Barney gave us a terrible scare!

[barneysmommmy]

I was taking Barney and Anna out to the garden to check on my tomatoes. Anna loves this part of the yard because it has several flower gardens that she can investigate. This part of the yard is not secure so I have to constantly keep an eye on them. But we didn't even make it that far. Something caught Barney's eye as soon as we were out the door and he took off. I quickly put Anna inside and my son and I started yelling for Barney. He drove around looking in his truck and I walked up and down our road showing pics on my phone to my neighbors. After nearly an hour, I was sick. I went and sat in the back of the yard by our neighbor's field, crying and calling his name. I looked through the weeds in the field, and there he was. He hobbled over to me. His coat was so covered in bagger lice that he could hardly even walk. I cannot describe how excited I was to have him back. I had to shave him down because he was way too covered to save his coat. The photos show how he looked before, what he looked like after 1 hour of being on the run, and how he looks naked.


Fortunately, it all turned out ok. My husband has plans to secure the fence in this part of the yard. Until then, the pups are banished to only the back yard. Anna will have to miss out on her daily strolls through the flower gardens. Thank goodness he's ok!

[BobbiB]

Oh my word, how scary! Glad he's safely home. Love his name, btw

[BobbiB]

Oh my word, how scary! Glad he's safely home.

[barneysmommmy]

Originally Posted by BobbiB

Oh my word, how scary! Glad he's safely home. Love his name, btw

Thanks! We are glad he's home too. He's been spoiled terribly since this happened by my husband, my son and maybe me just a little. My son chose his name. Barney is the official name. We usually call him Stilts.

[snoopymom]

Very scary! Snoopy has gotten away from us once or twice. Only for a couple of minutes but very scary.

Not sure if this would work, but I've tried to train our 2 to come for the dog whistle. I would blow the whistle in the house and give them a really good treat--turkey is their favorite. They learned pretty quick to come for the whistle. Once they learned that, I would occasionally blow the whistle, always with a really good treat. They say that the whistle carries farther than your voice, too. We haven't had to test it out in an emergency yet, thank goodness!

[barneysmommmy]

Originally Posted by snoopymom

Very scary! Snoopy has gotten away from us once or twice. Only for a couple of minutes but very scary.

Not sure if this would work, but I've tried to train our 2 to come for the dog whistle. I would blow the whistle in the house and give them a really good treat--turkey is their favorite. They learned pretty quick to come for the whistle. Once they learned that, I would occasionally blow the whistle, always with a really good treat. They say that the whistle carries farther than your voice, too. We haven't had to test it out in an emergency yet, thank goodness!

Barney is trained to come to me when I do this goofy call, "run, run, run" in a really high pitched voice, which he gets treats for. I immediately started doing this when he took off. But the call of nature was way too strong. I looked pretty silly walking up and down our road calling, "run, run, run" all the way. But it was what finally got him to come to me from the field. I guess I should do a whistle instead because it carries farther.

[matese]

Thank god you found him, they are so fast and so focused on what they are after they don't even hear when you call them. Some years ago my youngest girl squeezed out of my deck and took off into the woods, the more I chased, the more she ran, on the other side of the woods was a highway, I knew if I kept chasing after her she would end up on that highway and would have been killed. I stopped chasing picked up a branch and started calling her to FETCH, thank god she heard and stopped, saw me waving the branch I threw it close to me and she came. I was crying and hugging her, so happy to get her back. I made sure every 4 inch opening on that deck was secured so she could not ever get out again, she was just 9 months old then, she is now past, but that experience is always vivid in my mind. My new adopted boy is new to country living, I have a low fence around my entire yard, he sees birds fluttering in the open field, I have to watch him like a hawk, they are so fast. This week I am going to extend the fencing to 4 feet high, I only needed a 28 inch high fence for my last girl, she was raised as a pup in country living, she was very content to hunt in her yard,this lil guy, everything is new to him, his prev. owners did a very good job of training him so he listens very well, but, if he were to see a deer, rabbit, or other critter I don't think he would obey any command. So I know how is feels to have a baby take off on you. BTH, Barney is a lil cutie dressed or naked. and his hair will grow back fast.

