Need to VENT~!

[Jas2Cats]

First let me preface with 2 things:
1) My DH is a General Contractor who stores his equipment/materials at our house in the side yard.
2) My dogs stay in the same side yard during the day when I'm at work (they have a nice shelter with their beds in it).

So, DH calls me on my cell a while ago, and says, "I guess I left the side gate open this morning.  I got home and the dogs are gone."  At that point I'm freaking out and tell him I'm coming home to look for them. We live near a middle school, and the parents drive like idiots in the mornings, so I'm afraid one got hit.  And, the highway is only a few blocks away~!  Then he tells me to wait, that he hasn't looked in the other part of the yard, maybe one of my neighbors saw them and put them in through that gate.  I'm halfway out the door at work by then.  Luckily when he looked there, both Woody and Maple were loose in that part of the yard (probably harrassing my tortoises).

I was so relieved~!  But, at the same time, am ready to strangle DH~!  Why can he not learn to close gates~!  Or for that matter doors (he leaves our front door and screen wide open).

Thanks for letting me vent    If I even talked to him right now, I'd be YELLING~!

[Jas2Cats]

Maybe I'll look back and laugh---in about 100 years~!  If it was anything that didn't endanger my pets or my kids, I would be OK with it, but, he is so careless about this sort of thing and does it over and over again 

I can only hope he learned the lesson this time.  It seems that this happens about once a month (somewhere around the time I get comfortable again after checking all gates every time I leave).  He's really sorry every time it happens, just not sorry enough to stop doing it.

[GoldenPyrs]

I'm glad that Woody & Maple are ok.  Just a thought, what about a battery operated alarm that you stick on your gate?  We have something similar here that we use to keep the pool area closed off when we aren't watching.  You could probably find them in a Home Depot, Lowe's, a pool supply store or even on-line.  If an alarm was making a chime or shrieking sound while the gate was open, it might help everyone to remember to close it quickly.  I've learned over the years that we each have our foibles and so we use reminders like the alarm thingy.    

[Jas2Cats]

Just a thought, what about a battery operated alarm that you stick on your gate?

Great idea~!  I'll have to see if I can find one.  Knowing him though, after listening to it for a minute, he'll just disable it (so, how to make it man proof?) I'm also thinking of putting a spring on the gate to make it close after him.

[GoldenPyrs]

Just a thought, what about a battery operated alarm that you stick on your gate?

Great idea~!  I'll have to see if I can find one.  Knowing him though, after listening to it for a minute, he'll just disable it (so, how to make it man proof?) I'm also thinking of putting a spring on the gate to make it close after him.

I like the idea of the spring, too.  Maybe the self-closing spring & an alarm together on the gate would do it.  That is if there aren't any rocks, stepping stones, etc. around to use to prop it open with.  Tee hee!    

[marinafb]

I have the same problem gates left unlocked and Bryce knows how to open the gate! He opens and the other 2 follow. 2 stick together and Bryce wanders his own way. i live in a area that the police would shoot bryce if they saw him loose his life would be over! This as happened alreayd 2 or 3 times. I freak everytime! So now the gate is locked and i have a camera on the side of the house. Now i have the cat to worry about everytime the door opens! Marina

[shine]

I can totally relate to this...my husband and stepson are always forgetting things like this.  With a pack like ours (6 dogs), it is important to keep a routine and be extra vigilant....fo r if one escapes, 4 more escape (only Rio will not leave the yard if given the chance!).  I've tried reminding them...putting up signs to remind them...nagging them....nothin g works.  Now I just try to be aware of every darn thing going on.  It's not easy, and I don't relax much....but it's the only way I feel my pups are safe!!  

My dad suggested strapping pictures of naked women to the dogs, so they would pay more attention to where they are....lololol .....

[Nicole]

I'm glad the pooches are OK.

I just have to ask, why is it that if we want anything done, we have to do it ourselves?! It used to drive me crazy when women would say stuff like that, and now that I'm married, I realize why.

My husband is just ridiculous about that sort of thing. And the other thing that gets me, is how come if we remind them or say ANYTHING we're nagging biznatches? WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?!

UGH. I'm not very happy with the men folk right now. Sorry.

[Jas2Cats]

"And as an added incentive, maybe the spring loaded gate could be tight enough to smack him on the @%% as he goes out! LOL Sorry
Stella"

Hmm.......migh t work LOL

"So now the gate is locked and i have a camera on the side of the house."

I'll have to have the camera on the internet so I can see it from work.  Oh, and unfortunately, DH knows how to work locks LOL  I used to hook caribiners through the latch, but DH just takes them off and leaves them.

"My dad suggested strapping pictures of naked women to the dogs, so they would pay more attention to where they are....lololol ....."

Love it~!  But, what if the DH doesn't notice, what will the middle schoolers think when the dogs approach them LMAO~!

"I just have to ask, why is it that if we want anything done, we have to do it ourselves?! It used to drive me crazy when women would say stuff like that, and now that I'm married, I realize why.

My husband is just ridiculous about that sort of thing. And the other thing that gets me, is how come if we remind them or say ANYTHING we're nagging biznatches? WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?!

UGH. I'm not very happy with the men folk right now. Sorry."

I don't know~!  But, I feel the exact same way~!

So, my neighbor came over last night to let us know he was the one who put them back in the yard.  He said he took them to the side yard, but neither would go in. LOL  Then, both dogs went to the other gate and sat there waiting for him to let them in the regular part of the yard LOL