truck, and started to drive around looking for them. I passed the other gal who was doing the same thing, and we just raised our hands at each other in a gesture of "I have no idea?!!"

Finally I rounded a corner, and there was a guy who had just put them in the back of his truck to take them to the shelter. I asked him to follow me back, so he did, and I went into the yard with the dogs, gave the guy back his leash, thanked him profusely, and off he went.

I put the food down for the boys, but they were way too hot/thirsty/excited/spun up to even think about eating at that moment. They had plenty of water and whatnot, so I figured my work was done, and went to leave. And since the food was no distraction for them, Shipley tried to get out again. I was not *about* to let that happen! I grabbed his collar and scruff with my wussy-grip hands, pinned him with my body and did everything I could to get him back in the gate.

He would stand up, but as soon as I got him partway in the gate, he'd hunker down and refuse to go in. Every time I got him through the gate, he would manage to get between it before I could close it. This wrestling match went on for a good ten minutes. I was sweating, and grunting, and cursing, and panting. I refused to let go of the freaking dog, but it literally took every ounce of strength I had. I was quite literally roaring with effort and frustration. Meanwhile, I think Roscoe went in and out of the gate probably three times, LOL.

With a last burst of complete adrenaline-fueled effort, I managed to ROLL the dog through the gate so that he was on his back or side, and the second it took him to get up was enough time to get the gate shut. I stood up, covered in dirt and sweat and slobber and red-faced equally from the heat and the frustration. I was breathing so hard that I was practically hyperventilating, and I started to cry. I got the keys out of my truck, went into the house, sat down and cried hysterically for about ten more minutes.

Then, I went upstairs, took a COLD shower, changed clothes, and headed out to Art Step, finally. So much for the errands I meant to do on the way - the places were closed by now. Oh well, nothing I can't do on Monday!

So, all is well now, but you can BET that I threw their food over the fence today!! And I am so sore that I can barely move, and it hasn't even been 24 hours yet. Scare. So much for the massage and chiropractic adjustment I got yesterday morning!! *sigh*!

And so much for the productive Saturday I meant to have. I started this post about three hours ago. It's 2:30 in the afternoon and I am still sitting here at the computer in my pajamas... Eek! So, off to do housey things! Enjoy the new blog!