Dogs are intelligent creatures, but there are some whose intelligence could get them into trouble. Five-year-old Dexter is one such dog.
In February, his owners, Jeremy Henson and Sarah Henson, had left for Las Vegas for a week-long vacation. Before making the trip, they got Dexter all set up at a local doggy daycare near Lenexa, Kansas.
The pup was supposed to be there for five days, but Dexter started to feel homesick by the third day. So, he broke out of his kennel and ran two miles to get back home!
He arrived at an empty house but made his presence known by pawing on the doorbell. Jeremy then got a phone notification from his Ring doorbell, and he was surprised to see that it was Dexter at their front door.
“So, we’re in Zion National Park/Vegas this week & Dexter is staying at a local doggy day care,” he posted on Facebook. “Imagine our surprise when he rang our ring doorbell!”
Jeremy often takes Dexter on long walks, and as it turns out, the dog had been paying attention to their route and had the local area all mapped out.
In the footage, he can be seen trying to get his paws around the doorknob so he could let himself in.
“He was bound and determined,” Jeremy told Inside Edition. “Obviously, he didn’t understand the fact that we were gone, he just thought that we were home. And he takes his job protecting us very seriously.”
Jeremy quickly called the daycare after getting the notification.
“It didn’t surprise me that he was on our front steps. I was just concerned that they didn’t know, so I called them,” he told WDAF-TV.
The pet-care service told Jeremy that they believe Dexter jumped over a 6-foot fence to escape and go home.
“He has been kenneled in the past, and hasn’t had too many issues. His older little brother is no longer with us anymore. I think he used to be fine hanging out there with him,” Jeremy said.
Luckily, the Ring doorbell camera had a two-way talk feature, so Jeremy was able to speak to him and keep him calm until a nearby friend came to pick him up. Getting him to a warm home that night was especially crucia, as there was a blizzard approaching.
“We adopted Dexter to be a watchdog for my wife while I traveled, and he takes that job VERY seriously, so that’s probably why he was so determined to come home,” Jeremy said.
He clarified that they weren’t holding anything against the daycare, and the couple also didn’t name it to protect the facility from any backlash. They believe its workers did the best they could.
“This is a story of a good boy who just wanted to come home and make sure we were ok,” Jeremy said. “Because that’s his day job and he’s extremely dedicated.”
After this incident, Jeremy’s appreciation for the Ring camera doorbell has grown immensely.
“Previously, it made me feel safe knowing that whenever anyone came to our doorstep, we would be notified of it,” he said. “But now, I truly believe that the Ring Doorbell saved my dog’s life.”
“Without it, he may have been stuck outside and wouldn’t have been able to find a warm spot to stay safe,” he added.
After arriving home, Dexter shared a picture of himself with his beloved dog—who obviously missed him very much.
“Dex was a little skittish at first but once he realized it was us he was VERY happy to see us,” he wrote.
Check out the video below from KCTV5 News for more on this adorable story.
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