Dexter

A few nights ago, I watched the most touching program on Animal Planet about a dog who rescues his master. After the woman fell 60 ft while running in a canyon, the dog ran to get help, and then guided a group of search & rescue men back to his injured master. This made me think of my ol' childhood dog, Dexter. This chow/German Shepard mutt was the smartest dog I ever knew. One day, my sister and I were babysitting, and we couldn't find my (at the time) four year-old brother, Skyler. We searched everywhere, but to no avail. We ended up in the backyard, and in a fit of helpless panic we turned to our perceptive canine and his instinctive search & rescue abilities. "Dexter!! Go Find Skyler!!" we pleaded. Without hesitation Dexter dashed into our house and led us to Skyler, who was peacefully sleeping under his bed amongst a medley of action figures. I remember my childish awe at this feat, that Dexter had actually understood us. "Good boy, Dexter!! Good boy!" It could've been a tender scene from Homeward Bound.

Just a girl and her dog. I recently found this polaroid of Dexter and I when we were both youngsters. It always makes me sentimental when I look at it. I really did love that dog.