One of my dogs, when he got older, was apparently calibrated with a “half-tank” alarm. We’d go for miles, and he’d suddenly stop. Not one more step away from the house...this would be a couple of miles out, on old logging roads. Turn around, and walk toward the house, and he still had plenty of bounce in his step when we walked home. Then, sofa-time.
My border collie as she aged did the same thing. She’d follow me and then stop and want to go back home. We also live up a logging road.