She's losing that puppy look and filling out like a shepherd. Her coloring has changed from the tan and sable puppy coat into a dark back, tail, and snout. Oh the stories I have to tell!
The latest story happened just this weekend...While letting the dogs back in the house early Saturday morning (my son's 17th birthday!), my golden retriever, Harley, took off into the woods. I decided that the fastest way to get him back was to trick him. Usually, whenever I drive out of the driveway, Harley comes sauntering back as if to say, "Where did she go? Now how am I going to get back into the house?" So I let the black lab in the house, grabbed my car keys, loaded Halo into the car, and pulled down the driveway. I did a quick turn in the road and pulled back up the driveway. No Harley. On to Plan B.
Harley loves my son. I could call him all day long, but as soon as he hears Mitchell call his name, Harley comes a-runnin'. Therefore, I left Halo in the car (running) while I went in the house to ask my son to yell for Harley out of the second story bathroom window. Success! Harley came right back; I put him in the house and went back to the car. Which was locked. Running. With Halo in it. And I only have one key -- the one in the ignition.
The police department wouldn't help. My son's AAA card was expired. I don't have AAA myself. So I asked my son to do what any mom would -- I asked him to break into my car. The good news is -- my son is a terrible car thief. He could not get the door unlocked with the standard wire coat hanger. The bad news is that we had to break a window to get in. Thank God for full glass coverage. East Coast Auto Glass will be at work tomorrow to replace the window.
The moral of the story is: unless you are going to teach the guide dog to both lock and unlock car doors with power locks, do not leave her in the car alone with it running. She's smart, but not that smart.
