It really has been one of those days! 8am, hubby leaves for work...I am not far behind him, aiming to leave at 8.15am for dentist appointment on the way to work in Bath. I nip downstairs and let them in the garden before I finish off, grab my keys and head for the door. I call them back in....and ...hmmm...no Casper... I freeze...NONONO!! not today...but yes he has gone. I hiss expletives quietly under my breath, check the garden and the front...nope...nada...nothing.. With a sigh I phone my dentist. He is fine, "Kate don't worry, your dog is more important..anyhow I have some stuff to get on with..but can you call me back so I know the dog is OK...and oh...better book you in at the same time..." S'OK..he knows I adore my dogs.. So pull on wellies, head up the fields. I take Benson along, he is bouncing along for the ride...too polite to let me know he is BENSON not Casper....as I am yelling his name every few seconds...No joy...getting worried now. Next walk Bramble up the lane...to see if we can spot Casper..nope..she is also bemused why I keep yelling Casper, and blowing my whistle when she is walking nicely by my side... But..OK..this is serious. With a sigh I phone the kennels up the road, they take in dogs for the council. Nope..but maybe I should phone the dog warden. OK..They think he is at the pub..The pub??? wow...OK. Phone the council...they try and put me through to the warden. Unsurprisingly they can't get through, I wasn't surprised, knowing where he probably was. Knock on the door. A nice young man is smiling at me...Kate? Err.. yes..I am a bit bemused. I am the dog warden, Richard. He smiles..I thought you were at the pub? Yes, he replied, collecting Casper. I have him here in the van, thought I would bring him back myself. He went to his van, and out came a very happy Casper. Bramble and Benson just had to say hello...Benson to the wardens delight, leapt into the back of his van. Never has a dog done this before. Bit of paperwork, chat and exchange of numbers. I now have him on direct dial...he suggested this, not me. Apparently they loved him in the pub, fed him crisps, so he was very happy. Lots of cuddles too. It is where @Bensons-dad takes him for a pint of cider. Methinks in his doggy brain, that must be where we spend our days.
Love this story!!!!!!!! I'm sorry, I know you were worried. But how adorable is Benson?! So pleased it had a happy ending.
Oh Casper what a man you are, crisps in the pub, you go for it!! A few years ago David took Charlie out for a late evening walk telling me he wouldn't be long, OK I said. Some two hours later they weren't back, I was getting worried so called his phone, no answer, thought something must have happened, maybe Charlie has legged it in the dark, David has fallen in the woods etc. etc. A little while later they came home, I asked where they had been - in the pub, Charlie had made friends with two Irish men who fed him doggie biscuits from the bar jar and of course David had a pint or two!! So glad Casper was OK, lovely dog warden and Dentist @Beanwood. Lucky you!! xx
Glad it ended well! It made me smile because that is too cute! A dog heading off to the pub on his own...hilarious!
couldn't help laughing -though must have been so frustrating for you at the time. Years ago my sister, who lived around the corner from my parents, had an absconding springer. He always took himself around to Mum and Dads (I think because mum always gave him a biscuit when he arrived). They'd then phone sis to say 'Pip's here.'
Apologies - I meant Casper!! Just read your post to my husband. He reckoned. Casper likes the pub cos he gets chips there.
Great story @Beanwood, pleased though such a good outcome. Don't they always pick the day you have to be somewhere else though?
Yes, if the weather is still fine.. will take him there tonight. In the meantime he will have to do with the doggy beer that @snowbunny kindly bought them
Well, if Casper was given chips and some lovings at the pub, I'd say your future absconding issues have been solved... 99% he'll end up at the pub from here on out! My first summer in Germany, Brogan and I were in a biergarten in Regensburg with my German school classmates after class. Our waitress dropped a pitcher of beer and it landed square on Brogan, drenching him. The waitress felt so badly that she brought out a PLATE of bratwurst for Brogan to eat all himself. From that day on, if we were any where near that beer garden, Brogan wanted to "drop in and say hi". Guarantee that Casper feels the same about your local!
Brilliant story! At least he wasn't gorging himself at the rubbish mountain in the woods? But I've got to ask the important questions - this story takes place first thing in the morning, right? Do pubs open that early in your neck of the woods, or was Casper helping to clean up last night's mess?
I have never been to this pub early, so I don't know. I am presuming that people were up and about, or maybe it opens for coffee? I don't think he took the direct route to the pub, so my reckoning is that he got there around 10am or so. The council kennels are less than half mile away, and the pub is around a mile. It could be we had crossed paths when I was walking Bramble up the driveway. I did walk up to the toxic mountain with Benson, but I think the rubbish has gone now, which is good!
