Let me tell you about my best friend
We love our families. We love our friends. And we love our dogs. Please don’t be offended if you’re in one of the first two groups, but our dogs are our best friends.
Sometimes we wonder if dog people are less social than others. After all, we’re never isolated, we always have a companion. We don’t have to go anywhere or do anything to make a connection. Unconditional love is cuddled right next to us on the couch.
They just don’t get it
We do have some friends who are not dog people and don’t understand their importance and place in our lives.
Because we have the option, whenever we’ve gone on vacation in the last couple of decades, we take our dogs along. More than once that we’ve gone specifically to go do dog things with other like-minded people. And our dog-deprived friends will say silly things like “but don’t you want a break from the dog?”
No. No we don’t. Thank you very much, but we can’t sleep if the dog isn’t next to us at night. We’d constantly worry about them if they’re in someone else’s care. And adventures are always more fun if you share them with your best friend.
Finding good options
There are, of course, many places where dogs aren’t welcome. That’s okay. We have the option of going someplace else. There are more and more choices available. Many businesses and entertainment venues are recognizing that everything’s more fun when your dog is there. We’re lucky that our local brewery/tap room has a welcoming outdoor space. It’s nice to meet friends, those with dogs and those without.
The advantage to taking your dog everywhere is that they’re accustomed to it and know how to behave in public. If it’s something that happens often, it’s no big deal.
Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic happened and nobody, dogs or people, went much of anywhere for a long time. It took months to get the dogs back to their previously well-socialized selves. But they’re back on the social scene now, able to go places, do things, and remember their manners.
Don’t worry about it
Even though we don’t feel it, or really mind, we’re considered “senior citizens.” We had to laugh. Apparently, our health care provider is concerned about seniors becoming isolated and anti-social. There’s a program that rewards seniors with money for being social. For meeting with other people, doing things, and getting out. You report your “qualifying” activities quarterly.
The company in charge of this project has partnered with the American Kennel Club to reward people for doing dog stuff. It seems kind of redundant, but there you have it. They’re delighted that we teach and go to classes three days a week. They even count aggravating board meetings as being social. Sometimes they are. Mostly not, though.
Best friends
Are our dogs truly our best friends? We’d have to say yes. After all, we spend more time with them than any person. They listen, rarely argue, always provide a shoulder to cry on, and they’re delighted to see us every time. Even if we were only gone two minutes taking out the trash.
There’s a quote that’s attributed to a bunch of different people. We like the Mark Twain version: “The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog.” Unless they’re dog people, of course.