That Dog has got to GO!!!

We have a dog. A bad dog. We adopted Rusty seven years ago, when he was around a year and a half old. At the time, Toby was 7 years old and I thought that every little boy needs a dog. We had no business getting a dog, but when do I ever take that into consideration when making a decision. I am impulsive. I know that. It is a weakness of mine. This particular weakness ended with a dog joining our family.

For a while, he was an indoor dog. I enjoyed having him inside when it was cold outside, because he would sit on my feet and warm them. Rusty enjoyed it when Raymond worked at home, because he would sit under Raymond's chair. In those days, he was a pretty good dog.

Through circumstances that changed our living situation, Rusty became an outdoor dog. That's when he turned BAD!!! What does he do that is so bad??? He RUNS!!!! Any time the gate is open, he runs. He runs hard and fast. Fast and hard. If he sees us coming after him, he runs faster and harder. If he doesn't see us coming, he runs faster and harder.

Raymond decided that if we walked him more often, he would run less. NOT!!! We walked him and he ran.

He is a smart dog. He knows when the kids open the gate, he can get passed them. He ALWAYS manages to get out when Daniel and Rebekah go out the gate. He has even pushed past me, almost knocking me over in the process, at least three times lately. This has got to stop.

When he gets out, the only two people that can catch him are Raymond and Toby. Well, they are not always available to go dog chasing. That is very unfortunate for the rest of us, who seem to be the ones that let the dog out!! We have spent too much time lately chasing the dog. Chasing him on foot. On bike. In the car. On scooter. However, we can think of to try to catch this dog that runs.

The dog that runs also does not like the rain or the cold. Big surprise. Anytime the weatherman prescribes one of these two conditions, Rusty protests by jumping up and scratching on the back door. Generally, we let him live in the garage during these times. That's fine. He stays in the garage, even when you open the door, USUALLY!! He doesn't want to get wet, you know. Well, yesterday, my mom was leaving for work and Rusty was in the garage. She generally lets him out of the garage into the backyard before opening the garage door. Wouldn't you know, he would not come. She called him and called him. No Rusty. He was hiding under the car. She decided that perhaps this was one of those times when he would stay in the garage to avoid the wet weather. WRONG!!! He decided, much to her dismay, that he would brave the rain falling from the sky in exchange for a good RUN!!! CRAZY DOG!! He ran!!

Luckily for us all, Mom drove past him and opened her car door. WELL, that surely would be fun. To ride in a car. Even that must beat running. He jumped in. I'm sure my mom was not pleased to have this now wet, smelly dog in her car, but she brought him home and put him in the yard. BAD DOG!!! No one wants to start a Monday like that.

The end result of yesterday morning is that something has got to give. He has to stop running or HE HAS GOT TO GO!!! I guess we are going to invest in a shock collar, which makes me furious to have to spend money on that. If that doesn't work, Rusty watch out. Anyone want a dog that runs?