Dog goes on ‘Homeward Bound’ style journey, swims across Lake Travis on way back home

AUSTIN, TX (KXAN) — Shadow, Chance, Sassy and Axle?

An adorable, aggravating blue heeler went on a journey last weekend that could have been part of a “Homeward Bound” sequel.

Leslie Robinson, Axle’s owner, said she went out of town with her fiance, and Axle stayed with her fiance’s mother in Spicewood. Unfortunately for Robinson, Axle didn’t stay there long.

Instead, Axle went on an estimated 50-mile, two-day adventure that included a swim across Lake Travis, and had an entire neighborhood looking for him day and night, before the seven-year-old dog casually showed up at home around 10 a.m. Sunday.

“I’m torn between being impressed that he found his way home, and being annoyed that he left grandma’s in the first place,” Robinson said.

The ordeal started Friday morning when the pooch escaped his grandma’s backyard. Shortly thereafter, he paddled across Lake Travis, and people saw him in Lago Vista. Others then saw him in Jonestown, which meant he was going the wrong direction, Robinson said. She lives on Singleton Bend Road.

Posts on “every Facebook I could think of” followed, Robinson said. Friends searched for Axle all Saturday, and when it got dark, they went out with spotlights to continue. Robinson said her best friend took her out on a boat to search the shoreline, but they couldn’t find him. At 3:30 a.m. Sunday, they went home with no sign of Axle.

However, a few hours later, Robinson’s prayers were thankfully answered.

Robinson went outside with her morning coffee Sunday, and there was her little adventure dog, sauntering into the yard like nothing was wrong.

“There’s no telling how many miles he traveled, ” Robinson said. “We’re thinking somewhere around 50, but it could be more.”

In the end, all that matters to Robinson is that Axle is home, but maybe it’s time to make grandma’s yard a little more “Axle-proof.”