Our New Friend

I arrived home mid afternoon last week, only to be greeted by a gray dog in the entrance of my driveway.  He was wearing a collar and looked to be full-bred (resembling a greyhound, but a beefier breed).  A good sign that he was not a rabid stray.  And, consequently, my new friend.

He slowly crept closer to me, head low, showing a sweet and passive demeanor and, obviously ready to be my friend as well.  I stuck my hand out to allow him a sniff, and he tore off in the other direction, circling the yard and stopping to stare from the neighbors' front yard.  He was not ready to be friends.   

I walked in the house and told my husband about the lost dog and he immediately grabbed a leash to try to catch him.  I told him the dog was definitely sweet, but hard to catch.  He headed out anyways. 

My dog, Ebenezer, did not like his dad showing attention to another dog.  He sat at the front door making all kinds of unfamiliar noises.  I think maybe he was scared for his dad. 

Thirty minutes later, my husband returned.  He said he easily caught the dog.  I questioned how this was possible, and he explained to me that he is the "dog whisperer". 

He walked our new friend down the street and asked an elderly neighbor if she recognized the dog.  The neighbor did!  It belonged to a single mom and her daughter next door and must have escaped through the gate when the yard service left.  She explained that the dog was still a puppy (really??), only about a year old.

My husband walked the pup up to the front door and knocked.  A young, teenage girl reluctantly answered.  She looked at my husband, then followed the leash down to her dog, with a look of pure confusion.  It was apparent that she had no idea that her dog had escaped.  She said very little, other than "I'm going to cry" and "thank you".  I think we may have saved her from the wrath of mom for losing their new dog while she was away...thanks to the "dog whisperer".