Get the picture - Chloe and I are walking through the forest (a new one to us) and actually she is charging about, not walking!); its a cold but fabulous day. Id done a few sucessful recalls to the whistle and primed her with sausage so felt quite confident about her disappearing into the forest for a minute or two now and then.
We were almost at the top of the tree line, and all you could see for miles were mountains in one direction and the narrow straights that run under the Skye Bridge in the other. I just felt so happy and blessed to have such a wonderful dog and live in such a wonderful place.
Just as I was musing on the idea of posting on COL asking how many folk feel comfortable about their dog being completely out of sight I started to realise Chloe had been out of sight for longer than usual. I whistled her, nothing. I called her, nothing. I tried to stay calm but felt the panic rising. I kept calling and whistling for probably 10 minutes and nothing. So I sat on a boulder and cried my eyes out. She was lost for ever in my mind and would probably die in these hills (even though we were actually only about 2 miles from the road, it just seemed so remote.) Got my mobile out to try and get help of some description, but no signal...so had to go further up the path to get a signal and foned my pal to tell her to get the local radio station onto it....I thought, at least if she did make her way back to the road and she was spotted by someone who was tuned in they would rescue her. And then, just as I was trying to explain to Annie where exactly I was, Chloe came charging up the path
. She was absolutely soaked to the skin and I suspect she'd gone in the nearby river, there were plenty of peat boggy bits by the path, but nothing that would have got her that soaked. I just got down on my knees and hugged her, still crying my eyes out. I couldn't help it. I know that would have probably stressed her out (she already seemed a bit stressed, but how much of that was about the state I was in...I don't know.)
Obviously, she was put straight back on the lead and she walked perfectly by my side all the way back to the car.
I'm happy to report, she's fast asleep, chin on the hearth, and none the worse for her experience.
And I've just about managed to calm down!
I don't think I realised quite how much I love and need her until faced with the possibility of losing her. Its a very powerful bond we have with our dogs isn't it.
Sorry about the long post...thanks for reading