A Howl in the Night
This story is inspired by my two Labradors Bungie and Zoe.  They like nothing better than roaming the neighborhood or playing with other dogs down at the park.  One day it hit me.  Zoe, the alpha dog, was the perfect protagonist in a murder mystery.  It's written in a noir private-eye, first-person style.  After the first page, the story (and the dogs) just took over.