toto is AWOL

We have had Toto now for over a year. He is a super Houdini dog. I was so frustrated with him digging out from under our fence that we added redneck blockades to keep him in. Then, when that no longer worked, my trusty knot tying skills came into play when we tied a zipline across our yard to keep him in. I felt horrible keeping him on a zipline, but the booger would escape. Our neighbors have been super dooper cool about Toto just showing up to their house(s) and hanging out for awhile. We had other neighbors that would just point home and tell him to 'git on home!' and he would trot across the street to the brown house and bark in the front yard. Others walk him home.

With the weather turning cold, we have been suckers and allowed our pack of ruffians inside to stay warm. They all got bathed and gave the brown house a lovely wet dog smell for a day. While getting bathed, Toto's collar was removed. The wardlings put the puppies outside on one of the warmer days and that rascal Toto escaped and failed to come home.  To add extra worry and stress to the situation, the temperature dropped to 19* that night. We were very scared for Toto. He usually comes home. He didn't return that night and the following morning. We drove around our neighborhood looking for him. Went to the vets office down the street to see if anyone turned in a stray, as Toto wasn't wearing his collar. Nothing.  To be perfectly honest, I wasn't too terribly upset. He is a stinker! He kept escaping time after time and I thought that he felt as though his time here at the brown house was over. So, recapping...no Toto Thurs., Fri., Sat., Sun. Our wardlings were beside themselves. I was sad for them more than Toto. Last night, when Clyde was bringing the other 2 dogs in...all 3 dogs rushed into their crate. Toto had escaped from wherever he was, climbed back in under our fence, wearing a new collar, to the brown house. We let him run upstairs to the glee squeals of delight from 4 of the 5 wardlings. (Jacob was sleeping from his hard day of with Max and Luke.) Erin, Libby, and Penny bathed him and he nestled into their bedroom for sleep until 10ish, when he came downstairs for some love from Clyde and Ashley. Libby was sweet after his bath. She came down, gave me a hug and said, "He answered my prayer." Heavenly Father answered many prayers from the brown house.

So, Toto is home, wearing the new collar, and he isn't allowed outside unless he is on a leash. I don't think he will complain with all the added attention he will be getting. that stinker!