Dogs Adopted Us

By: Marci Shatzman

This is a dog friendly city.

Mizner Park had outdoor restaurant pet parents seating, and stores put out water bowls when we moved here 23 years ago. Little dogs were pocketbook passengers.

So, I’m surprised to see complaints about dogs in carriers, strollers or even on a leash where there’s food.

I understand some people find it offensive. But I’ve never seen a dog sitting at a table or slobbering over fruits and vegetables. Have you?

So many dogs live in our townhouse community, our HOA just installed solar lights on every lawn for dog walking after dark.

We’ve never had a dog ourselves. So, we had no comprehension how much it means to people who have pets and love them.

We do now.

We stayed with a friend who has two dogs. But we never considered what our presence would mean to Oliver and Nash. So, we showed up at their front door as innocent as children. And there they were, wagging their tails to greet us.

Dogs are notoriously territorial, and we were invading their turf. So, we kept our cool at first. We even got petting permission. And after sniffing around to check us out, they seemed to accept us.

These guys are used to dog walkers and family members. But even though we were strangers, it didn’t take long for them to ask for scratches behind their ears, or to cuddle up next to us on the sofa for a snooze.

My husband could even describe their unique personalities to a T. Our hostess was thrilled, and we finally got it.

“Dogs greet you every morning like they haven’t seen you for years,” she said.

For information on adopting a dog, check out Tri-County Animal Rescue, https://tricountyanimalrescue.com/

For feedback, email marci@bocaratontribune.com