One of the greatest joys about pets is the effortless way they manage to connect people to other people. A few strolls around a new neighbourhood with your pooch and you will inevitably run into and chat with at least one other dog owner, mostly because the dogs insist upon saying hello. If you start a new job, chances are somebody in your department has a photo of their beloved fluffball propped up in their cubicle and thus an easy conversation is born. I even read in a men’s magazine recently that owning a dog is now considered the best way to meet women
(something Britain’s fabulous Top Gear gentlemen also put to the test, pitting a stunning luxury car against a seven-week-old puppy to see which would attract more attention from the ladies. The fun antics begin at 3:42 in this video and obviously the puppy wins).
This idea of connecting through pets made me realize that I want to share more about my life with Rory here on Pawsh, not only about the things we do together, but about the challenges, triumphs, epiphanies and confusion that can arise from pet parenthood. So I’m stealing a little space on the blog each week to talk about life with pets, from my perspective, and hopefully yours as well should you wish to join in. To begin this column it seems only fitting to chat about the sentiment expressed above – connection…
Rory turned two-years-old in October and while reflecting upon that period of time, my guy and I noticed just how much she has brought us closer together. Evenings once spent hunkered in front of computers working are now punctuated with lovely meandering walks through the city and romps in the park; she won’t completely settle down for bedtime unless we both turn in for the night; and if playing with one of us, Rory will without fail pester the other until all three of us are jumping around like lunatics. It’s been amazing really just how much our 15lbs of fluffiness has impacted our personal interactions on a daily basis, not to mention our interactions with neighbours and other members of our community. That’s not to say, of course, that we were miserable anti-socials or that we never spent any time together in the pre-puppy days, merely that Rory’s presence has deeply enriched our lives and many of the everyday relationships we maintain.
How has your pet impacted any relationships in your life? Did you meet your best friend at a dog park or perhaps your significant other while buying a bag of kibble? Has your pet made you more popular with relatives or in-laws? Are you friends with the mail-person now because they stop to give your pet a treat? I would love to hear your stories!