[barneysmommmy]

Originally Posted by matese

I have a low fence around my entire yard, he sees birds fluttering in the open field, I have to watch him like a hawk, they are so fast. This week I am going to extend the fencing to 4 feet high, I only needed a 28 inch high fence for my last girl, she was raised as a pup in country living, she was very content to hunt in her yard,this lil guy, everything is new to him, his prev. owners did a very good job of training him so he listens very well, but, if he were to see a deer, rabbit, or other critter I don't think he would obey any command. So I know how is feels to have a baby take off on you. BTH, Barney is a lil cutie dressed or naked. and his hair will grow back fast.

Thanks, Barney is the same way as far as he has a strong desire to chase.


I am thinking of keeping him in a short cut. The only reason I didn't do it sooner was because I was afraid of how his stilts would look without hair to camouflage them. It actually makes him more endearing to me. Little goose. On top of that, no brushing!


I need to take him to a professional to clean up the cut a bit. This all happened Thursday and I was just concerned about getting all those bagger lice off of him. So, he looks a little scrappy.

[Maximo]

I am very happy to hear Barney is safe and sound. Very scary!

He is adorable in his new hairstyle. (my boys have stilts too!)

[matese]

Originally Posted by barneysmommmy

Thanks, Barney is the same way as far as he has a strong desire to chase.


I am thinking of keeping him in a short cut. The only reason I didn't do it sooner was because I was afraid of how his stilts would look without hair to camouflage them. It actually makes him more endearing to me. Little goose. On top of that, no brushing!


I need to take him to a professional to clean up the cut a bit. This all happened Thursday and I was just concerned about getting all those bagger lice off of him. So, he looks a little scrappy.

Hey you did what NEEDED to be done, lice!!!!! yikes. He has a beautiful face, I love puppy cuts, you can mush them all up & not have to worry about tangles in their hair. My lil boy has longer legs also, I had the groomer leave the hair on his legs a wee bit longer. When his hair starts to grow in and you leave him in a puppy cut, just have the groomer leave more hair on his legs, it takes away that long legged look, it has for my Cody. Barney really is a lil cutie.

[docmartin]

Poor Barney, what an awful experience and glad he's recovering. We had to do the same to Crystal just after we got her at 20 weeks, as her coat was so tangled and matted with wood shavings, before she was rescued from a very elderly lady. It took a couple of months to grow back, but it soon passes. He's a very handsome chap, even with his military haircut. I too must comment what lovely long legs he has. I bet he can run well too!

[joyce evans]

How scary!!! So glad you found your baby and he is safe at home with his family.

[dottiesyrky]

WOW, that is the most gut-wrenching thing when they escape like that. I can imagine how sick you felt, but so happy that he soon came back to you. :-)
Poor baby, he was probably very scared too after he did his chasing act, and very happy to see you. So sorry about the nasty bugs, ugh! He looks very very handsome though with his summer cut, and his face is really cute…can I say "pretty", to a male dog without offending him? Hope his pride was not affected when he was shorn, but I bet he was so glad to be rid of the bugs though.
All's well that ends well. Big hug to Barney.

[MauiGirl]

I am so glad he is safely at home. What a scare

Hope you don't mind my asking, but what are bagger lice? I've never heard of them.

[barneysmommmy]

Oops! I guess "beggar lice" is a down south term. Don't worry. He did not have bugs, just nasty seeds. This is actually the seed from a plant. They are very sticky, like Velcro and hard to remove. MP903 Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest | Page 6 | University of Missouri Extension You can actually see them in the picture on his legs. There were thousands of them. His face was covered in them also, but I managed to get most of those out with coconut oil.


Yes, Doc Martin. He can run like the wind. There was no way I could have caught him that day. My son was so angry with me and I was pretty mad at myself too.