Dog Loves His Daycare So Much, He Escaped to Go There On His Own

A Virginia pup surprised his owners when he headed to daycare all on his own last month. Where was he headed? None other than Dogtopia, his local doggy daycare. He even walked 1.5 miles to get there. Yep, this dog seriously loves daycare.

The dog’s owners, Mike and Dawn, say their dog, Sampson, has run off twice to Dogtopia—his appropriately named daycare.

No Sign of The Runaway Dog

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"We had let him out in our backyard like we do at least 3 times a day, and he had been out there no more than 10 minutes, so we just assumed he saw a fox and decided to chase it away," Mike and Dawn said of his last escape.

After a few whistles and no sign of Sampson, they decided to jump in the car and look for him.

"We actually drove to Dogtopia but didn't see him outside," Mike and Dawn said.

That’s because an employee had already seen Sampson and brought him inside a few minutes earlier.

Dog Disappears from Home to Take Risky 1 Mile Journey to Visit His BFFs At Doggy Daycare (Exclusive) https://t.co/mKSZudumnY

— People (@people) August 6, 2025

This Dog Loves Daycare

The daycare soon called the owners and told them Sampson paid them a visit.

Mike and Dawn were “relieved and not at all surprised” that Sampson ran over to the daycare, where they take him once a week.

The owners have had Sampson, a Plott hound, since he was six months old. They adopted him from Operation Paws for Homes.

“We think he was originally raised for hunting, but likely failed hunting school because he's such a sweetheart and is easily startled,” Mike and Dawn said.

"He's loving, energetic, protective, and silly," the owners shared.

"He has a lot of friends there(at daycare) and loves everyone who works there. It's his happy place," Mike and Dawn said.

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While it may be amusing that Sampson ran away to his doggy care, it’s also a little concerning.

"The scariest part is that he had to cross two main roads to get there," Mike and Dawn said.

What a charming story. It shows just how intelligent dogs are. Sampson may have failed at hunting, but he would probably be an apt tracker—he certainly has a keen sense of direction! 

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h/t: People

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Michaela Gordoni is an avid reader and part-time globe-trotter. With a bachelor's degree in International Relations and experience in the non-profit world, she has a passion for people and reporting. You can check out her portfolio here.