Is he a smart dog?

A question Sam always answers with. . . Well, he's loyal. . .

Moxie has to be watched like a hawk outside just yet. He has a little tendency to be friendly. . . and wander. . . And until we install the electric fence, we watch. . .

And today, as it snows, I watch from the windows. And as I watched him wander towards the back of the house. . . and lift his front right back paw in a telltale point (sniff. . .sniff. . .who want's to play with Max?. . .). . . I tap the kitchen window glass. . .

Maxie! Stay in the yard!

Which stops him in his tracks. . . and that growly bark. . . and he runs to the back door. . . barky growl. . . mmmmma!

Max. It's me. Your Mama!

mmmmma!

And he runs back to the apple tree. To look me in the eye. . .bark. . .and dig at the ground with his back paws. . . a challenging manuever I can only surmise he learned from the deer out back. Well, because. . .he's loyal. . .and maybe not the sharpest knife in the drawer. . .

And he runs to the front.

I greet him at the front door. Maxie!

And he immediately begins search mode. Running into the kitchen. . . the living room. . . back to the entry and a gaze up the steps. . . back to the kitchen and the back window.

. . .I suppose that intruder slipped out the back door.