STURGIS, Mich. (AP) — A recent Wednesday afternoon was a good time to be sitting on a bench in downtown Sturgis.

Even Frank Smith agreed that the sunshine felt fine. With his 9-year-old dog, Rowdy, by his side, they watched traffic pass through town.

Smith and Rowdy live outdoors. Having a nice day to enjoy in November is a bonus.

Smith, 40, said he wasn't always homeless.

He grew up in the Colon area, attended Colon schools and even earned a certificate at a culinary school. Cooking was his passion from school days and he worked as a chef at a Big Boy restaurant for 12 years.

But a lot has happened since then. He lost the one person he cared most about, his grandmother. Through the years, he has hitchhiked around the country, staying for a while in Corpus Christi, Texas, and San Francisco.

Rowdy was just a pup when Smith found him in the mountains while staying in Bisbee, Ariz. They became instant and inseparable friends.

Smith estimated that they have walked 9,000 miles together.

"I'm a jack of all trades," he said. "I will rake leaves, shovel snow, do what it takes to get a meal. My dog eats every day but as for me, I may not eat for three days."

Smith said he has thought about getting a cooking job. He's willing to work but one thing is certain: He will never be separated from his dog. That's why he avoids shelters and places that do not allow pets.

On weekends, Smith often stops at Servant Ministries for hot meals. Sometimes he attends a Wednesday evening church service.

Smith said his dog was stolen three times when he was looking for work recently in Kalamazoo. The manager of a Petco store heard about his dog and arranged for a computer chip to be placed under Rowdy's skin.

"Now, at least, if it happens again, we can find him."

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Information from: Sturgis Journal, http://www.sturgisjournal.com