We have one of those dogs who chases cars and other things. Motorists who travel Back Narrows Road, Boothbay often see Lacey, our friendly mini (actually a medium-size) Australian shepherd, crouched on the side of the road with me holding the extendable/retractable leash. As the cars, trucks, motorcycles, a few bicyclists, joggers, walkers and a rare skateboarder or rollerblader get close, Lacey lunges at them. The motorists who know about Lacey, if they have the space, will swerve away from her.

Lincoln County Sheriff Lt. Brendan Kane came by last week, stopped, and laughingly asked after rolling down his cruiser window, "Who is walking who?" I told him it was a toss-up most of the time.

One of the challenging things about walking Lacey is she hears vehicles approaching from a quarter mile away and will start her crouch when she hears one. I –"deaf man walking," as I am sometimes called by my wife because of my hearing difficulty – sometimes have to lunge back toward Lacey after the leash comes to an end; and sometimes, if I am daydreaming, will have to rush back and shorten the leash because I didn't hear a vehicle to keep Lacey from getting out into the road.

Now, some will say that I don't have control using such a leash. I don't deny that one bit, but I have always wanted my dogs to enjoy their walks and keeping them restrained doesn't allow them to enjoy their sniffing, exploring, etc. Just today, she enjoyed chasing a red squirrel that escaped under a rock. I was safely in the driveway at that time, and as Lacey approached the rock, I saw the wild critter poke its head out a couple of times – Lacey was too busy sniffing to see it!

When I get to go back into the office to work after the pandemic ends, Lacey will miss our three or four short walks each day; it will then be morning and late afternoon when you will see us alongside the road. I am hoping it will be soon. I hope Lacey can adjust.