While taking a trip to El Paso, Whiskey got to stay with Grandpa Jack & Grandma Nance in Prescott. All was going well, Grandma took him on a hike, Grandpa played with him. But one day the window washers came and Grandpa's famous last words were "Please don't let the dogs out"!Well somehow Whiskey got out and TOOK OFF! The cleaners had to go get Grandma at the clubhouse and then the search was on! Whiskey was running all over the golf course and the neighborhood. And this is no normal neighborhood... this is the terrain he was running on:
They had the whole golf club looking for him. Golfers spotted him on the 9th hole and would
call Jack, neighbors saw him running up a hill. Since Whiskey is sort of shy he would not come up to strangers. But even Nance saw him once and had treats with her and he took off running away when he saw her. Everyone said Whiskey looked scared and disoriented.
Meanwhile, Rene and I where driving back from El Paso and get a call from Jack. "Your dog got out. He is running all over the F***ing place!" (Obviously, he was mad). So we drive straight to Prescott but still did not get there until 8:00pm..... Whiskey had been missing since 1:00pm.
Rene and I go to the last place someone saw him which was in the neighborhood across the canyon and ran down into a ravine. We called him and called him "WHISKEY COME!" and our voices echoed through the canyon. No luck. We walked the whole neighborhood, still no luck and now it was 10pm and dark.
We went home and decided to go out behind the house to the golf course and sit and call for him. So Rene and I head out with flashlights. We call for Whiskey and listen. Then I spot two glowing eyes staring at us from across the fairway. I call for Whiskey and we see it move and then look at us again. Then it runs across the fairway to our side (but no sound). All of a sudden Rene say "Babe, I don't think that is Whiskey!" WHAT!!!!!! I yell "Get in the house, Get in the House!" as we take off running to the back porch. (the reason I freaked out was Yavapai county has a rabies outbreak and there have been numerous reports of foxes and bobcats attacking people).
So now with all of the WILD ANIMALS out there we could no longer look for Whiskey, we would have to go back out at daybreak. This is when I lost it! I was beginning to think we would never find him and now I had to accept the fact that he was out there in the forrest alone and having to spend the night. Rene and I slept in the downstairs bedroom with the windows open to listen for him.... thought I did not sleep a wink! All night I was saying to myself "bring him home bring him home, keep him safe keep him safe" over and over and over again. At 2:00am I a hear the coyotes howling and barking just down the road and I FREAK OUT and JUST UP FROM BED!!! I was so worried as Whiskey usually barks and chases the coyotes at our house. I WAS SICK WITH WORRY! It was the worst thing I have experienced so far and a feeling that I cannot describe. It is like losing a child! In all of my years with animals we have never had a pet gone missing like this.
At 4:00 am I get out of bed as I knew it would be daybreak soon and I couldn't stand it. I went out to the front and called him. Then I went to the back and called him as well... no luck so I went inside. Once we got all of out gear together (MISSING fliers, walking sticks, flashlights) we set out again at 5:00. We get in the car and as we pull out Rene says "GASP! Whiskey just ran behind the car!" YAAAAAYYYY!! I open my door and practically fall on top of Whiskey. I grabbed him SO TIGHT! He looked a little crazy and his eyes were all bugging out and
bloodshot, poor boy! After bringing him inside he plopped down on the floor and did not get up. We took him home and he was one sad sight for sore eyes. He practically did not get up for 2 days. We gave him boiled chicken and pedialite to hydrate him.... he was one spoiled mutt! Considering he was missing for 16 hours Whiskey's was pretty much okay except his paws were all cut and torn up from running over that terrain. HE was lucky, WE were lucky! Rene and I feel SO BLESSED that we found him (or that he found us).
I wish he could talk and tell us what happened and where he was all night. I would
like to think that he has learned his lesson to never run away..... but I doubt that. All I know is I am SO HAPPY we still have him and life is back to normal (somewhat). Just not so sure if Grandpa and Grandma will be dog sitting anytime soon! ;-)
