Fourth Day

Well everyday there is a revelation.  Today there were several.  Despite our worries about Misha escaping, both Joanie and I went to work today and left her in the backyard for 9 hours by herself, and...she was there when we got back!  As far as we know, our backyard, about 100 ft by 30 feet, is the largest space she has inhabited in her two years on the planet.  And in this yard she behaves like a wild zoo animal, running a circuitous path over and over again until she has already, after four days, worn a path in the grass and dirt.  But several things have transpired.

My wife and I spend as much time outside as possible sitting in chairs at a patio table, and now and then, Misha will run up to us to take a treat or sniff and outstretched hand.  We've also been leaving the patio door open and she sticks her head in constantly, but refuses to put more than 2 feet in, even with small piles of chicken meat just beyond her reach.  If I had to guess, I'd say she is very wary of traps.

Yesterday, as I was sitting, reading a novel, she began running alongside me, and I trailed my hand across her back, finally, as she was moving slowly, began scratching her in the sweet spot where her tail dropped from her back.  Miraculously she stopped and let me massage her for several minutes.  Then she approached me from the front and let me rub her mouth area, eventually letting me stray up to her neck and face.  I needed to get her collar off to switch tags (with current phone numbers), which I did, but after I switched tags, she wouldn't get close enough to me to let me get the collar back on.  Thus the consternation Joan and I had today, worrying that she would escape without any tags.  But as I said, she was there when we got home.

So the other break-throughs were:  putting all four feet into the house, and letting me put her collar back on, and leash her.  After leashing her I took her on a quick walk of the front yard and brought her back inside the fence to safety.

When she is in her pacing mode it is virtually impossible to interrupt her without deliberately scaring her, which we don't want to do.  She is such a sweet dog, and takes our offered treats, mainly chicken, so delicately.