Intruder!

In the middle of last night, I heard 1-2 puppies barking as well as the big dogs.  Our adult Vizslas only bark in the night if there is a strange sound outside - or inside the house.  I thought I heard a dog barking outside so thought perhaps that got them started.  That in itself would be very unusual because the house is set deep in the woods and far from neighbours. However after about 60 seconds or so, everyone quietened down and we all went back to sleep.  Then at around 6 AM, all of a sudden we heard a thud outside our bedroom door and thought, WTF?!!!  Had someone broken into the house and that's why the dogs had barked?  Or was a puppy lose in the house? I quickly got out of bed & went to investigate.  I had absolutely nothing to defend myself with; perhaps if I flashed the intruder that would scare them to death (I'm no spring chicken any more!!).  In the dark, I could see a large brown blob in the hallway and my first thought was - puppy poop!! Someone did a big dump! A puppy must have escaped - but how because I distinctly recalled latching their pen?  When I turned on the light, I had a big shock.  It was . . . . . .

 

Mr Toad!!

When did it get into the house?  I know how it got in because he had been hanging around the back of the house and the patio slider for the past few days and nights - probably wanting to get into the house where it was cooler (we've been having an insane heat wave). In fact, I had first spotted him when the puppies were playing under some shrubs by the patio. He is HUGE!  

So most likely when I took the puppies outside for their final pee before bedtime last night, he was by the patio door and just hopped inside the family room without my spotting him. And since the puppy pen is set up right by the patio door, Mr Toad must have made some noise to set them barking last night which then set off the big dogs.  So we have good watch puppies and watch dogs!!!  Anyway, having a large toad in the house is a first for us. (Thanks to Corrine for taking these pictures of Mr Toad for me when she was visiting.)

Mr Toad being relocated from puppies mouths and noses