Just How Stupid Am I?

My new little garden has two gates: one leading to the main road, and one at the side opening on to the driveway. The first few days we were here, I would come out with Scout and check that both gates were closed as she was doing her thing. She’s not a ‘bolter’; if her lead slips off or the front door is open, she won’t make a mad dash for freedom, but she is curious and will wander off if the opportunity arises. When she was younger and staying at my sister’s, Scout would lead the prison break – she could find any hole (one was about the size of a cat flap) in their huge fence, and she, her brother Jenson, and cousin Charlie would be off wandering down the road.

She likes the new garden – even though it’s mostly flagstones and river rock, she enjoys nosing around the undergrowth, while I get work done inside. Imagine my surprise earlier this week when there was a knock at the door, and a young man was there asking me if I owned a big white dog, as there was one heading up the hill. But both gates were closed I said, how could she have gotten out?

Check out the picture, and see if you can figure out just how a dog managed to get out of that fenced-in yard.

Seriously, what was I thinking?? That a dog would somehow look at an openwork metal fence and think, “Well clearly that represents a delineation of property, and as the gate has been closed, I am unable to pass beyond here.” I actually said to the neighbour, “How did she get out?” while standing looking at the closed gate. “Um, through here, I would think.” Duh. (he only thought that last word.)

Fortunately, she had not turned right toward the main road, but was wandering along, sniffing the sidewalk (pavement) about six or eight houses away. And she came immediately when called.