Lincoln and Otto

Piccolo likes to antagonize other dogs.  She would linger at the door of the apartment downstairs to drive their dog nuts.  More than a year after the family moved, she'll still sniff at the door, looking for some trouble.  There's two dogs that live across the street that Piccolo likes to "trash talk" to.  Lincoln is some kind of a terrier mix, and Otto (full name:  Otto Irving.  Our homes are one block away from Irving Park Road) is a mini schnauzer, about one year old.  They use a doggie door, and can be in the gangway or, if the weather's nice, in their front door, yelling at passers by.   Piccolo loves to go by their house and get them mad.  I encouraged this, until a few months ago, when they pushed the gate open.   I got Lincoln back in the yard, but Otto, freaked out by Piccolo, barked, and jumped, and I could not get him to get back behind the gate.  He made so much noise that finally his mom came out, in her bathrobe to get him.  Six months later, the gate is still not secured, and I've been keeping Piccolo at a distance, so as not to give them a reason to escape.  This morning, I was taking Piccolo for her morning walk, and we see Otto on our side of the street, exploring.  I tried to get Piccolo's leash on him, and he scooted up to my next door neighbor's porch, she heard us, and loaned me an extra leash.  I put Piccolo back in our apartment, and fortuntately,  Otto's tags had a phone number, so I called, and got him home.  I'm hoping I've scored some karma points for saving him from potential disaster.  Little dog + city streets=not good outcome.  I hope that if somehow Piccolo got separated from me, whoever found her would do the same.
Happy birthday to my Man!  That's him in the photo, circa 1952.  He's still just as cute.  We have to get cards and cake for him today.  Tomorrow, I'll be at the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair, at a new location, the Lake County Fairgrounds.  Signing books and selling sweaters, hosted by the lovely shop, The Fold.