They don’t look naughty from their pictures, do they? Sweet Dixie and Delilah, the two Abruzzese dogs we are taking care of while their owners are away. Their smiling faces seem to say “Who, us??? We never cause any trouble!”
We know better though.
This morning we had to get up early to drive over to Fermo, a town about 15km away, to get some booster shots before we head east to Turkey and parts unknown. Up we got at the crack of dawn, downed a cup of coffee and put everything in the car, ready to be the first in line at the vaccination clinic. Money? Check. Vaccination cards? Check. European health cards? Check. Map? Check.
Dogs? Missing.
This is our worst nightmare, losing someone’s family pet while we’re on housesitting duty. And it was very odd for Dixie and Delilah, who never run out of the yard without us. We called their names over and over, then got in the car and drove up and down all the streets and tracks we walk them on, looking for a clue. Nothing.
We felt horrible but we’d searched everywhere and it was still too early to call their owners in the UK and raise the alarm. We headed off to Fermo anyway, with our fingers crossed. It wasn’t long before we were back though, having grabbed the wrong map on the way out, and as we rolled up the driveway who was there but the two dogs, just coming in from their dawn stroll.
They’ve now been sleeping the entire day, leaving us to wonder just what they got up to. Midnight raid of the local garbage cans? A run around with some other doggy friends? Or maybe they just wandered down to the sea for a swim. Who knows, we’re just glad they’re back!