Five years and one day is how long I have managed to keep Chopper out of harm's way and keep him from getting into too much trouble. Sure he occasionally tries to bolt out the front door while I am leaving (thanks to his separation anxiety) and I have to bribe him with sausages from Pennsylvania but that's a small price to pay.
The bolting was originally a problem. He did it with me, with my mom and sister when they were visiting and with friends. It only happened a handful of times but chasing a dog down Sunset Boulevard is not my idea of fun - watching him cross Sunset Boulevard while cars are zooming down the street is even less fun. We have not had an incident of this since December 2007. Until today. Chopper was boarded for almost two weeks while I was at a conference and then vacationing in Florida. I picked him up midday and brought him home and attempted to go back to work. That's when the trouble started.
Chopper (who drags behind me during agility runs) weaseled his way out the screen door - I grabbed his back leg which resulted in a pig-like squeal but but he shook me off and was gone. He was a few yards in front of me and not quite around the corner with me yelling "Chopper, come" over and over and he did quickly turn around and come back (thanks to hours of training I'm sure). It took a few more attempts before he let me leave (including a piece of a Pennsylvania sausage) but think it will have to call it quits early today and get home to him before he decides he needs to eat a book or some other puppy behavior that he hasn't exhibited in four years. (Personally I think he was mad his present was Pluto Mickey Ears and not sausages).
