He looks sweet and innocent and sane, doesn’t he?
Yeah, not so much. Not today.
This evening I was busily answering a few emails, ignoring the barking dogs. About ten minutes earlier, they had started barking up a storm and I went to see what it was they were barking at — it was a piece of paper on my neighbor’s lawn. This was not unusual – I usually ignore them unless they really sound worked up. Well, there I was, happily at the computer, when all of a sudden, the barking got frantic and was followed by a loud crash — which was then followed by a woman screaming. I run up to the front of the house and discover: (1) there’s only one dog there, and (2) the big front window is broken. I look outside, and there is Bear, dancing around a woman and her weim. The woman, having just had an 85-pound dog jump through a large glass window to get to her and her dog, was understandably freaking out. I frantically dig for the keys to unlock the front door and yell to Bear. He trots over, with a big, proud smile on his face, sits down in front of me and looks up, as if he’s expecting a treat.
I apologized about a zillion times for my full-on CRAZY dog. She was doubly freaked out because her weim apparently has some aggression issues — which just might be triggered by a large dog flying through glass at her. There hadn’t been anything more than a little posturing between the dogs, but I can only imagine the panic she must have felt.
And Bear? Not a scratch on him.
The window’s about 2 feet up off the ground. I had had an ottoman in front of the window that the dogs would take turns sitting on to get a better view. Since I rearranged and moved the ottoman, I have heard and seen them with their paws on the window at times — and there are more than a few indications of dog art to show their noses had been pressed up against the glass — but I never thought one of them would jump through (and certainly not Bear). Tomorrow morning, I’ll be looking into alternatives to glass.
What are those hockey rink guards made out of?
Becky (rksquared) - Oh, Debbie! I realize how serious (& scary) this is, but I can’t. stop. laughing. I’ve seen plenty of dogs rip through screen doors in my life, but NEVER a glass window! I am so glad he’s okay! I may have to bookmark this post for the next time Phaneuf is naughty…it might make me feel better. 🙂 (P.S. The hockey “glass” is Plexiglas.)
Debbie - And Bear’s usually my sane one!
Kelly - Wow. And I thought my dog was destructive.
Claire - holy crap!! i can’t believe he jumped out of a window!!! how do you keep him from trying that again? that is one level of escape kinley hasn’t tried yet….
april - Oh my, that is dedication! I’ve never heard of a dog going through a window like that. Glad to hear he’s ok though… that naughty, naughty boy…
nick - oh gosh lucky neither he nor that other dachshund got hurt… heh its time for that super thick acrylic they use for hokey eh?
Jennie - Oh MY GOSH! Thank goodness he is okay! I think I would have had a heart attack. How about some triple thick plexiglass for the window? And love that pic of Bear. I can see the mischeif 😉
Dot - OMG…I’d read your Flickr note, but had no idea it was this bad. He is so lucky not to have cut himself. Maybe you need bars, like I have in the back of my Subaru to keep Fin from pouncing on me as I drive. 😉
Debbie - I ended up installing an acrylic sheet (“200 times stronger than glass”) to the inside of the windows, screwed into the wood frame. I’m sure they’ll be scratched up in no time, but better that than broken!
wendy - OMG! I used to walk by a dog that would go crazy at a picture window and would watch it sway against his efforts but I never imagined he would go through.
I can’t believe he is unscratched! That must have been a scary moment for all of you.
leesia - oh my god!! i can’t believe he made it through the window…now i’m going to be paranoid about mine b/c they do the exact same thing — barking like crazy while i work upstairs…glad bear made it through unscathed!
panic attacks" - And then you?ll
JulieD - I understand how scared you were. I was so scared. My neighbor called my cell while I was at work. I’m really thankful that he called me, I rushed home and I was freaking out. Yes, we are so lucky!
the neighborhood menace » thank Dog. photography - […] This sweet little kitten has been tormenting my creatures for a couple months now. He (I think it’s a he) is a neighbor’s mostly outdoor kitty, and his favorite place to hang is directly in front of the big windows in front of my house. These windows. […]
Briana - Is your house older? Tyson took out an original window in my Dad’s 140 year old farm house about 2 months ago. Again, not a scratch on him, but he was checking out the dozen or so feral cats that live on the property (yes, Dad trapped, fixed, and released all of them, lol) and definitely the single pane, non-tempered window cried uncle under Ty’s mighty paw lol 🙂 Dad was out doing yard work, and he ran around the corner of the house to find Ty high-centered on the window sill. Lucky for both of us, Tyson is gunshy and learned his lesson- at least, he stays away from *that* window. 🙂
Debbie - Yes – it was original, single-pane window in my 1920s house. Hasn’t really made Bear gunshy in the slightest – perhaps because he actually made it through to freedom with nary a scratch. He did scrape him leg a bit on his latest stunt, breaking through two panes and the wood divider on my old front door – but that doesn’t appear to have affected him either.
the big girl » thank Dog. photography - […] around the house, I thought it best to stay home with all the creatures. I didn’t want a repeat stunt from Bear – and though Birdie’s been fine in thunderstorms, I didn’t know how […]