I had real trouble with Achilles being a roaming dog for the first year-plus I owned him. That’s how I came to own him in 2006, he was picked up as a stray and his people never claimed him from the shelter.
Achilles escaped several times from the house, the backyard. Once I put he and Stella in a neighbour’s backyard because I had to leave while people worked on my house. Over an hour later I got a call from the worker that Achilles was sitting on my front porch. Once he broke through the screen on the storm door without my knowing; I walked into the living room and saw his one-of-a-kind tail disappearing behind a neighbour’s hedge.
Some people would have understandably given up on such a roamer and given him back to the shelter, or done what his previous owners had done – never claimed him. I could not, would not, do that because he was an exceptional dog in so many other ways.
Yesterday morning I scraped frost off the car’s windows and unbeknownst to me the gate had not latched. I turned and there was Achilles watching me. Even while I grabbed the camera and photographed him standing there Achilles didn’t approach the gate let alone dash through.
Achilles is an even more exceptional dog now. Not only is he marvellous on leash, loves meeting people, is great in the car, he no longer is compelled to roam. We are so very blessed for, with, his presence, and that it was seemingly meant to be.
previouslytexan 