He ain't heavy, he's my buddy

Pull over, there's a hydrant

We met Richard Schaeffer, 62, and his dog, Charlie, in Hudson, MI on 11/11/11. He said Charlie could walk fine, just preferred to ride. He said he had been giving Charlie rides since he was a pup about four years ago. When we spotted them Schaeffer was pushing his dog's cart uphill -- and he'd had a knee replaced only recently.

Schaeffer said Charlie doesn't eat dog food, "he eats what I eat." He said you'd do better to take Charlie to McDonald's than to give him dog food. "He won't eat dog food," Shaeffer said. Thiddle is a bit concerned for Charlie's blood pressure and cholesterol level, but we were struck by the kindness Shaffer showed his dog.