Arrow Makes a Point

I once had a neighbor in Maine who owned a black lab, Arrow.  Like all dogs in my town, Arrow had no leash, no fence, no confining boundaries.  Unlike most dogs in my town, Arrow was not content with hanging around the homestead, large and freewheeling tho it was.  Where Ginger, Pepper and Treacle, Lucy, Snoopy et al would (for the most part) stay in their yards or be out in the fields working with their masters, Arrow was a wanderer.  He lived for adventure and could be gone for days at a time.  His owner fretted at first, wondering if he'd ever see his dog again, but the fret never materialized into control of Arrow's actions.  The owner continued to allow Arrow to wander.

One day the owner was driving home from work; coming from a neighboring town (or as we locals colloquially called it, "the big city").  A pickup truck drove by in the opposite direction and there was Arrow, riding in the back, head up and into the wind, tongue and drool rushing alongside his head.  "He looked like he was laughing!" said the owner.

In a large, urban setting such as Vancouver, dogs cannot run free like this.  Too many dangers, too many conflicting interests.  But Arrow makes a point.

If you let a dog do what it wants, it will do what it wants.

Recognize and accept the possible outcomes, take responsibility.

Be safe.

Enjoy a long, happy life with your best friend.