TIFU by accidentally stealing my neighbor’s dog

So I’ve been dog-sitting for my friend who has a golden retriever. Super chill dog. Looks like every other golden retriever.

Yesterday, I let him out into the backyard, left the gate cracked open (dumb), and he wandered off. I panicked. Spent an hour screaming his name down the block.

Miracle of miracles, I found him two streets over, just vibing on someone’s porch. I leash him up, bring him home, give him a treat.

Two hours later… my friend comes back.

With her golden retriever.
From the groomer.
Her actual dog.

Cue neighborly doorbell. They were like, “Hey… did you take our dog?”
I had to explain that I kidnapped their dog out of pure panic and poor observation skills. Their dog’s name? Not even close to my friend’s dog.

Everyone was surprisingly cool about it. I am now known in the neighborhood group chat as “the retriever rustler.”

TL;DR: Lost my friend’s golden retriever, accidentally stole someone else’s identical dog. Real dog showed up after a haircut. I’m now the accidental dog thief of suburbia.