Chino and the Case of Lacking Sense
Now, it’s my firm opinion that dogs have more common sense than half the people you meet in a lifetime, and Deputy Chino, a K9 in Storey County, was no exception. Chino has the nose of a bloodhound, the patience of a saint, and an attitude that suggests he knows every secret in the county, and a few in Reno besides.
One evening, as the sun was tipping politely out of the sky, Deputy Harris spotted a car gliding down State Route 341 with no license plates, a fashion statement that even the most daring peacock would hesitate to attempt. Behind the wheel sat Ryan Rogers of Reno, a man who had evidently decided that driver’s licenses, vehicle registration, and insurance were for other people.
Harris had just begun writing Rogers a citation, a task that made him feel like a teacher grading a particularly stubborn student, when Chino and his handler arrived on the scene. Chino sniffed the air once, and his eyes narrowed with that unmistakable canine squint that says, “I know what you’ve been up to, and I don’t approve.”
One whiff of Ryan’s automobile, and Chino’s tail went rigid. A polite bark followed, which anyone who has ever had a dog could translate roughly as: “Excuse me, sir, but your affairs are both illegal and poorly concealed.”
Chino pranced around the car with all the dignity of a detective who’s just discovered the smoking gun, and, sure enough, he uncovered 15.6 grams of methamphetamine neatly tucked away alongside various paraphernalia, as if Rogers had been attempting a poorly organized science experiment.
Rogers, still sitting in the driver’s seat with the blank expression of a man who thought laws were mere suggestions, was promptly cited for his traffic violations and taken to the Storey County Detention Facility. Chino, meanwhile, strutted about like a general who had just won a decisive battle, probably expecting applause or at least a biscuit, which he received in due course.
And so the moral of the story, which any sentient being with a nose, paws, or a brain can appreciate, is never underestimate a dog, especially one named Chino. He may not drive, register, or insure a vehicle, but he can smell trouble a mile away, and he won’t hesitate to let the humans clean up their own messes while he enjoys the glory.
