When The Dogs Came Home

My long run is along gravel side roads.  Many of the farmers have dogs, and generally let them run free.  Sometimes they will come into the road to bark, or just greet. They are territorial and will stay by their farm. On this particular day, this particular german shepherd didn't do that.  Bounding into the road with me, it wanted to play.  No barking, but plenty of jumping and scampering alongside the road.  No amount of shooing would dissuade him.  

I carried on running with my companion.  The solution was at the corner.  They have a labrador, and it's a barker.  It totally flips out with massive barking whenever I go past.  My companion will surely keep distance from that.  No, they are friends.  Instead of the usual barking festival, they sniffed noses, and the labrador joined the party.  Sill a couple km out of town, the three of us carried on.  They had a great time, running ahead, searching through the corn fields, but always coming back to stay with me.  How nice.

When we made it to the outskirts of town, I called to them to stay close as we continued the few blocks to my house.  I let them into the backyard, and fetched a giant bowl of water for them.  They slurped that in seconds, and I refilled.  

I got out my bike, and walked them back to the edge of town, then slowly rode along the dirt road with them following.  At any time I could take off and leave them.  Before we made it back to their respective farms, however, they found another friend.  A family was in the yard, and recognized the dogs.  I explained the situation, and they took over, to get them both home safe.

Our poodle says hi to the farm dog

Why are they in my backyard?