Naughty Dieter Dog!

I feel horrible! You all know how much my Mom and Dad love our Dieter dog. Dad makes his daily trek over to our home two to three times to get the dog, take him for a potty break, and take him over to their home to visit. As Dad entered into the laundry room from the back door, Dieter bolted out the door and Dad couldn't catch him. Here's my poor ole 91 year old Dad trying to chase Dieter outside to catch him. Dieter bolted for the road ... running as fast as he could, not looking back for love nor money. He has no road sense or outdoor sense for that matter. He's still an innocent puppy. He'd run into a neighbor's yard, sniff around and just as Dad would get close to him, he'd bolt again! Poor Mom ... she was having an anxiety attack. Her oxygen cord is only 100 feet long, which doesn't take her too far outdoors. She'd go to the door and holler for Dieter trying to entice him back with a cookie ... but no Dieter. She got on her knees and pleaded out loud to the Lord for Dieter to come back. She worried that Dad had fallen somewhere ... because now, it's been over an hour that Dad and Dieter are missing. Finally Dad stopped and asked a man who was walking his dog if he had seen a little dog. The man directed Dad to a neighbors house down the street. By then I think Dieter was tuckered out and came up to Dad where he was able to lasso him. Too bad Dad didn't have his rope! I'm sure he could have roped him easier than trying to put his leash on him. I asked Dad if he spanked him when he finally got him. He said that he was too happy to have found him that he didn't even think about spanking him.

Mom and Dad were just sick about losing the dog and sicker about having to tell us that Dieter had run away. They had even contemplated having to buy another dog for us. I laugh when I'm reminded of Mom's comment to that suggestion. "But Lynn and Linda will be able to tell that the dog isn't Dieter!"

I think we've solved the dilemma for now. I've put the baby gate across the hall and Dieter now has access to my bedroom, hall, and two bathrooms. Much better than just the laundry room. That way Dad can come into the house and Dieter will be sequestered in the hall. Dad said that he was still frightened when he leashed him up and took him out side, that he would try to bolt again. He said that he kept a death grip on him all the way home!

Mom taught him a new trick yesterday. She asks him if he wants a piece of cheese and he goes to the fridge. She gets out the cheese, cuts a piece off with a knife, sniffs the cheese and says, "Oooh ... this is stinky ... no good! The she offers the cheese to Dieter and he won't eat it. Then she tastes it and says, "Good! Want some?" and he gobbles it up. She's been teaching him quite a few tricks.

Dieter has been such a blessing in their lives. I'm not sure how we'll take care of him in the daytime when they're both gone!