Let me explain. This morning my partner and I went out very early for a brisk walk - something we've started doing to keep fit. We were doing nothing more than walking, eyes set firmly straight ahead, when suddenly this brown dog comes charging from behind, runs straight between us and keeps going for about 5-6 metres then stops and looks back at us.

 

Straight away I knew this dog, which was a very young kelpie (I think), had decided we were taking it for a walk. Both of us looked around in hope that someone would appear to claim the dog but no luck. We tried simply to continue on but the dog just followed us.

 

The dog was very friendly (and smelly!). It would run off a short distance, sniff around a bit, look back to check on us and occasionally come back to jump up excitedly before heading off again.

 

We passed a couple of other walkers, whom the dog greeted enthusiastically but didn't decide to follow (having found us). I even held our newly aquired walking partner while a couple of girls (mother daughter team I think) desperately tried to get passed without losing control of their own dogs - both dogs looked like they were in more of a fighting, rather than welcoming mood.

 

Eventually I suggested to my partner that she should continue home so as not to be late for work whilst I worked out how to shake the dog. I headed back the way we came and my partner headed on. Of course the dog stayed with me (as I stated at the outset, I'm a dog magnet. This is the third time a stray dog has chosen me to be its walking partner).

 

The dog had a collar but not tag or any sign of a home address. Walking back I observed it's behaviour to see if it would gravitate to any particular house. Unfortunately it didn't. I did notice that it was very wary of cars. It would often come straight back to me at the sound of a car and sit quietly, keeping a close eye on each vehicle until it was out of sight.

 

I hung around in a nearby vacant block, hoping the dog would decide I was boring - no such luck. At one point it stepped on a three corner jack prickle that lodged in its back paw. Noticing the dog wouldn't put it's foot down I took a closer look and removed the offending prickle.

 

Anyway as luck would have it a female jogger came along, who was obviously more fun to the dog, because this was the exact exchange of dialogue I had as I headed her way and the dog spotted her and went bounding up to greet her.

 

Girl: "Friendly dog"

Me: "Yes, you don't happen to know anyone who owns a dog like this? It's not mine it's just attached its self to me".

Girl: (without breaking her jogging pace) "No. It'll probably attach its self to me now."

 

You know, she was right. As she continued the dog ran on ahead of her and kept ahead of her until both were out of view. Yes!!!

 

I went in the opposite direction heading for home.

 

The moral of this story is...if you own a dog. Care enough about it to put a tag with your contact details (or better yet your home address). People like me don't want the hassle of turning your dog into the proper authority (and if I did, it costs an arm and a leg to get your dog out of the pound) but if you at least tagged it properly I would make sure it found its way home.

 

As a footnote I have two cats at home so I can't take your dog home with me for safe keeping. I also don't see why me and my cats should be put out because of your stupidity. I really don't care if your dog ends up dead from a car that didn't stop fast enough 'cause your dog doesn't have any road sense - just so long as the dog doesn't get its self killed in sight or sound of me. (Rough I know but your fault it happened since the dog shouldn't be roaming free in the first place).

 

TET, March 10, 2006