Soon after adopting a dog a few years ago, it became quite apparent that our lifestyle just was not exciting enough for him. He was almost a year old when we got him and we had never had a dog that didn’t stay home! And he was tricky — if you were outside with him, he would wait for the exact moment you looked away and then go behind a bush and be gone.

The first clue he was a party animal was when an Elks club member informed me what a great time my dog had had at the Elks picnic. But he didn’t stop at parties, he also oversaw a building project near the Elks.

Then he began coming home covered in grease —  he was spending time at several local truck shops … I theorized he was spending the weekends working as a diesel mechanic and that soon he would be bringing home a check that would help cover the cost of the gas that had been used up looking for him. But no check arrived.

He then began to recognize our cars and would hide when we were looking for him. Also, if and when he was found, he would study the face of the finder (me or my husband) … if it was an angry face, he would not come. So even though you were upset, you had to make a happy smiley face at him and call nice so he would get in the car.

One day while on Facebook I saw a photo of a dog on a girls lap … I called out to my husband in the other room, “Hey, Katelyn Klahn has a dog that looks just like Rollie.” As I looked closer … it was my dog. He was on Facebook!

Last year’s party season was a bad one, well good for my dog but frustrating for me. I caught him eating clam dip at the neighbor’s Fathers Day get together. He tried to hide behind a tree but the tree was too small. The next event he attended was a graduation party.

It was getting after 7 p.m. and no dog, so I went walking. Arriving at the cul-de-sac it was mass cars. OH NO! A party. I tried to sneak into the party unnoticed but everyone was like “hey, hi” and I  was like “just looking for my dog” not really crashing this party.

Oh yes, everyone thought they remembered seeing him having a good time and directed me down near the river where he was playing frisbee or baseball or something and really having a good time. In my happy voice I called him and he came running.

Next up was the Forth of July. I could hear laughing and music coming from across the field and my dog was missing. This time I called on the phone. “Do you have a golden retriever over there?” My neighbor said, “Well by golly, we do and he is having the best time with a little puppy that is here.” Me, “I will be right over.” The little puppy and several guests were so sad to see him go.

One day my husband looked all day for our wayward dog. It was about 3 p.m. and he called and said Rollie was nowhere to be found. My husband said he had even tried to dognap someone else’s dog on Huckleberry Lane thinking it was our dog. He even argued with the woman that it was our dog. It was not. Finally about 5 p.m. we discovered he had locked himself in the neighbor’s garage. When they got home, they let him out.

This weekend my dog was on Facebook again with his paws up on the dining room table at a neighbor’s home. He is not allowed to do that here. But then again he may have been sitting in a chair for all I know.

I recently gave my dog a curfew of 7 p.m., my husband said, aw make it 8 (see what I am dealing with, different dog parenting styles) … I said no, 7! The first night at 7 p.m. on the dot he returned home. Good Dog! I know it was just a coincidence. But I can dream.