Written by Lise Eddy

The door was opened and out I went! I like being outside, it’s fun! Suddenly, something changed. I could smell them! THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CHASED! Near MY yard! Excitedly I sniffed….when, then, I heard them. Lifting my ears to hone in….I turned my head…and THERE! There they were! I growled a deep rumble in my throat to warn them, but they didn’t move. I knew they had to be herded! Like a flash I was off! I heard my name called, but it was too late! I could hear the leaves crunching as we all started to run. The wind in the trees, the smell of fresh grass and things that needed to be chased filled my nose! I ran as FAST as I could! “They can’t outrun me,” I thought. They must know I’m here! They are sheep! And they need to learn who is top dog around here!

Before I continue, please allow me to introduce myself. My person calls me Texas. I’m a cute little black Border Collie mix. My person and I just moved here, to an area with plenty of things that really need to be chased. I really like it. I like car rides too. And I really like to chase the ball! Just a second, I have an itch…now where was I? Oh yes. My person and I are where the things that need to be chased are. I’d never seen one before I got here. I like my person for bringing me here. I have fun! I like to play too. But the ball is my…OH! A squirrel!

I opened the door and let the dog out. I didn’t think much of it. Then…I saw deer! Knowing my dog, I KNEW she’d try to run after them! Trying to circumvent the situation, I called her to me as authoritatively as I could, yet much to my dismay, off she went! My biggest fear was that we were new here, and she doesn’t know the area! And then where will she go! I watched, in agony as my dog took off! I called her name! “TEXAS!!!” She kept going. Running after her barefoot, down the driveway, yelling, threatening, promising to throw ALL her tennis balls away if she kept going, to NO avail. With one last ditch effort of meaningless threats, my heart sank as she crossed the road and disappeared into the woods.

I met Texas about 3 months ago at a friend’s house. Initially, I didn’t think much of her. But as my friends were on the road quite a bit, working as long haul truck drivers, she and I had good bonding time. Texas is an energetic, truly loving, squirrel chasing, cute bundle of fur. She will do nearly anything for a chance to chase the ball! She is very well mannered, and the fastest “zero to sixty” dog I have ever seen. When I came back to Michigan, I took her with me. My friends said that would be fine and I simply adore her. Albeit, at times she’s a little too busy however, she really has her finer points of decorum. A lovely full-fanged smile, as well as the occasional belch after a long romp and drinking up half of Lake Michigan.

“TEXAS!” I heard. I knew who it was. It was my person. But, I must protect her! These things that I chase, are a nuisance! They MUST know I am in charge! I crossed the hard stuff back into the soft ground of the woods. “They can’t scare me” I thought and kept up my pace, closing in on them quickly. Did you know, that there are some really neat things in the woods? I got to wind through the trees, jump over what looked like trees that fell down! And some other dog had the nerve to bark at me as I passed! I saw the things that needed to be chased come to the top of a hill, and suddenly, they were gone! I picked up the pace as much as I could and took a flying leap over the hill!

I ran to the house as quickly as I could for my shoes! MY DOG! She is gone! She could get lost in the woods! Running into the kitchen, my mind was so full of worry, I could do little more than stumble through before I remembered what I was in there for. I grabbed a puppy cookie for her, and ran toward the door at what I thought was LIGHT speed! That was when I remembered I needed shoes if I really wanted to make any real effort to go find my little rabble rouser. As I turned from the door to go get them, I realized I had just tripped over them and put them on as fast as I could. Out the door I went! Running down the driveway, I could hear an occasional bark, with the buck snorting back at her. “Oh no!” I thought, she might try to fight him! My legs could not carry me fast enough! I needed to get her back!!! The minutes ticked by, I made it to the end of the driveway, and looked for her. NO sign of her! My heart was doing a dance in my chest, and my head was awash with worry! I kept thinking “She will come back, she will come back…”

Once over the hill, the things that needed to be chased thought they outsmarted me. HA! I’d picked up on their pattern! I stayed hot on their tails, moving as quickly as I could! I followed their scent and their sound as fast as I could! They were NOT coming in MY yard again! Suddenly, I realized I’d lost them! I was…confused! Momentarily averted by a squirrel, I stopped. I looked in front of me and saw some of the silliest things! There were persons out, in these, “things.” I don’t know how to describe it! I could hear a “crack” sound….and something went flying very far away and the persons were holding long thin things. What I did enjoy was how nice the grass looked. Shame I didn’t need to go potty now. I saw one area of sand, it looked very interesting. And one area, the grass was VERY short and it looked very comfortable to lie in. There was also water on the other side. I was really enjoying the view, when someone started yelling at me! I don’t  know what he was saying, but I really don’t think it was nice!

I turned and trotted for just a little bit, when I heard the person yelling at me get closer. I teased him just a bit and took off again as fast as I could. I heard something land beside me, and I just kept going. I knew MY person would be very happy with me for getting things that need to be chased OUT of the yard. Smug in what I’d done, I headed for home.

As I stood at the end of the driveway, I was still in a panic. I just wanted her back. Somewhere in the back of my head, I kept telling myself that she SHOULD be grounded. NO MORE FREE REIGN for her! I kept calling her name. As LOUD as I could. Where I live is very curvy and has many short hills where you cannot see past the front of your car. Many people drive too fast there, and well, Texas, she’d tempt fate knowing her. I was turning circles calling her name, yet still managing to move in the direction that I saw her go. I had a puppy cookie in my hand, just hoping with everything in me, that she’d find the way home.

I’d made it almost to the driveway next door, when I thought that maybe if I got in my truck and drove, I could cover more ground. I turned to walk toward the house, when a red small truck passed me, and as I watched him, he hit his brakes hard! I turned, and there she was. Her bandana up near her ears, on backwards, the biggest dog smile you have ever seen, and a tongue, straight out the side of her mouth! She was at the side of the road, and when the truck passed her, she looked at him as if to say “Yes, you are safe now. I have run all the things that need to be chased, far, far, away.”

I looked at her, and she at me. She, I must admit was very proud. She kinda, cowered down a bit, on one paw, knowing she’d be in trouble, on the other however, betting with her life that I’d feel so good that she was home that she’d get the big rubdown and lovin’s that doggies need.

What can I say? I kissed her, loved all over her, gave her the puppy cookie, and grounded her to the leash for 2 days.