Solha escaped from her enclosure. She somehow climbed the eight foot high fence surrounding her pen and was last seen running off with a pack of wild dogs, who roam the Afghan countryside.
She’s gone, in other words. Vanished into the bleak, unforgiving terrain. (Was it the trust exercises?) The only hope Jake has is that hunger, cold and loneliness will compel her back inside the wire. That is solely up to her.
First a viper bite, now this? I’m sick about it. Jake has been stressing out, hoping and praying she comes back of her own accord.
At first I was incredulous over the idea that a dog could perform such a Herculean physical feat, but Jake said he’s witnessed another mutt over there do the exact same thing (this dog was quickly apprehended by soldiers and returned to safety). Perhaps Solha was modeling behavior she’d already witnessed? Solha is a wild dog, after all, made of much tougher stuff than pooches on this side of the pond. The ability to scale obstacles — even ones meant to protect her — is part of her DNA. But it’s that same impulse that might also kill her.
Fingers crossed for her safe return.
All original content © 2012 by Jessie Knadler
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Kind of a metaphor for Afghanistan itself, I guess. Hope she remembers those regular meals and wanders back to base.
Me too!
You know, we have stray cats that come around – each time it has been a while since I’ve seen one of them, I get worried and think that a coyote or a semi have gotten them…then, when they get hungry enough…they come back. I hear their sweet meows by our back door, reminding me that their food bowls are empty. I’m hoping that Solha remembers where the food bowl is
Maybe she was in heat. Although I don’t care for trust exercises (my animals trust me because they know they are loved and cared for, not because I deliberately do things they aren’t comfortable with), I doubt an animal that was well fed and not actually harmed would leave over it. Especially after having lived as a stray.
sorry about that, it wasn’t loading as usual…..
My first thought was also to wonder if she was in heat. Thoughts and prayers for her safe return.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to read this, but am hoping, wishing, and praying for her safe return!
Thanks Kathryn. (“RHBH is blowing up!” — that has to be my new favorite slogan.)
I keeping her in my thoughts and hoping that she returns quickly and safely.
I was sorry to read of Solha’s escape. Some dogs can be nomadic yet it’s often intact males. Likely she got the bright idea to join the fun. “Trust exercises” had nothing to do with it; dogs don’t process that way.
If Jake can enlist the aid of other soldiers, I’ll pay a tidy sum for whatever action which results in her safe return.
Warmest Regards to you and June.
I am so sorry to hear…and hoping she does find her way back to Jake. I am sure she would want to come back to the comfort and love that has been given to her. Our own soldier’s dog lies at my feet right now, as we are keeping her until he returns from Afghanistan. I hope she comes back and that you are able to eventually get her back to the states, too.
Oh no, I am so so sorry to hear this. Fingers and toes all crossed for a safe return.
Hopefully she will realize that life on the other side of the fence is often not what its cracked up to be.
oh no; solha go home. praying for her safe return to jake.
Poor Jake (and Solha). I bet she does find her way back–dogs are pretty amazing that way–those fabulous sniffers are like GPS. No way she would want to stay away long. My dogs all have had solo adventures and all have come back (no place like home). Crossing my fingers she gets back safe and sound and SOON.
Oh no.
I hope she finds her way back. Maybe she was in heat and looking for, um, adventure?
I too am thinking she must be in heat. It’s the hormones she cannot ignore, teaching her “down stay” has nothing to do with it. I’ve never seen a dog that didn’t love Jake, horses too. Is there any way to have her spayed there? I think she’ll be back.
I hope you’re right, Becca! I hope she comes back.
Any word yet?
I have been following along with Solha and hoping that she comes back to safety soon. When you first posted that Jake had found a friend in such a troubled part of the world, I was so happy for him. To have a great dog with you makes any experience a little more tolerable.
Keeping my fingers crossed for a quick and safe return!
Hope she gets a little hungry and heads back home soon! Until then, fingers, toes, and eyes crossed for her safe return.
Oh man! I hope she comes back soon. Is it wrong that I’m imagining her putting her wild pack mates through the very same trust exercises and sharing her new found skills w/ them? Jake might end up with a loyal pack of super dogs.
i also think that solha is in heat if she is willing to climb and jump over such a high fence – this can only be related to hormones! and when she is “finished”, she will return back home to jake and you just might have other things to worry about. have you asked jake about the “in heat” probablility? I just hope for jake and for you that solha comes back. We have a romanian street dog – our first after years of having dogs whose birth we had the spendlour to witness – and she ran away in total panic on New Year´s Eve (thanks to the fireworks). We finally went to bed at 3:30A.M., leaving all gates and doors open to and in the house and at 5:00A.M. she scratched on my bedroom door. Thank goodness. She will return!!!!!!!
Blessings from a beloved reader from Germany