Post by Warkitty on Jan 7, 2010 14:30:22 GMT -5
Yesterday I decided to run in the evening after it warmed up rather than first thing in the morning, and since there was a group planning on running the truck trail from the Craven's house, I figured that would be good since I could let Strega run off leash a bit.
Well, I got there a little early and, not wanting to stand around waiting, Strega and I headed off jogging down the trail. This was great. He was sniffing here and there and generally doing dog things as I ran and allowed myself to start losing track of time. I didn't worry about him, he's done this trail before. Then I realized I'd gone about 20 minutes down the trail and I'd not seen or heard my dog in ten of those minutes. I called him. He didn't appear. I thought about it and decided he must have started digging after a rodent, but there it was dusk and I wanted to know where my dog was. I turned and started heading back, calling every little bit and getting worried when no Strega appeared.
Scenarios ran through my head of him running blindly through the woods, being picked up by a stranger that didn't read the papers or any number of things... I saw two other runners coming down the trail and asked if they'd seen him.
"yeah, he was running back that way 1/2 a mile ago. He's probably back at the Craven's by now."
"Thanks"
I ran, now all uphill. I may have had my best uphill running time, trying to get to my dog and certain now that he'd be picked up by some stranger. A half-mile later, the rest of the running pack came upon me.
"did y'all see Strega?"
"Yeah, he was at the car... isn't he behind us?"
I kept going, they kept going. I knew he wasn't behind them. He'd have come to me already. I called his name out some more as I ran the last 1/4 mile to the trail head and... finally at the trail head here came Strega running to me whimpering and crying and bouncing with joy.
Now, why am I bragging about this? Because, he went to my car when he got lost in a strange location that he doesn't know well rather than getting even more lost. Sure, you'd think being a dog he could just follow his nose to find me, but he's never been taught to do that (I've tried to get him to find treats using his nose, he just doesn't get it). Lacking the skill to find me with certainty, he went where he was sure I'd wind up. Not only that, he wouldn't follow anyone else. Heck, how many 5yr old kids do we busily try to teach that who don't get it?
Well, I got there a little early and, not wanting to stand around waiting, Strega and I headed off jogging down the trail. This was great. He was sniffing here and there and generally doing dog things as I ran and allowed myself to start losing track of time. I didn't worry about him, he's done this trail before. Then I realized I'd gone about 20 minutes down the trail and I'd not seen or heard my dog in ten of those minutes. I called him. He didn't appear. I thought about it and decided he must have started digging after a rodent, but there it was dusk and I wanted to know where my dog was. I turned and started heading back, calling every little bit and getting worried when no Strega appeared.
Scenarios ran through my head of him running blindly through the woods, being picked up by a stranger that didn't read the papers or any number of things... I saw two other runners coming down the trail and asked if they'd seen him.
"yeah, he was running back that way 1/2 a mile ago. He's probably back at the Craven's by now."
"Thanks"
I ran, now all uphill. I may have had my best uphill running time, trying to get to my dog and certain now that he'd be picked up by some stranger. A half-mile later, the rest of the running pack came upon me.
"did y'all see Strega?"
"Yeah, he was at the car... isn't he behind us?"
I kept going, they kept going. I knew he wasn't behind them. He'd have come to me already. I called his name out some more as I ran the last 1/4 mile to the trail head and... finally at the trail head here came Strega running to me whimpering and crying and bouncing with joy.
Now, why am I bragging about this? Because, he went to my car when he got lost in a strange location that he doesn't know well rather than getting even more lost. Sure, you'd think being a dog he could just follow his nose to find me, but he's never been taught to do that (I've tried to get him to find treats using his nose, he just doesn't get it). Lacking the skill to find me with certainty, he went where he was sure I'd wind up. Not only that, he wouldn't follow anyone else. Heck, how many 5yr old kids do we busily try to teach that who don't get it?
