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I utilized to believe walking a dog without a leash would not be possible.
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But then I got Miley, a roaming my partner discovered. She’s the most well-behaved animal I’ve had.
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Without a leash, she likes to roam — however she’ll constantly return when called.
“No leash — picture that.”
I frequently overhear this remark from dog owners with their animals on a leash while mine strolls easily by my side, and it constantly makes me consider the journey it required to get to this point with my Miley.
My partner, Isaac, discovered Miley 2 days prior to we satisfied in 2021. He was residing in a Southwestern city when he saw her hiding — probably from the heat — under a car in his area. Isaac said he was shocked to discover that, after she had actually declined his roomie, the stray pup voluntarily entered his arms and let him bring her within. She was using a collar, however the tag had actually been duped.
Isaac said he took the roaming to the veterinarian and was instantly asked what her name was. On the area, he blurted out the given name that popped into his head: Miley.
The veterinarian notified Isaac that the dog was not microchipped. And after a number of weeks of setting up posters and looking for the owner, Isaac chose to keep Miley. He says her grateful nature and daring spirit have actually brightened his life.
The primary step was making Miley’s trust
Miley didn’t require to me initially.
When Isaac and I started dating, I visited him often and worked from his home. Miley would keep her distance, sitting on the floor and rejecting affection. But I found that the best way to bond with her was taking her for walks — which seemed to be her favorite thing to do.
Eventually, Isaac and Miley moved in with me in New York. Last summer, we packed up his car with everything that would fit, including space for Miley’s carrier, and drove across the country.
Trusting her back was key
During this trip, I noticed that Miley seemed much more relaxed around me and obedient when called, signaling to me that she may be ready to go off-leash.
So, when we stopped for gas, I took her to grassy areas without a leash to let her go potty. At very first, I took her to big fields far from the road, just in case. But I was surprised to find that I could trust her. She would sometimes stick by me and other times, she’d wander. But she always came running when I called her back — and she still does.
It still warms my heart that, even with the freedom to run, Miley obeys me. I’ve had many dogs throughout my life, and none have ever made me feel like I could trust them to stay close.
Now, Miley is a city dog. Although she seems to hate it, we leash her up on sidewalks for her safety since the streets are frequently busy with cars. But as soon as we make it to the park, she’s free.
Lately, I’ve been noticing her listening even better. When there are other dogs around, sometimes I test her by walking near her and seeing if she’ll listen to me even with the distraction. She always does, and we weave around the park without disturbing other animals.
It didn’t take long for me to see the grateful nature Isaac saw in Miley the day he met her. To me, with or without a leash, Miley seems to understand that we gave her a brand-new life and trusts that it’s a good one.
Read the initial post on Insider
