Our Maggie Minx; Dog on the Run

I just finished walking the dog – in the 92 degree heat. And I forgot to change out of my black workout clothes. That wasn’t the smartest move on my part.

On the other hand, at least I didn’t let Maggie get away from me the way she did the other morning.

Call it lack of dexterity. Or call it distractedness. But, let’s face it – a mere three moments before I lost my grip on her leash, I was happily snoozing in my bed. So I wasn’t exactly what you’d call awake and alert.

But, believe me, once she pulled free from my grip, I woke up instantly.

Maggie Minx is not the most obedient of Yorkies. She’s a runner. And, boy, did she run.

She was four houses away in 2.3 seconds.

I called for her to stop. And then when of course she didn’t, I hurried after her.

We took a tour of the houses the next cul-de-sac over. And then we took a tour of the neighborhood past that. She was at least half a mile away running down the street dragging the leash with its plastic handle bouncing merrily along behind her.

But did it stop her? Of course not. I kept hoping that the leash would wrap around a tree, a bush, a fire hydrant. Something.

But, noooo.

When we have Maggie outside with us on the patio, she gets her leash wrapped around a weed growing out of the corner of the brick. So I couldn’t believe that she could be half a mile away from home and running wild and free.

At one point, I thought I had her. She ran between one guy’s wooden fence and his neighbor’s chain link fence. So we stared at each other for a split second and I swear I saw the gears turning in her little head as she plotted her escape.

She’s a smart dog and she knows about my bad knee – so she chose that side and ran. As she passed by me, I swear I saw her smirk. I narrowed my eyes and with a major lunge, went to stamp on her leash.

And I missed.

I lost my balance and smacked against the wooden fence. This has resulted in a major bruise on my hand, but I can’t imagine what would have happened if I toppled the other way and fell into the chain link fence.

Eventually, Maggie was headed straight down the street rather than winding her way in and out of back yards, so I had a little better shot at catching her.

And, fortunately for me, a good Samaritan saw her and asked me if I thought getting a treat would help. I said it couldn’t hurt, but I wasn’t overly hopeful.

Maggie finally stopped and turned to look at me. I was a bit nonplussed because she never pays me any mind when she’s on the run. And then, much to my surprise, she started running straight toward me.

…and then she ran right on past.

I wheeled around and looked behind me. And there, on the sidewalk, was the big black poodle.

The same big black poodle that all of the little dogs in our neighborhood furiously bark at whenever he appears. And the same big black poodle that I’ve been told is mean.

And suddenly, Maggie and the big black poodle were nose to nose.

I was standing there with my mouth open in shock hoping that the big black poodle was not going to have Maggie for breakfast.

I was immensely relieved that the good Samaritan had the sense to step on Maggie’s leash to detain her. Which caused me to snap out of my stupor enough to snatch up the little fugitive.

I thanked the good Samaritan for her help and I thanked the big black poodle’s owner for not allowing her dog to munch on Maggie Minx.

And I carried my dog home the three blocks because her opportunity to run wild and free was over.

So, yeah, I’m okay with walking Maggie today in my black workout clothes in the 92 degree heat.

Because this time I didn’t lose her. But I think I'm going to have to ice my hand now. Feels like it's in a permanent cramp from the death grip I had on her leash.