Ketchum

Yesterday, while Ricky Ricardo and I were walking in our neighborhood, a little bitty dog came running over to us yapping and barking.  He (or she) wasn't on a leash, and his guardian didn't seem to be anywhere around.

I tried to lean down to look at his dog tag so I could figure out where he lives and try to help him find his way home.  But every time I'd reach down to him, he'd run a circle around us, the dog leashes would get tangled, and everyone was just getting way too excited.

I decided to walk Ricky Ricardo home, hoping the cute little dog would follow and then I could focus all my attention on getting him back to his home.

But then, finally, I saw a woman who seemed to be the dog's guardian.  She was yelling in a very stern voice to us, "KETCHUM!!  KETCHUM!! KETCHUM!!"  And I was thinking to myself, " That is the wrong kind of tone to use with your dog if you're trying to get him to run to you!"  She continued yelling to her dog, who at this point, I figured was named Ketchum.  She didn't, however walk towards us.  I thought it was so odd.

Ricky and I turned the other way so she could deal with her dog without the distraction of us.  But little Ketchum continued bouncing along beside Ricky and me.  Eventually, the woman walked towards us.  But the dog didn't move towards her.  She looked at me and said, "Pick him up!  Pick him up!  Can't you catch him?"

I told her that, no, I couldn't KETCHUM because every time I tried, he just sort of ran in circles around me and my pup.  And then I added, "Since he's your dog, it's probably easier for you to get him." Her dog just kept running away from her, like it was a game.  And it was really funny, and looked like a pretty cool game!

I gave her some treats intended for Ricky and told her to call him with the treats in her hand.  She did, and finally he went close enough to her that she could finally ketch Ketchum!