Toward the end of my run through the woods and prairie at Dick Young Forest Preserve, I turned east on the last stretch of trail toward the parking lot and beheld a strange sight up ahead. At first I thought it was someone carrying an injured deer on their shoulders. But as I got closer the it became apparent there was a young man carrying his rather large dog.

At first I assumed the dog had grown tired or was aged and needed to be carried during the last part of his walk. But the young couple smiled and his Doggie Mama Megan told me, “No, he just doesn’t want to come home. He likes it out here so much he just lies down or tries to crawl into the weeds when we turn around.”

Augie had the sweetest face in the world. I bent down to nuzzle his nose and he gave me a lick. He did not seem like a stubborn soul at all. Then Max and Megan said, “Maybe he’ll walk the rest of the way if you walk with us.”

So we started walking toward the parking lot. But Augie was having none of that. He wasn’t falling for such shallow tricks. Instead he plopped his butt down and would not move. He even attempted to pull on the leash for a dive into the weeds.

I thought to myself: “This is a dog that knows what he likes and there is little anyone can do to change his mind.”

Augie’s reticence to go back home meant that Max needed to get Augie back on his shoulders for the last one hundred yards to the parking lot. Megan helps position the pup…

Then Max gets his head under the belly of the dog.

Finally he can stand up with Augie on his shoulders.

Then it’s time to portage Augie to the parking lot. He’s calm once he’s up there. Doesn’t put up a fuss.

Something about this meetup just made my day. Such a sweet young couple who loves their dog. Perhaps the dog trainers out there will deem this behavior unacceptable on the part of Augie and his owners. But I prefer to think of this as a happily symbiotic relationship that will evolve over time.

At any rate, thank you Max and Megan and Augie for one of the nicest little conversations yesterday. And Augie, I suggest that you don’t start making them carry you out into the field as well. That’s what the leash is for, good buddy.