Little Lulu - How Does a Dog Know Where Home Is?

My two youngest daughters have had a pet sitting business for nearly five years. It all started when my middle daughter eagerly wanted a dog. She wanted one since she was two years old. I don't know what possessed her to want a dog. I never grew up with the notion that I had to have a pet. So it was interesting for me to see how solid she was with the notion of getting a dog. My daughter was persistent, always looking for an angle to get a dog. I even found the word "dog" listed on my grocery shopping list from time to time when she learned to write.

But I always knew if we got a dog, the work would fall on me. So I came up with a plan with the girls, which was to create their own pet sitting business in order for them to prove to me that they were responsible enough to take care of a pet, and earn the money to purchase what they needed including food, vet bills, heart worm medicine, that sort of thing.

So in 2004 they put out flyers and told neighbors about their business. Within weeks they had their first few jobs, and since then have taken care of an assortment of animals including kittens, fish, hamsters, rabbits, lizards, parakeets, chickens and of course, dogs.

In most cases they take care of pets at the owners' home. They are entrusted with getting their mail, bringing in packages, and taking good, loving care of their pets.

Well, this Thanksgiving weekend, they took care of a friend's dog at our home. Dogs require more constant attention than any of the other aforementioned animals. This dog, a Springer Spaniel, has a lot of energy and is at times unpredictable. If she were a human, we might classify her as a party animal. She has boundless energy. If only dogs could speak we could confirm that. But we love her, she is a very sweet little puppy. We've taken care of her many times before with no problem. But this weekend my husband accidentally left our backyard gate opened when he went biking earlier in the morning. Lulu was in our backyard for hours and I did not even think of checking our gates because our own dog, a golden retriever, has never wandered far from home. We've even left her outside by accident when saying goodbye to friends and she quietly passes between us and the front door and we don't realize she's outside. Hours later we find her staring at our front door sending brainwaves to us to let her in. She's not even mad at us, she just seems like she was wondering what took so long.

Anyway, in Little Lulu's case, she was in our backyard just sniffing around and lying in the sun all morning. But when my husband and his buddy came through our backyard gate after biking in their gear it may have scared Lulu a little bit seeing them in their dark sunglasses and helmet and she ran out the side gate. We were just moments behind her when we realized she got out. My husband went tearing out our street searching for her, to no avail. The girls got their scooters and criss-crossed through the streets and yelled her name throughout our neighborhood. But no Lulu. Then I suggested to my husband that he go to Lulu's home, about a mile from here. Sure enough - there was Little Lulu. She was in the front of her home, guarding it. She would not let my husband or friend get near her. So I came in my van with our dog, Koa, (who Lulu loves) and that did the trick. She went back in our van and back to our home safe and sound.

My question is, how did Lulu know how to get to her home? She's been here a number of times, but was that history of being here before enough for her to know how to get back home on her own? It's truly amazing, and fortunately for all, a happy ending.