He looks so sweet and innocent! :)
Last night when I got home, Kim had let Skeletor out back to use the bathroom. I looked out to check on him and he wasn't around. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that he had completed his digging project and burrowed under the gate.
We all armed ourselves with leashes and flashlights, then set out to find the little rascal. Ian and I were going to jump on bikes and Kim, on foot.
Before we could saddle up, Kim had already found him. She yelled and he came running from down the street.
He was covered from head to toe with dirt. Ian gave him his first bath. (photos of that later) He wasn't thrilled about it, but he behaved very well.
This morning, I planned on fixing up the gate. Naturally it had been raining all night long, so the hole he dug was full of rain water and surrounded by mud. Yippee! I filled in his hole with what little dirt I could find (our yard is mostly grass.)
We happened to have a 2x6 board that fit perfectly across the bottom of the gate. I laid it down when I first noticed him trying to dig, but had not bothered to fasten it in place. When he escaped, he had simply moved the board out of the way and went to town digging. It was clear that I had to fasten it in place. I looked around the house and garage for some kind of "L" brackets. Nothing.
The best thing I could find was a piece of sheet metal. I busted out the jigsaw and cut out a couple brackets. I took the rectangle pieces of metal out back with a hammer and beat them into "L" shapes. I quickly learned that you should avoid hitting your thumb when performing such acts! After the brackets were bent, I drilled a few holes and voila!
I positioned the board, installed the brackets and the security measure was in place. I hope it works!
Escape artistry is a skill that was ever-present in our pit bulls when I was a kid. Apparently it runs in their genes. All the more reason to get this little guy crate trained.
He's been doing very well sleeping in his crate. I wish I could say the same about his potty training. He seems adamant about spreading his urine around the house. I wonder if it's related to his not being neutered? I think I'll call the vet today to ask about that and his nails.
Nobody ever said dog rehab was an easy job, but who knew that it was practically a full time one!?
Frustrated but staying positive,
Wesley
