Bad Boy Dylan -- the second reason

When we heard him barking we looked at each other in panic. We began walking fast, then sort of running, then really running. Each of us with a dog on a leash.

We left the house as usual in the dawn with three dogs, but Dylan, prissy boy that he can be, did not appreciate the light drizzle and refused to budge out of the driveway. Annoyed at his stubborness which he'd been exhibiting more and more lately, I just took off his leash. And left him standing at the front door, under cover, while Mark and I took our walk with Daisy and Marley. Dylan could wait all by himself till we got back.

We walked briskly since it was raining and the dogs needed to do their thing so we could get to work. Once Daisy and Marley took care of business we turned back, short for a walk but Dylan was outside on his own.

Mark was nervous. I was confident. I was wrong.

So we heard the barking and my first thought was he's just standing in front of the door getting annoyed with us, but then I saw the jogger.

And I saw a small dog at her heels. And it looked like Dylan. That's when we started running.

Then the barking got louder and turned into a chorus. Someone else was walking her dogs, and like a good dog parent and a good neighbor, hers were both on leashes. But there was Dylan, leaving the heels of the jogger and running across the street to confront the leashed dogs. Fortunately the good dog parent waited with Dylan until we got there. I tried to think of an excuse but nothing came to me. Just said "sorry" and "thanks" and leashed the bad boy.

And thought about how easy it would have been to open the front door and let him go in, instead of trying to punish him by having him stand alone, outside, until we returned.

But I have been angry at Dylan, who I must say is the cutest, sweetest (usually), smartest dog. He's more like a baby to me than a dog. Now Daisy, there's a dog, a big dog. And Marley, he's small like Dylan, but he's all dog. Not Dylan. Dylan is much closer to human. Most of the time.

(Stay tuned for the first reason....)