Diablo Blanco

No, not really, although it's a catchy name for Misha, the White Devil.  We spent yesterday, Sunday, re-enforcing the yard and making it look more like the Beverley Hillbillies live there.  Railroad ties, cement blocks, plywood, wire, left-over tv dinner containers :) stacked up or laid down along the fence.  All the time the dogs were hanging out with us, taking notes of weaknesses, potential dig sites, and places to climb.  I'm sure they were up all night planning their attack, then acting coy at breakfast, like nothing what-so-ever was happening.
Seriously though, it was a rough week last week.  Misha got out five days straight, digging mammoth holes into our neighbor's yard, then running the neighborhood, and apparently harassing chickens and rabbits up the street (well she's a malamute after all).  The neighbors were all involved in numerous efforts to get her in, and I got very friendly with the animal warden who was a saint through all this.  It got so I refused to answer my phone at work for fear of what I'd find out.
But she's such a sweetie in some weird impossible to rationalize ways.  We actually had thought we'd return her to WAMAL, but are having second thoughts.  The WAMAL folks are being super supportive, and sending us something to relax her.  And there's always the trainer, and an electric fence.
Hope springs eternal in the mal owner's soul.

Monday, Monday

The weekends are hard.  Since we're around all weekend our expectations for progress go up, but usually we emerge frustrated.  Misha takes around 100 steps backwards for each step forward.  She somehow got out of her collar trying to dig out friday and we tried to capture her Saturday to get her collar back on.  I seduced her with chicken jerky then made a grab for her and she snapped at me.  Now she won't even take treats from my hand and is still without collar.  Yesterday, Monday, I got a call at work from my neighbor that the dogs were out.  She managed to get them back in, once, but then they were back playing in the street. She then managed to get Django back in but not Misha.  It was a long day of neighborhood vigilantes, and when I got home from work at 6:45 and they were both back, although Misha was more spooked than ever.  I had to fill in holes and drag RR ties along yet another fence.  Misha has a strong escape urge, and since we can't walk her, she takes any opportunity she can to get out.  Django on the other hand was in the yard two hours without getting out the hole (that I filled in later).  Unfortunately, as I have several evenings booked, this leaves Joanie with the burden of cleaning up after the hounds, feeding, watering, et al.  Leading to a bit of discord.  We're calling Misha the white devil, blanco diablo.

Four Feet In

Yesterday Misha came into the house with all four feet, not once, but three times.  Two of them were evoked by goodies, but the third time she followed Django in and then suddenly realized she was "too far in" so she turned and scooted.  this morning I got her in again, with Joanie as a witness, by throwing a piece of chicken jerky on the second rung (it's really helped to get a few runner rugs across the oak floor).  She also has no restraint taking treats from me while I'm standing, although without a treat, calling her to me is in vain.
Our wonderful vet, Kim, recommended that we contact a professional trainer to work with trying to get her to come to us and be leashed, so I've begun that process.  There is also the possibility of medicating her on down the road, but we'll see how the trainer fares.

Two College Degrees vs. a Dog

We lost.  For the past 7 hours we've been trying to trap Misha so we can take her on a walk.  She gets so jealous when we take Django that she barks and howls the entire time we're gone, yet she won't let us leash her. We tried to trap her this morning, and I did get her once but then made the mistake of putting a rope around her collar and tying her to the fence.  She gnawed through the rope in seconds flat and wouldn't enter the cage again, regardless of how sumptuous the goodies were -- roast scraps & salmon skin -- yum.
So she ran around the yard with about 16 inches of rope around her collar.  I figured that would give me a handle down the line, but when her and Django began playing, Django started dragging her around by the end of the rope, so she chewed the rest of it off.
This is one very smart dog, but we've had her a month and she won't allow us near enough to leash her. Any suggestions?

One Chases His Tail, the Other Drags Rugs

There is something about our bedroom that causes Django/Kaskae to go into play mode.  Of course he's in play mode most of the time, but this is different.  It's the only place he chases his tail, catches it, and turns into a blur of a dervish.  The he stops and changes direction.  Sometimes he gets so dizzy he falls down.  This is a morning activity and always occurs while Joan and I are getting dressed.  It never fails to choke us with laughter, which is a great way to start off the day.
Misha on the other hand drags rugs.  She's captured rugs from the house, the crate, the back porch, and the small kennel.  She drags them all over the yard.  I've watched her grab the rug by the back door and it's definitely a sneaky move.  She reaches in, grabs the corner, and turns and runs.  Strange behavior.

This morning, early, when Joan went out to get the paper, there were two dogs running in the front yard.  Both were very wet and looked exhausted (as a matter of fact they are sleeping now).  I called Django into the back yard, and he came with Misha following.  We figure she's so in love she will follow him anywhere.
I spent the morning filling in a crater under the fence and buying & positioning railroad ties.  Never a dull moment.

The Therapist

Django/Kaskae is better at healing than anyone I've ever paid money to for that purpose.  His joy, exuberance, lust for life, energy is contagious.  And we've all benefited having him around, but most of all Misha.  Misha has turned a corner.  For the past 5 days she has been wagging her tail.  It's a joy to see both of them run to the fence when I come home from work with their tales wagging.  While she's still cautious, she will let me pet her with some frequency (although when I grab her collar to leash her it sets her back a few days).  She has stopped her pacing behavior and daytime howling entirely.  Her and Django have even taken to sleeping side-by-side in a large crate we set up. And although she still won't come in the house, she peaks her head in constantly.  We are still looking forward to being able to walk them together, but I have faith that day will occur very soon.

Tails A-Waggin

Well the last two mornings there have been two dogs on my deck in the morning with tails a-waggin.  Misha spooks as soon as I approach the door, but Django (formerly Kaskae -- he's so bouncy!) bombs into the house and showers everyone with affection.  This morning he freaked when Joanie left for work.  He wrestled out of his collar as I tried to drag him to the back door and went and sat by the front door.  He didn't budge for about ten minutes until I threatened him with duck jerky.  That got him out.  Both of them had their noses out the gate (will get photo) as I drove away.  Curse work!  Much more fun just to stay home with the dogs.

And Gone, and Back, and a New Bro

Well lot's has happened in the past 2 days: Misha escaped again via the woodpile, but I think that's solved for good, and we got her a new bro.  Misha actually got out again while we were driving down to Seattle to pick up Kaskae (pronounced like Cascade without the D), and several neighbors called to tell us they'd seen her around.  It's going to take a village to raise this dog!  Kaskae was an immediate hit -- lovable, affectionate as all get out, energetic and so so sweet.  We crated him up, and dispite a few whimpers drove up to Bellingham without incident.  When we got home I tracked down a ew Misha sighting leads to no avail, but an hour later Joanie spotted her in the street.  I went out with a leash, but she took one look at me and started trotting up the street.  The I got the brilliant idea of bringing Kaskae out.  They hadn't yet met, but he is a chick magnet, and after they touched noses she followed us into the yard and Joanie got the gate closed.  So Misha is back where she bleongs, and with a bud!
In a nutshell, they've had several tiffs, and we're still working out feeding, but this morning they were playing and Misha was actually chasing him around the yard wagging her tail!  It's the first time she's wagged her tail since she got here.  She also let me come up and pet her last night.  They slept within a few feet of each other last night.  We have a crate and a small kennel out there now, but neither of them are using either.  Kaskae comes in the house a lot, but so far Misha hasn't followed, except for her nose.  And Kaskae loves walks, will come when he's called, and loves to ride in the car with his head out the window.
Our lives have suddenly become so much richer!