You can take the dog out of policework, but you can't take the policework out of the dog.

Lagniappe is enjoying a pig ear tonight. Pig ears are one of his favorite treats and he gets them on special occasions.

Today he earned one.

I was working around the house earlier today, pretty much lost in what I was doing, when the little neighbor boy across the street somehow got himself stuck in one of those predicaments that little boys always seem to get into. The boy began crying loudly for help.

Initially it seems, no one heard him. I certainly didn't. But Lagniappe, out on the deck, did hear him. And with that special sense that good dogs have, he knew that there was a problem this time, and that the little boy wasn't just shouting and carrying on like he normally does. Lagniappe ran back into the house and began whining to get my attention, like he always does whenever he wants anything. I ignored him for a bit, but then he barked at me and I knew that he really wanted something. So I got up, and he ran back outside onto the deck, then turned to make sure that I was coming. Curious, I went out there, and when I did, I heard the little boy crying for help, too. I was on my way over there when his father also heard him and came outside to get him unstuck from whatever he was caught up in. Crisis solved and I returned to the Lair. And when I got back, Lagniappe got his reward.

Sure, he didn't actually do anything, but he recognized that something needed to be done, and he brought it to my attention, making sure that I responded even after I tried to blow him off because he knew somehow that whatever was going on was important.

As much as I pick on this dog and make jokes about him, I have to credit him for being perceptive and intuitive when it counts. He knew that something wasn't right and he knew enough to come find me and work on me until I took action. And even though I wasn't needed this time, I could have been. However I would not have been aware of it but for this still keen ex-police dog.

Good job, buddy.