"No leash — imagine that."
I often overhear this comment from dog owners with their pets on a leash while mine walks freely by my side, and it always makes me think of the journey it took to get to this point with my Miley.
My partner, Isaac, found Miley two days before we met in 2021. He was living in a Southwestern city when he saw her hiding — presumably from the heat — under a car in his neighborhood. Isaac said he was surprised to find that, after she had rejected his roommate, the stray pup willingly stepped into his arms and let him carry her inside. She was wearing a collar, but the tag had been ripped off.
Isaac said he took the stray to the vet and was immediately asked what her name was. On the spot, he blurted out the first name that popped into his head: Miley.
The vet informed Isaac that the dog was not microchipped. And after a couple of weeks of putting up posters and searching for the owner, Isaac decided to keep Miley. He says her grateful nature and adventurous spirit have brightened his life.
The first step was earning Miley's trust
Miley didn't take to me at first.
When Isaac and I started dating, I visited him often and worked from his home. Miley would keep her distance, sitting on the floor and rejecting affection. But I found that the best way to bond with her was taking her for walks — which seemed to be her favorite thing to do.
Eventually, Isaac and Miley moved in with me in New York. Last summer, we packed up his car with everything that would fit, including space for Miley's carrier, and drove across the country.
Trusting her back was key
During this trip, I noticed that Miley seemed much more relaxed around me and obedient when called, signaling to me that she may be ready to go off-leash.
So, when we stopped for gas, I took her to grassy areas without a leash to let her go potty. At first, I took her to big fields far from the road, just in case. But I was surprised to find that I could trust her. She would sometimes stick by me and other times, she'd wander. But she always came running when I called her back — and she still does.
It still warms my heart that, even with the freedom to run, Miley obeys me. I've had many dogs throughout my life, and none have ever made me feel like I could trust them to stay close.
Now, Miley is a city dog. Although she seems to hate it, we leash her up on sidewalks for her safety since the streets are often busy with cars. But as soon as we make it to the park, she's free.
Lately, I've been noticing her listening even better. When there are other dogs around, sometimes I test her by walking near her and seeing if she'll listen to me even with the distraction. She always does, and we weave around the park without disturbing other animals.
It didn't take long for me to see the grateful nature Isaac saw in Miley the day he met her. To me, with or without a leash, Miley seems to understand that we gave her a new life and trusts that it's a good one.
