I am home alone with three dogs and one granddaughter. This in it’s self can be a dangerous combination.

Things were going well, Ava in her highchair just finishing the last course of her lunch before nap time. The dogs are outside running up and down the fence barking at the neighbor’s dog. Life is good, grandpa is in control. It had seemed like a long time since I had seen any of the dogs at the back door wanting to get in. I leave little Ava a in her highchair and step out back. NO dogs, I start to holler and one of the neighbors yells back that the dogs are in the front.

Chopper, my daughter’s dog is not a problem he will come when you call him. My two mutts will run and run until they are done playing with you. So I have three dogs out front and one granddaughter in the highchair. I am spinning around on the front porch figuring out which way I should go. Luckily most of the neighbors are chasing my dogs. Mrs. Rommer is standing by the door so I ask her to go in and watch Ava. That is taking care of. I call Chopper and he runs for the front door (good dog) I am down to two dogs on the loose. Both of my dogs run into the house across the street. They had left the front door open. Things are looking good. I see Mike coming towards me with Foxy in his arms. I get the leash on Foxy and Dusty makes a run for it. He is gone heading for yards that he has yet to explore. After a couple of laps around a house he gets trapped in a back yard of some people I don’t know. They are not home so I can be a little bolder going through their gate. Just because Dusty is in a backyard does not mean that he is caught. I try coaxing, chasing, pleading and bribing. He comes close and he is gone. I finally grab him. So I have a dog on the leash and I dog in my arms. Things should be good. Foxy is jumping at Dusty because I am holding him. Jealous little mutt, She manages to pull her head out of her collar. But she is following me to the house, and then Pico (neighbor’s dog) comes into her view. She is off. Mike manages to grab Foxy as she is chasing Pico around his legs. So now everybody is in the house and Mrs. Rommer can be relived of the Ava watch. I find out that Chopper pushed my gate open and started this affair. I get Ava laid down for a nap and keep the dogs in the house so I can go about boarding up the gate.

The gate is secure, Ava is sleeping and the dogs are too muddy to come in before I give them bath. I think I can relax now.