I was about 25km away from my house. And I stopped to buy something on the side of the street. My girlfriend let the dogs out of the car to stretch their legs…someone set off some firecrackers and my smallest dog ran away. I then spent the next 5 days riding out to the town where I lost her…in the rain…twice a day…and riding around calling for her and putting up flyers. On the fifth day I was in that town and I got a call from my girlfriend screaming about how my baby was at our door whining to be let in. She walked home on her own…she had never been to that town before. And as she was in the car…she didn’t see the roads either. Amazing…amazing dogs.
[quote=“Stray Dog”]I’ve read several books about this phenomenon, and heard several stories, but this is the first time it’s happened to someone I know.
So glad she found her way home to you - I can imagine how amazed and relieved you must be. [/quote]Someone I know drove two hours away, TWICE, to abandon a dog. Well, not really abandonment since it was a stray that befriended her dog. The stray in question was very sick and she didn’t want her dog to get sick. The dog came back twice. By then she gave up, got the dog treated, and adopted him.
Amazing dogs indeed, mordeth. Loyal little fellows they are. Thanks for sharing the video.
[quote=“Mordeth”]I was about 25km away from my house. And I stopped to buy something on the side of the street. My girlfriend let the dogs out of the car to stretch their legs…someone set off some firecrackers and my smallest dog ran away. I then spent the next 5 days riding out to the town where I lost her…in the rain…twice a day…and riding around calling for her and putting up flyers. On the fifth day I was in that town and I got a call from my girlfriend screaming about how my baby was at our door whining to be let in. She walked home on her own…she had never been to that town before. And as she was in the car…she didn’t see the roads either. Amazing…amazing dogs.
I heard this story from the coffee truck guy down in Kuanshi last Sunday, which is indeed a helluava long way from Mordeth’s house. Amazing little mutt…
[quote=“bobepine”] Someone I know drove two hours away, TWICE, to abandon a dog. Well, not really abandonment since it was a stray that befriended her dog. The stray in question was very sick and she didn’t want her dog to get sick. The dog came back twice. By then she gave up, got the dog treated, and adopted him.
Amazing dogs indeed, mordeth. Loyal little fellows they are. Thanks for sharing the video.[/quote]
I thought you were going to tell the story I read before about a Taiwan man who threw his dog away about 15 minutes from his house and the next day the dog came back. So he took the dog about 30 minutes away…and after a few days the dog came back. Soooo he took the dog up into the mountains and again…after a longer period of time the dog came back…this time thinner and looking worse for wear. The man’s neighbors were all amazed with the dog’s loyalty and intelligence…the man disagreed. He tied the dog up and set it on fire using gasoline…and then said “Ha! Let’s see you come back now!”
Got that from a Taiwan dog lovers website…trying to find the link…
Sucks about the guy with the gasoline…but great bout your dog!!! I once made the mistake of letting Sambuka off the leash while visiting my gf in Hsintien…I was up in the mountains and Sambuka didn’t know the area…
Huge search party of South-Africans quickly combed the whooole area over and over again, but after 3 hours I was so dehydrated from bawling my eyes out I went to my gfs house…and who meets me in front of the door???
I seem to remember that dogs are able to navigate long distances by using the moon as a reference. There have been a few scholarly papers about it. Cats don’t seem to have the same capability.
Someone else said something about that…using the moon/stars…problem is this was the New Year week…it rained every day…and there were no breaks in the clouds.
Someone else said something about that…using the moon/stars…problem is this was the New Year week…it rained every day…and there were no breaks in the clouds.[/quote]
There’s much written about this in this book. I’m reading another right now that talks about animals ‘supernatural’ abilities (stupid to label natural abilities as ‘supernatural’, but there you go), and I seem to recall something about polarized light being one way that some mammals navigate (the books at the ol’ bag’s house, so I can’t offer much more at this point).
Anyway, it’s not an uncommon phenomenon, but still amazing every time you hear about it happening.
My dogs have an uncanny ability to find stinking matter to roll in, but that’s another story.
Someone else said something about that…using the moon/stars…problem is this was the New Year week…it rained every day…and there were no breaks in the clouds.[/quote]
Hey Mordeth, have you ever considered that the dog could smell its way home? Just kidding mate, I’m sure you shower regularly enough after those long bike rides. I’m glad to hear you got your dog back.
I’ve heard various similar stories about cats - particularly ones involving owners moving homes, and the cat disappearing and turning up weeks later at the original house.
Thanks for sharing that miracle Mordeth and ditto on the great video. Give that girl an extra hug. Can’t believe she found her way home.
Anyone remember this one? It wasn’t 25KM but still amazing and touching: forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.ph … c&&start=0
I’ve never smelled Mordeth, but aparently, his doggy has. I believe they smell their way home. Dog’s noses are supposed to be sensitive to even the smallest particles, and if it’s something the dog’s familiar with, he can distinguish it from a virtual jungle of other smells. That’s gotta be it. Give him lotts of love for me. The doggie, I mean.
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