by Kimberly Stauder
I live in an older established area where people regularly walk their dogs and dogs regularly walk their people.
We even have dogs that walk themselves. Every morning, one elderly resident and her aging pet shuffle by my house. Both are stooped over as they inch along. The woman always carries a coffee cup and walks about six feet behind her dog. The animal is attached to a leash that drags behind him on the sidewalk. In all the years I have noticed this pair of friends walk by, I have never seen the woman pick up the leash. The pair quietly acknowledges our community leash
law that, in all probability, never states a person has to be attached to the other end of the leash.
It is common to see children being dragged along behind dogs twice their size, or pets straining so hard at their leashes they spend most of the walk at a 45-degree angle to the sidewalk. There are the new mothers trying to get back in shape that run by with the family dog attached to the
baby stroller.
This dedication to good health is a mystery to me but certainly looks impressive. One man had been out of work for months and walked by with his beagle, Toby, at least five times a day. The endless hours of walking the pet and observing his neighbors paid off for Toby's owner. Bob decided to start his own pooper-scooper business noting several opportunities right under the dog's nose, so to speak.
Evening is when I see the men of the neighborhood and their furry companions. Whether trying to work off the stress of a busy workday or avoiding a chaotic home life, they are very happy to be out with man's best friend. The men will congregate on the street corners to play with their dogs and share "guy time". This surprises me, as the women who walk their
dogs always seem to be on a schedule and rarely stop to chat.
With the recent change in the weather, I have spent the last several days outside planting flowers. This has afforded an opportunity to meet and greet many neighbors and their dogs that have been housebound during the difficult St. Louis winter. There is an endless stream of spring puppies in need of serious training that flop happily down the sidewalk.
Every spring, I am aware that several of the elderly dogs did not make it through the cold months. Sometimes I never see their owners again. The pain of losing their faithful friends remains too great to ever entertain another pet.
Over time, I have come to know all the dogs of my neighborhood by name. However, I can only identify their owners as Denver's mother or Sam's dad.
The neighborhood canines are well groomed though I wish I could say the same for their owners. People will wear virtually anything when walking their dogs. I have seen an abundance of mismatched clothing and ridiculous headgear. A person who will spend hours brushing and grooming their pet will neglect to brush their own hair before taking Fido out for a walk.
Yes, it is true -- a great many pets and their owners do resemble each other. The woman up the street with the very large thighs waddles by with her two hefty bulldogs as the trim jogger runs along side a sleek Greyhound. My elderly neighbor with the gray beard takes daily walks with his gray bearded Schnauzer, Max. And the redheaded woman at the end of the
block enjoys the company of two splendid Irish Setters.
The majority of the people who walk by with their furry friends don't have the first clue as to what type of collar or leash is appropriate for their breed of dog, nor do they understand how to train their pet to walk appropriately on a leash. And many forget to carry doggy bags to pick up pet droppings left in unwanted places on neighbor's lawns.
I could write an entire column on these issues, however, I am aware of something much more important -- people simply want to spend time with their dogs.
Young people, old people, young pets, or old pets -- it is just time enjoyed -- together.
That is the true beauty of owning a dog.
-- Kimberly Stauder
This came from Petwarmers
