We calculated that we've had approximately 17 years of dog experience onboard before we got Dee Dee. In all that time, not one dog had figured out the mysterious door handles on our boats. They never even got close.
Then came Dee Dee.
Somewhere around 4 or 5 months old she managed to pull the lever and escape to the cockpit. I'm pretty sure the first few times were accidental. But over time she has refined this skill to an art and can open the door anytime at will. Goofy Dylan simply stands behind her and waits for the Great Escape.
So now we have to lock the door from the inside if we don't want them running out. It works pretty well but it's kind of a pain.
Yesterday Dee Dee had another vet appointment to deal with another ear infection. We think it's allergy related but that's a different story. After multiple infections she has gotten a bit sensitive to having anyone peer into her ear - and that's an understatement!
Jeryl and Alex, friends from Castine who winter in Sarasota, graciously loaned us a car to take her. We decided to walk her the approximate half mile to tire her out a bit before the appointment. It worked as she was the best she's ever been at a vet appointment.
After another walk back to the marina we decided she was walked out but we still needed to give Dylan his exercise time. So Jeff took him for a one-on-one walk. Needless to say, Dee Dee was not pleased and immediately opened the cockpit door which I immediately locked. Miss Devil stood in the salon for a moment thinking (yes, I know she was thinking) and ran for the port side pilothouse door which was still locked giving me time to run and lock the starboard side door.
Now I admit that the lever handles onboard aCappella are not as complex as a normal round doorknob. And I'm pretty sure (I think) that she couldn't open an actual doorknob. But this little girl is actually thinking a few steps ahead. What in the world are we going to do with this clever girl?
3 comments:
"Goofy Dylan simply stands behind her and waits for the Great Escape" ?? Maybe it's more like, "Aha! I'll let her get in trouble and I can just be innocent and follow along." :)
OMG, you've got a smart one there ;-) Good luck...soon she'll know how to open the windows!
This is why you've gotta be careful when it comes to teaching them things. Once you show them how to do something you just might be opening a whole can of worms!
You try to get your cat to jump on the kitchen counter one time just for fun? Well now he knows that he can jump up there and now he's gonna jump up there and lay on the counter all the time. And if you just hadn't shown him, he would've never tried it on his own!
Fred | Pet Insurance U
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