Poodles are smart. Poodles are very smart. Yessiree very intelligent members of the canine family. Unless, of course, you are adding on to your house. See the human members of the family- we all get excited to see things like interior framing and plumbing going in. We are fascinated by the dark hole that appeared in Sarita's soon to be bedroom. Now we definitely know where the access panel to under the house is. Everyone took a look then trooped inside. I had to go feed horses.

At some point in the feeding of the horses the kids let the dogs out. They very excitedly ran around barking, smelling , peeing and just generally happy to check out where all that noise comes from every day. I gather them all up and put them back in the house. I don't do an actual head count but I am sure that Molly (soon to be 3yo blond dog to Sarita) is still out. So I keep an eye out for here as I finish the chores outside. Now at this point in time it is about 6:30 pm and dark. no lights out back. They have all been disconnected while working on the house. I never see Molly. Figure I missed her going into the house.

Then as I walk past the new addition I hear this strange howl that echoes. At first I think Buster is at my bedroom window and howling out into the addition. But, no, sounds too close and more like a dog IN the addition. So in I go. "Molly, Molly??" Woof woof. There is a little blonde head and front paws peeking out of the crawlspace. She got in but just did not have the jumping ability to get back out. So I go sit down next to the hole and drag her out. Much doggy happiness ensues.

I make dinner, everyone eats and about an hour later I am handing out some scraps to the dogs. One for Jake, Montana, Cordy, Spike, Buster, Molly, and Midge. Midge? Smidge Midge? Where are you? Hmmmm - not here. Where could she be? Back out into the darkness I go. This time I take a flashlight because Midge is jet black. Into the addition - Midge? Woof?scramble scramble. I shine the flashlight toward the crawlspace and in the exact same spot that I had seen Molly there is a little black face and front paws. I pull her out. She goes in the house and alternates between sulking and insisting on sitting on my lap for the next hour. Yes, she is 45 lbs (and one of my smallest dogs at that).

I feel bad cuz who knew she was probably standing right behind Molly when I pulled Molly out but I never saw her. Well it was dark and I mean dark and as a defense for my missing her - she did not make any noise either. I just wonder what she thought when I pulled the cute blonde dog out and then left her all by her lonesome for another hour in the dark :(.

But the main thing we all learned is that Poodles are smart. Yep so smart that they follow their noses into that neat smelling place and then figure out they cannot get back out. So smart they can get into trouble but cannot figure out how to get out of it. Hmmm - sounds a lot like my horses.

On the plus side - I admit to being happy that only two of my dogs can clear a 4 foot fence. Those two would never get stuck in the crawlspace. Wait a minute. Montana was doing chores with me. Could she have possiby led the two girls into trouble and then left them there?? Noooo.