A student was riddled wth panic when her family's dog escaped while she was dogsitting - only to discover he had walked himself to his favourite village pub, again.
Emily Dixon was visiting her family home earlier this year with her boyfriend Lewis Makin, 22, when the pair when they suddenly spotted the beloved King Charles Spaniel, named Bertie, had disappeared.
The couple immediately began searching for the dog. After an hour of the pair running through the village trying to find him, Emily, 21, says they discovered the dog had taken himself back to his favourite spot - the village boozer. The cheeky 11-year-old canine had dug himself underneath the gate and casually trotted down to The Mytton Arms.
Emily said: "This has happened before when we first moved here. He ran to the pub before we'd even been there ourselves. We found him sat with a group of people being fed little crisps."
Emily, who studies at the University of York, said the pooch has become such a regular that the pub owners now know him by name. The dog sitter from Habberley, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, said: "He's full of character but quite a lazy dog. However, once there's food involved he's a whole different dog which is why he went to the pub. I think this is why he went back again, he enjoyed it so much. The pub owners know his name now and they love him there."
Girl, 4, mauled to death in dog attack pictured as neighbours hear mum's screamsWorried Emily had the responsibility of looking after Bertie and her other two pups while her family were at work that day but she was relieved to be reunited. She added: "My family were working when it happened this time, but they are in the village group chat. They were getting so many texts and photos of Bertie sat at the pub. They found it hilarious, as did the village."
Emily continued: "I was very worried, he's an old dog so I was quite upset because it was just me and my boyfriend, Lewis, at home. We've had him for 11 years so I've grown up with him."
Speaking about the master escape, she added: "I didn't think there was any way he could've gotten out of the garden. I was scared he had gotten run over as it's a busy road. I walked further down the road whilst Lewis walked into the pub.
"When I turned around, I thought I'd lost Lewis too for a minute. Then I found them sitting at the pub laughing with the [pub] owners. I was so relieved to see Bertie."
Emily says they have since fixed the fence he dug under but believes they may need to take him down to the pub more often to stop him taking himself. Emily said: "From now on, I think we'll definitely have to keep more of an eye on him.
"We've fixed the fence that he dug under but I think we'll take him with us to the pub more to stop him going on his own. My advice to others would be to always check your local pub."
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