The Day in the Life of Panther and Max

Today was any other kind of normal day in the life of Panther and Max. 

I worked from home and around 11 a.m. I let the dogs out in the backyard and I returned to my desk, tapping away at my keyboard. I was on deadline and had a few projects to get out before end of day.

I could hear the pair in the backyard going at their usual: a bark here, a yelp there, chasing and growling and the occasional scratch at the back screen door begging to be let back in.

Panther waits to play ball.

With the faint sounds of the dynamic furry duo melodically dog-speaking to one another, I continued my work. Then a scratch at the door from Panther again chimed clear as a bell prompting my not-so-stearn almost-on-cue command, "Stop, Panther." Shortly following, was Max's low-resonating bark --and I found myself saying, "Whoa, that sounded even clearer than Panther's scratch on the door." Strange, as I shook my head. I shrugged.

Then another scratch on the door along with a sharp yelp from Panther rang through. "Holy cow," I thought, "did that come from the FRONT door?" 

Like a scary movie, I reached for the front door handle and turned the knob slowly...secretly praying underneath my breath, "Please, Lord, don't tell me that's Panther out THERE?" The door opened and sneaking his way through was -- yes, you guessed it, Panther! This jackrabbit! Without a word, without a sound, without as much a growl, it was as if he held his paw to me and said, "Don't ask!" 

I shut the door and yelled, "Ari...Panther just walked through the front door. WHAT THE HECK? Panther just walked through the front door??? Go find Max." 

She leaped to her feet, ran out from her room to the living room asking, "What?" Exactly.

Max is begging for food at the table.

She reached for the front door, opened it, and guess who was sitting on the front porch? Yep. Max, with his ears down and slanted eyes. Caught.

He matter-of-factly walked through the door, crossed the cold tile floor and it was as if he, too, raised his paw to say, "Don't ask."

I wrangled both dogs and placed them in their kennels. Ariana and I went to investigate and found the back side gate (which stands taller than 6 feet high) unlocked and wide open.

I wish I were a fly on the wall -- or a flea on the dogs -- to see just how they managed to jiggle the gate open.

I chuckled and still wonder in amazement: 1) how did they do it? 2) how long were they out there? 3) were they calling to me from the front of the house (was that them barking?), and 4) what was going through their heads, Panther's in particular, when they both decided to KNOCK on the front door?