WHAT just happened?!

The 10 inch by 10 inch laundry chute hole.

Zulu

WHAT just happened? If I didn't have the scuffed up right hand and the residual adrenaline in my system to remind me, I would think I was dreaming. I suppose that Zulu just thought that the best way to get to see the puppies was by going down the laundry chute. What?! I'll preface this story by saying that it has a happy ending.

The morning routine began with house dogs outside while I changed the puppy bedding. Once that was done, the house dogs came back inside and Tuloon went down with the pups. I went down again to spend more time with them while the little house dogs, Copper and Blue and the big house dog Zulu, spent some time upstairs as they always do each morning. While down with the pups, I heard a scuffling sound then cries from a distressed Zulu and ran upstairs immediately. All I could see was that the 10 inch by 10 inch hole down the laundry chute leading to a closet in the laundry room where Tuloon, the pups and I were, was completely plugged...........with Zulu!

As I reached to grab the only leg accessible as his entire body was recessed in the tiny hole, I wondered who I would call for something like this if I couldn't manage to get him out by myself. The fire department? I didn't want to pull on only one back leg to lift his entire weight out. He is 13 years old, 70lbs and suffers from arthritis so I grabbed him by his thick coat, where ever I could. He wouldn't budge. I thought for a moment of pushing lightly so he could then drop into the closet in the laundry room, hoping that I had enough dirty laundry below to break his fall. That seemed like a more dangerous solution if there wasn't, so I grabbed and pulled some more. Zulu shifted a bit, I pulled even harder and out he came. As he did, the whole ordeal must have scared the #@&! out of him because he expressed his anal glands at that very moment. When he was completely out of the hole I remember just holding on to him and hugging him tight to make sure he knew he was safe. Then I quickly exited the house with him just in case he had more to "express".

Once he was outside and I continued on with my dog chores, I couldn't stop shaking my head and wondering what just happened. It isn't like the laundry chute is in the middle of the floor and one might accidentally step into it if not careful. It is in the back of a closet. Since it leads directly to the laundry room where the pups and Tuloon are living at the moment, I had the chute hatch open along with the closet door so that it could provide some ventilation to the outside as there is a window in this particular room. I can't be certain if Zulu intended to "drop" down for a visit or if he got so curious that he accidentally got too close and lost his balance. Whichever the case, we can chalk this one to live and learn. Who would have thought?

You'll be happy to know that Zulu is no worse for the wear except for possibly a little lost pride and the door to the room with the laundry chute will remain closed.