Lost dog's amazing five-mile solo journey home through Bristol caught on CCTV

  • CCTV of Pip's long walk home

A lost dog who walked himself nearly five miles home through Bristol after becoming separated from his owner has been dubbed as a 'wonder pup'.

Pip ran off chasing squirrels leaving his owner Libby Bowles frantically searching for him in Leigh Woods for around an hour-and-a-half in September.

Not to be deterred, the Spanish rescue dog took to the streets and strolled all the way home, taking in the sight and sounds of the city and even crossing the Clifton Suspension Bridge. He eventually arrived back 20 minutes before Libby.

Pip's route home

Libby says she "underestimated him enormously" and that he did very well.

"I ran up and down the route that we normally take and spoke to people, showed them pictures," she said. "Somebody said they'd seen him sitting on a bench.

"When I take him for walks I often get him to hop up on benches or walls as a bit of mental stimulation. So they said they'd seen him sitting on a bench, looking around, probably wondering where his treat was going to be."

It was the first time Pip did the 4.6 mile route 'on paws' as his owner usually cycles with him in a papoose through the city.

Thanks to regular updates from social media groups, Libby knew Pip would be getting home.

  • Libby speaks to ITV News West Country

"In the end, I heard that he'd passed Windmill Hill city farm. I knew he'd crossed the enormous roundabout at Bedminster - across six lanes of traffic - so I knew he was probably going to be home safe and sound.

"Very kindly some friends went to meet him at the front door so he had two of his dog friends and some human friends waiting for him to welcome him home."

Once she arrived he "leapt into her arms" tired from his day out.

Vet Dr Scott Miller told ITV's This Morning dogs' noses are able to use scent maps, which is thought to have helped Pip find his way back.

He said: "We think that dogs can use the Earth's electromagnetic radiation to map out where they are on the planet and then they can find their way home.

"This is a Podenco hunting dog from Spain. This is also a dog that was on the streets so he would have had some street smarts, but thank you to all the car drivers in Bristol to be very kind as he was finding his way back home."