The next-door beagle moved, and has been replaced by a Pitiful Dog.

Monday morning started with Hardi calling from the cellphone as his car departed, to report the neighbor's sad outside dog had broken the chain and was in our yard. We're right on the road, so I collared Faulkner and went out with him on the leash to see if I could entice their dog away from the road.

I'd not met this dog; we just hear him crying all the time out on his chain. Pitiful. (He does have shelter and is fed, cared for, etc.)

Thought it would be your average mutt, and caught up with it in the neighbors' front yard. Saw tracks in our yard indicating it had made at least one round around our place looking for our dogs, before Hardi saw him.

Next door, I thought I'd nab him-- step on the long, trailing chain at least-- until I saw the jaws. F dropped the gloves and offered to fight, but the pit/lab was only interested in play and ran off to the back of his own yard, scared, much to MY relief.... I nab strays all the time, but this one was better left loose (and yes I was prepared in case a fight broke out, and can gauge the "safe distance" on any animal's behavior..

Neighbors were home when I knocked and got him secured shortly after I arrived back in the my house. On their porch, as I waited for them to answer my knock, I saw the carseats and baby toys-- oh, THIS is why a dog not used to being an outside dog has been banished, for now, to the chain.

F is kicking himself now, wanting to go back out and play.

So I've had my AM exercise time (rehabbing bad knee, fun) and F almost broke my hand, holding him.

But here's why I HAD to post-- he is a good dog nevertheless, because when we came back in, the front door had not latched in my hurry to go out. Faulkner sat when I told him to SIT (yelling from the next room and hoping he'd obey), instead of nosing it open to fly next door as he noses his dog door open. He'd love to escape for a hill run, but he goes out into the road and we've lost too many that way.

Nice dog, but Mr. Pitibull will have to stay at home, thanks, and not visit here anymore. I don't want our dear, sweet Faulkner to teach him to fight!

~Susan