Extraordinarily Ordinary

I see this person with this strange looking thing go outside of his house and put a harnish and a long peice of thread and head out into the neighborhood.  The goofy looking thing is much smaller and tries to pull the man but the man always seems in control.  The pair avoids traffic and walks for such a very long period of time that it is hard for me to keep up to see what they do next.  The man gives him treats when the strange creature appears to listen to him.  People continue to stop the pair and talk and play with the creature, so I assume I will ask the man what he is doing.  He tells me he is walking his dog around the neighborhood and the creature is very friendly.