Frederick, The Dog Rescuer

The summer after my freshman year of college I was quite the dog rescuer. Domestic dog running the streets? I'd track down the rabies tag number through the Humane Society and take that dog safely home. I was doing pretty well with the whole dog rescue gig until I found a small dog outside and off a leash. Those, my friends, are prime dog-in-trouble qualities. So I asked the couple at a house nearby if they knew whose dog it was. It was theirs.

So ended my spree of good canine deeds. Then today happened. I have excellent dog radar. If there is a dog within 100 yards I can usually spot it. This dog, however, is different. Usually I won't notice him until I'm right beside him.

The first time I saw him he was lying by the sidewalk eating snow. The other times he was safely in his yard, letting out a bark as I passed. Today he was running along the sidewalk.

I wanted to get closer to him but he was half a block away on Carroll Avenue, near Breakthrough. He'd stop and sniff and then trot a few more steps and do more of the same. I had no idea if this was a friendly dog, but I was about to find out.

Finally I got close enough to utter a sweet, "Hey!" to the overgrown baby. He trotted over and expected to be petted, to which I happily obliged. This fearsome dog behind the iron fence was nothing but an overgrown lapdog. We started our trek back down the block.

A couple times he was distracted by the barks of another dog, but I urged him along. A man passed by on the other side of the street and I am pretty sure he thought I was walking my dog without a leash as I kept uttering sweetly, "Come on!"

I let the German Shepherd know his owners wanted him. When we got to the gate I saw that it was cracked open. I also hoped it was the right gate or some poor kid, being terrified of dogs, was going to find a rather large pup in his front yard. I told the dog he needed to go home and I shut the gate after he slipped in.

That's when I noticed her. She yelled at me for stealing her precious baby. Haha, I'm so kidding- wanted to make sure you were really reading. Actually, she was so thankful (this I deduced by the repeated "thank you's" in an amazed tone) and was astonished that I knew where to put him.

I continued onto work with a spring in my step, happy to be of service.