While driving home from work just now (no class today, just study time), I saw a basset hound with a faded blue collar on accosting random strangers down the street. I typically don't stop for stray dogs anymore because Aaron and I can never get them to come to us, they just run away from us, fast. But since this one seemed to be walking up to homeless people, I figured his standards weren't that high, and since he had a collar on and was friendly, perhaps he was lost. So I stopped, and saw him run into an auto mechanic shop where a guy was working. I asked the guy if that was his dog, and he said yes. Satisfied that I had attempted to do my duty towards all dogkind, I started walking away, when the dog ran back out and followed me. I petted him for a little while, and after that, he started to follow me down the street while nipping at my calves and thighs to try to get me to pay attention to him. The guy tried to get him to come, but every time the guy got close, the dog would mischievously dart away. Finally, I had to call him over and catch his collar and lead him back so the guy could hold onto him.
I wish we could go back in time when a dog could chill unleashed when his/her human was working outside. Dwight has far too much leash time and not enough free time, and thus, has not had the opportunity to develop his problem solving skills. (If this seems like a jump in reasoning, read Merle, The Adventures of a Free Thinking Dog.) Not to say that the basset hound seemed to be smarter than Dwight, but I wish Dwight could have time to figure things out for himself. For example, when he's on leash and Big Poppa (the cat) starts running past him during one of his playful moods, Dwight gets really excited and wants to chase. But at 3 am, when he's off leash for a potty break before bed, he stays away from kitty, because he knows he will get bitch slapped otherwise. I think it's cause he thinks we think for him when he's on leash, so he doesn't have to think for himself.
On the other hand though, this basset hound was skinny, and starved for attention. On coming home and finding Dwight curled up on his excessively cushy bed, I felt lucky that Aaron and I have the means to provide for him in the way that we do. But I also felt a little sad that he has such a sheltered, city dog life. If only we lived in the country with more safe, open spaces, he could have the best of both worlds.

On another note regarding Dwight and the cat, whenever we take Dwight for a walk to the yard, Big Poppa follows us--Dwight on leash, BP off. Sometimes I feel like the Pied Piper of animals. Anyways, a couple of days ago, we went, and Dwight was really hyper. When we got to the yard (Dwight's designated hyper area), Dwight saw BP and charged at him. Every time he would get close to the cat, he would play bow, make a circle around him, and then run away. I think he finally succeeded in scaring BP, because BP got up and nonchalantly (as cats will be, even if they are scared shitless) walked outside of the fence. Perhaps Dwight remembered playing w/ the neighbors dogs in that yard and thought we had brought BP along as a playmate? In any case, I think BP was surprised to see Dwight acting like a normal dog for once.

To round off this post about Dwight, here's a song that Aaron and I came up with as we were going to sleep last night--sung to the tune of Kookaburra...
"Dwighter-baby sleeps on the big warm bed,
Comfy he is, all warm and fed,
Sleep! Dwighter-baby, sleep,
Dwighter-baby Gay your life must be!"

Sometimes I feel like Aaron and I are 7 year olds at a sleepover.