GO DIRECTLY TO JAIL!

Uxbridge’s jail is part of the old city hall and in this century, it’s a storage area. At home, we have our own prisoners. Four furry internees.

dog prisoners in garden

I would let them run free if it weren’t for nasty old Rt. 98 at the top of the driveway. There isn’t a  LOT of traffic, but cars come around our blind (and reverse-banked) curve too fast. We have more fatal accident on our little stretch of road than anywhere else in the area … known as “death alley” to the cops. Motorcycles, cars, and once Garry nearly bought the farm when he and a telephone pole got too intimate. What chance does a dog stand?

I don’t know why they never run the OTHER way, into the woods where there are 75+ acres of trees and meadow — and no motor vehicles. But they always head for the road.

The “Beware of Dog” sign isn’t because they are dangerous, but because the world is dangerous to them. It’s to prevent delivery people from opening the gate thus letting free the incarcerated doggies.

They are getting older and aren’t as frisky or fast as they were. But even old Nan can hit the driveway running in a mad sprint of death. It’s not good for my heart. If I chase them (which in any case, I can’t do), they run away because “chase me” is a classic doggy game and they love it! I have to stay calm, call them back with biscuits — before they become road kill.

My heart is in my mouth the entire time they are loose, so they will remain prisoners of love. Not so terrible. Not such a cruel life, with their 24/7 doggy door and sofas for beds … and far too many biscuits.



Categories: #Photography, Home, Pets

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15 replies

  1. Your pups have it a lot like Kizzie — penned into the back yard, because there’s a dangerous street out front and acres upon which she could roam forever. She has tricked her way out many-a-time and each time, I’m panicked. I can usually get her to get into the car, if nothing else works. One of few good things DSB did was teach her to “stay,” so I have found if you sharply say, “No!” and then a firm, “Stay!” then she will roll over on her back and you can pick her up. Still, her getting loose is one of my biggest fears.

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    • A loose dog near a busy road is terrifying. I’ve known dogs to get hit who had been roaming loose for years and never gone near a street, but one day something made them bolt into a road and they got hit. My dogs never have shown any sense about cars and roads at all. So I will never take the chance. I’m just grateful they move slower than they used to!

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      • I can remember when Kizz was a pup and we lived inside the city. She was maybe a year old, and she got loose and was literally running back and forth across a busy street. Finally, some woman at Dairy Queen gave her part of her ice cream cone and we managed to trap her inside a laundromat…man, that was traumatic!

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  2. Yes, I understand this concept of “loving incarceration” – my three live in an apartment and only go out on the leash, except for Gabby who is too old and stubborn to run any more. Plus, she feels herself the matriarch so therefore she must keep *me* in line as well as the rest of the world, until Mommy must come out and play, or scold.

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    • They have no brains about cars and traffic and roads. It seems you can’t live far enough away from a city to keep them safe without fences. I’ve had dogs in the city too. Walking is good for the doggies AND the “master”!

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  3. We have a cement wall back yard for our fuzzies to run around in. It ain’t big, but it’s big enough for them. 🙂 The cat stays inside.

    Our little dog (Cocoa) got out of the gate once and walked around to the front while my husband got ready to go to work. He sat in front of the garage door and waited until the garage door opened. Just sat there wagging his tail for someone to let him in. Heh. Cocoa knows where his food is. We’ve since fixed the gate… just to be safe.

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    • I never trust them. They may never run into the road until ONE day, something gets them excited. The I keep them safe in our own yard. Not such a terrible life, after all. Plenty of room and lot of love.

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  4. Ahh yes our four legged loved ones sure do know how to train us well. Sofa’s, chairs, treats, beds….yep.

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  5. In these parts, the sheriff used to live at the jail. The wife of my good friend was a sheriff’s daughter and grew up there.

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  6. LOL You crack me up Marilyn. 🙂

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  7. My four furry sisters also live in a jail. When occasionally a couple or three escape and go running across the orchard I can never figure out whether it’s like Cool Hand Luke, or the Indian at the end of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Next. The latter, most likely. 😉

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    • I would let them run free if it weren’t for nasty old Rt. 98 at the top of the driveway. There isn’t a LOT of traffic, but cars come around our blind curve way too fast. We have more fatal accident on our little stretch of road than anywhere else in the area … known as “death alley” to the cops. Motorcycles, cars, and once, Garry nearly bought the farm there when he and a telephone pole got way too intimate. What chance does a dog stand? I don’t know why they never run the OTHER way, into the woods where there are 75+ acres of trees and meadow, no cars at all. But no, they always head for the road. So prisoners they remain. The “Beware” sign isn’t because they are dangerous. It’s to keep delivery people from opening the gate and letting them out. They are all getting older and not as frisky as they were, but even little Nan can hit the driveway running if she senses an opportunity. It’s not good for my heart, trying to get them. If I chase them, they will run away, so you have to stay calm and call them back before they become road kill. Oy.

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