A few days ago I took the pups for a walk on our usual route. When I get to a partially enclosed green-belt area I let them off their leashes to run freely. This day that was a mistake. A lady approached with two labs, also not on their leashes. As dogs do, the four dogs began sniffing each other. Bella didn't like that and got a little aggressive but the easy-going lab persisted. Before I knew it Bella was running towards the street with the lab following closely behind.

I yelled for her to stop but she just kept going. The lab returned to it's owner. I ran after Bella with Wolfie in tow. I saw Bella running up the street towards the main highway and she was still yelping in total fright. It was both comical and sad at the same time. I knew there was no way I was going to catch her so I ran home in the hope of getting in my car to go search for her.

She was on a route which I have only taken the dogs on a few times to get them used to the area we live in. So just as I'm approaching my house what do I see? Bella....she's already at the front door. With tremendous relief I take her in the house where my wife meets me. I'm so out of breath I can't even talk. My wife explains that she heard loud scratching on the front door while she was upstairs in the office. She was afraid to open the door.

We were amazed that Bella made her way home on a route she had rarely traveled. Our pets are amazing creatures. So I guess the message here is to not take your dogs on the same walking route everyday but to mix it up so that they become accustomed to the whole area you live in. They have amazing memories/senses and instincts as I found out.