I’ve noticed most stealth campers on Youtube have a dog, or maybe a cat. Well, my dog is a beagle. I never had a beagle before this one. If you are a dog lover who has had a beagle, how did that go? I’ve been told not all of them have a strong prey drive, but mine does. She pulls at the leash the whole time and looks for any chance to escape. But I cannot help but love this dog.

Beagles are literally escape artist. Actually, she’s on the loose right now with a wind chill of like 10 degrees out there. She somehow opened the c-clip attaching her to a 150 foot runner. I looked out our window and there she was strolling up the drive and into the cornfield. I’ve tried to coax her in for an hour now, but she’s busy chasing rabbits with her pink leash flying behind! So I decided I might as well pass the time by writing another article.

She’s almost 3 years old and extremely lovable, but also extremely adventurous. I’ve seen her climb trees like a fox. If she can’t find a way through a fence, she digs under it. She’s like water. Over, under, through, or around, she will find a way.

I named her Sky. She has been with me on all my trips because no one else in the family will keep her. They know she will escape! There was once I thought she was gone for sure. I was parked at the “Smoky Mountain Knife Works” in Sevierville Tennessee. I had side window half opened. I leaned forward to reach something and she went up my back and out the window so fast I did not even know what happened! There she was, gone like the wind! Vehicles everywhere! A camper trailer court nearby. A river. Woods. I hiked for over an hour trying to follow her to no avail.

I finally gave up, sat back in the car, called my wife to let her know my dog was finally gone for good. I was willing to wait 3 hours or so, but she was likely gone. As we were still talking, I heard something at my side door. There she was. Standing on her hind feet like a little person, jumping up and down with joy, and seemed to be asking, “Did you miss me?” I opened the door and she jumped right in. I rolled up the window, and finally went in the store. My little lovable idiot.

She got out at night once. Didn’t come in till 2 a.m., waking me up. I had actually left the door open on the house so she would come in.

It’s been a couple months since she escaped. I’ve gotten better. But now I know that c-clamp simply won’t work. I’m worried about her because it is so cold out there, and if that leash get caught, then she’s stuck. So I’m going to bundle up again and head back out. I’ve got left over turkey to bribe her. Wish me luck!