Houdini

My sweet baby doggie boy, Jasper, needs to seek out a career in the circus, or enter the doggie Olympics. Somehow, my 7 lb, 11 oz, less than 10 in high little rascal has figured out how to jump/climb over his baby gate, which keeps him safely contained in the upstairs bathroom while no one is home.

I had an inkling that he might learn how to escape his approved area when my roommate, Jamie, told me about his vertical jump she witnessed. Apparently he can jump pretty high on all fours. But I figured that in order to clear the baby gate, he would have to not only master his vertical jump but couple it with forward motion. So I thought we were safe.

Yesterday when I went home for lunch [I love being able to do that now, by the way] to let him out, he met me at the top of the stairs. I looked at him and asked him how he got out, but of course he just smiled and wagged his tail. Yeah, I wouldn't tell me either. There were no "puppy piddle" spots anywhere, so I was relieved. I had thought maybe he had shimmied out underneath the gate or something. He can stretch out and make himself pretty flat when he wants to. When I got home that evening, I went upstairs and there was no Jasper! He wasn't in the bathroom; he wasn't anywhere upstairs! I started calling his name, and I heard the 'jangle, jangle' of his tags when he shakes himself coming from downstairs. He peeked around the corner at the bottom of the stairs and looked up at me, as if saying, 'hey mom, what's up?" Yeah. Mr. Innocent himself. I gave him the 'mom stare', which surprisingly had no effect on him.....

This morning I raised the gate even higher and stuffed towels under the bottom to keep him from wiggling out. Jamie was in the bathroom getting ready, and I went to the bottom of the stairs to watch for a bit to see what he would do. It wasn't a minute later that he jumped, hooked his front paws on the top of the gate, and shimmied his way up and over that darned gate!!!! I couldn't believe it. Then he sat at the top of the stairs, smiling at me all cute and innocent-like. The cute little devil. We ended up shutting the bathroom door, which I don't really like doing b/c I like for him to be able to look out and not feel so...contained. Yeah, I spoil.

When I went home at lunch today, I rigged up the baby gate in what I hope will be Jasper proof. I angled it so that the top is leaning slightly in [hopefully to keep him from being able to get leverage], and raised it about 6 or 7 inches from the ground. Underneath, I stuffed a few boxes so he couldn't wiggle out.

I am hoping this will work. Otherwise I will have to buy another baby gate. Does anyone have any other suggestions?