Tracy, a pet parent living in Western Washington, is no stranger to surprise visitors at her home.
With two cats and a dog named Nelson, she’s used to a bit of chaos. But one morning, things took a turn that even she didn’t expect.
At exactly 5:30 a.m., Nelson woke her up needing to go outside. But when he returned and waited for her to let him back in, she noticed he wasn’t alone.
A Surprise Greeting At Sunrise
Nelson was standing cheerfully on the porch, tail wagging, acting like everything was completely normal, even though it was still early morning.
He patiently waited for Tracy to open the door, unaware that the guest beside him would give her quite the shock.
When Tracy let Nelson in, she heard a noise behind him. She turned around to see a pair of glowing eyes peeking at her through the dark.
Startled, she quickly realized who it was: it was Dozer, the neighbor’s dog!
@dozers.world1 Everyone was on farmers hours today 😴. #dozer #notmydog #visitor #hounddog #catdistributionsystem ♬ Bloody Mary Morning – Willie Nelson
“Nelson woke me up at 5:30am to go potty and guess who followed him home,” Tracy wrote in the video.
Dozer had shown up before. He was known for occasionally dropping by and even pressing the doorbell for attention. But this time, the timing caught her completely off guard.
“He scares me a lot and I love him so much. Dozer got his treat, a cuddle and we went back to bed,” she added.
Dozer Knows Exactly Where He Belongs
Everything started three years ago when Dozer made his first surprise appearance. Tracy was working in her garage when he suddenly showed up, wagging his tail as if he belonged there.
She welcomed him with a treat and some affection, and then he went on his way.
That was just the beginning.
From that day forward, Dozer started making regular visits—not just for snacks, but for the company, too.
Dozer quickly got used to the whole household, including Nelson and the cats. Once Tracy lets him in, he walks around like he owns the place, accepts his treat, enjoys a cuddle, and settles in for a nap, wherever he feels like it.
Some days, he even sleeps over and spends quality time with Tracy’s family. Then, as if on cue, he’ll ask to go outside and walk himself home.
Tracy says he travels nearly half a mile through farmland and woods to get to her. Dozer’s original owners are aware of his visits and don’t mind him spending time with his second family.
They may not speak often, but it’s clear they know how loved and cared for Dozer is while he’s away.
“He comes from about half a mile through farms and trees,” Tracy says in another video.
He’s now an honorary member of the family in Washington, and Tracy says it’s obvious that Dozer sees her home as part of his own
He even has his own TikTok account where Tracy keeps posting his daily visits.
Tracy and the family love Dozer, and they hope his little “in between homes” adventure doesn’t overwhelm him.
“I do believe that Dozer is unique and he’s happy living between homes,” Tracy adds.