Blind, Deaf and Smart Dog Travels Four Miles Home

Monday, June 25, 2001 - USA

Now find your way home.

I don't know about you, but I didn't even make it out the door, let alone back home ...and I even cheated on the cabbage part.  But "Tigger", a 13-year-old Shih Tzu somehow managed to travel almost four miles from 2111 Lepak Dr. to 4508 Grant Ave., Plover without any guidance, reports the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Last weekend, little Tigger was dropped off at the home of Linda and Rodney Lila who were to babysit the pooch for a day while a wedding party was held at Tigger's home, that of Rodney's parents Bonnie and Dennis Lila.

Early Sunday morning when Tigger was let outside, she vanished.  Linda and Rodney searched in vain and eventually surrendered to their worst fears; Tigger was lost.

It was late in the afternoon when they hopped in the car and drove to the home of Bonnie and Dennis in order to break the bad news.  But somehow Tigger had already beaten them to the finish, a little over five hours since her departure.

It still remains a mystery as to what sophisticated guidance system the dog used to navigate the trip.  She is almost completely deaf, and her vision is very poor in one eye, nonexistent in the other.  The family indicates that she had never been walked in the area through which she traveled to return to Grant Avenue.

The toughest part was probably merging onto I-39. Image courtesy of Mapquest.com

Bonnie Lila comments, "How does a dog know to get home?  She might have always heard the train tracks. It’s just amazing."

Earlier this month, the family began considering having Tigger euthanized, due to her handicaps and old age, but they have since been impressed with her obvious determination and will to live.  Obviously she can fare quite well in the world. 

It just goes to show you that you can teach an old dog new trips.

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