Episode 2 — In the weeks and months to come, Bronson settled in nicely and seemingly loved his huge back yard during the day while we were at work. He even worked hard to convince us that he was perfectly happy and content to stay in that yard all day, but one day his “clock” either didn’t work well, or we came home a few minutes early … and, when we were about a half mile from home, we saw him running past the antelope over those rolling hills as fast as he could, heading toward home.
When he got there, he sailed over that six-foot fence as though he’d been taking flying lessons! Of course, when he saw us drive up, he greeted us as he always did and tried to pretend he’d been home all day!
He was so funny, just like a kid caught in the cookie jar!
So, for the next several days, we came home early and watched him go through the same ritual every time. What a show he put on! Too bad America’s Funniest Videos wasn’t around back then because that beautiful, funny-looking dog would have been an instant hit.
Okay, time for a fence extension!
Quickest and cheapest way was to install a single electric wire about two feet above the fence. Surely, that would keep him in. But we lost that battle too. He wasn’t about to let an 8-foot fence deter him, not when he could spend the day roaming around with the antelope and whatever else occupied those vast hills he loved surrounding Cheyenne.
In fact, there were even times when we were home and we’d hear him howl for a split second as he went gliding over that fence. So we decided it was a lost cause and just let him roam. He was ecstatic and seemed to be reinvigorated by his newly regained freedom, AND he always got home in time for dinner.