Ruby was Michael's dog when we met, hence she is my Step-Beagle. Sascha and Pip are Michael's Step-Weimaraner and Step-Jack Russell. The cat allows us to inhabit the same place of residence out of graciousness. Red the Parrot enjoys short flights, poohing everywhere and eating through electrical cords. Bentley the Magpie has learnt how to open the portholes on the flyscreens, squawks loudly and repetitively to be fed and has annoyed Sascha by pecking her on the head and leaving a fairly large beak shaped cut.
Ruby has recently caused us the most concern. Not to mention copious amounts of profanity and pulling our hair out. Ruby, the youngest of our dogs, is often mistaken as the oldest. This is due to her life mantra - why stand when I can sit? Why sit when I can lie down? She has the added inconvenience of a rather rounded tummy and usually sits side saddle when she hops onto one of our outside chairs. This she does without any invitation. We believe she likes the view.
She has a beautiful face with kohl-rimmed eyes. She also has a perpetual vacant expression which gives the appearance that she is not very smart. This could not be further from the truth. Ruby has a mind like a steel trap, the cunning of a stalking predator and the perseverance of a battering ram. And she is ruled by her stomach. Which turned her into a prolific escape artist.
Our property is fully fenced and the other dogs rarely attempt to escape. A notable exception was Pip the Jack Russell fleeing through our wire fence when the smoke alarm recently discombobulated. Most of the time Sascha and Pip are content with the confines of the back yard. Not our Ruby.
Her craters that she excavated under the fence defied explanation as she disliked physical activity. Except when she's hungry. And Ruby is a dog who is always hungry. She is a greedy little pig who is frequently disappointed by the amount of food we provide for her. Thus, she devised a method of obtaining more titbits for her enjoyment.
She has been spotted all over our end of town looking for unguarded food. My friend Denese came out of her house one morning to discover Ruby's head in Woody's kibble bucket. Lorna next door brought her home on several occasions. As has Shane and Marci from opposite us.
We hoped the really hot weather would slow her down. No such luck. She just started earlier, in the cool of the day. We were becoming desperate. Given her frequent - daily - escaping, three scenarios were becoming increasingly likely. That she would be run over, given her lack of speediness across the road. That she would investigate something live and/or poisonous. That she would be shot by a local farmer, concerned about dogs going after the sheep. We had to stop her for her own safety.
The solution was expensive and tedious and tiring. We have enclosed half our property - about 2000 square metres - with an electric fence that sets off a transmitter on Ruby's collar if she gets too close to the boundary wire. This was not entirely successful on activation. The collar's transmitter has four levels of "correction", from easily startled to stubborn as hell. We discovered Ruby was in the latter category and have had to adjust her transmitter a few times, in order to stop her in her tracks.
We have been successful at last. With an outlay of about $500 on our part, Ruby has recognised that parts of the House that Rocks and the fence are now no-go zones. She has coped with this inconvenience in her usual style. Once she realised that further resistance was futile, she retired, with no outward complaint, to bed. If she were human, she would expect a Bex and a cup of tea as well.
However, we know better than to underestimate Ruby. We are waiting for her next scheme to reveal itself...
Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth
The Snozz
Just wait till she takes those ears off me.....
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