A regular visitor with no name
For weeks, a female German Shepherd did the exact same thing: she turned up in a family's garden. The family loved her weekly visits, but they had one small problem. They didn't know her name, where she lived, or even if she had a responsible owner. Stephanie Brewer shared the story on Facebook. She doesn't own a German Shepherd herself, yet every week, this beautiful dog unexpectedly paid her a visit.
Without knowing her real name, the family gave her the nickname K9. These visits quickly became a routine. The dog would arrive, spend some quality time with the family and their own dog, and then head back home all by herself.
A note slipped inside her collar
One day, the dog turned up wearing a collar. The family saw a golden opportunity. They wrote a short note, tucked it into her collar, and sent their visitor on her way home. In the note, they explained how much they loved her visits, asked for her name, and left a contact phone number. It didn't take long to get a reply.
Two families, one dog
The owner responded just as warmly. She introduced herself as the owner of Josie, the German Shepherd, and another dog named Tootsie. She thanked the family for being so kind to Josie, adding that she had noticed her dog always wandered off in that direction — a sure sign she loved her neighbours. She even invited them over, saying, "Come and visit us whenever you like." Brewer shared the good news with her followers: the dog's name was Josie, and the family had made lovely new friends.
Social media users share similar stories
The heart-warming story struck a chord with many fellow pet owners. One person recalled how a Rottweiler named Harvey used to sneak out just to join a female German Shepherd named Stella further down the street. The two dogs became best friends, much to the surprise of Stella's owner, whose dog was usually quite selective with other pets. Another user mentioned a friend's Rottweiler who would disappear for hours at a time. After following him, they discovered he was visiting the neighbours, taking a dip in one pool, sleeping on another couch, and tucking into tasty treats. As one commenter neatly summed it up: "You don't own a German Shepherd. Apparently, they own you."
What to do if an unknown dog visits you
Here are a few sensible tips if a dog wanders into your garden: check if they are wearing a collar tag with a phone number, just like this family did by slipping a note inside the collar. You can also contact your local council or a vet, who can scan for a microchip, before assuming the animal is lost or abandoned.
Translated from the FR Wamiz website using artificial intelligence
