Last week I met with a business associate in the lobby of a very upscale resort.  As we were chatting, I noticed a couple sitting in the lounge area enjoying cocktails and snacks.  I then saw they had a dog with them, which always makes me thrilled.  But in this case, I was mortified, because just as I saw the dog, its owner bent down, picked it up and placed it onto the table that held their snacks and drinks.  Are you kidding me?

When we dog owners take our dogs out, we are the ambassadors for all dogs out there.  To maintain the growing freedoms being allotted our dogs, we must respect the environment and be on the best of behaviors.  If your dog is anxious and nervous, it is recommended to use one of the K9 Comfort Spray products on their bandana before going out.  Our reviewers state that this has made a huge difference in their dog’s demeaner.

This weekend a group of friends and I went out to a local restaurant, and we happily counted over 7 dogs enjoying time with their pet parents as they dined outside.  These dogs were obviously well socialized and well behaved.  If you have a dog that is going to want to bark and check out every dog it sees, perhaps start with a picnic before potentially disrupting dinner for the rest of the restaurant patrons. We did notice an overly excited English Sheepdog try to pull the table, to which he was tied, while greeting a little Poodle.  Unfortunately, his leash yanked the table and several glasses of wine spilled across his parent’s meals.

The reality is, we are living a whole new life we never thought would exist, one completely tied and shared with our dogs.  As dog lovers this is fantastic.  It is no longer the exception to see a well-behaved dog in stores, restaurants, doctors’ offices, planes, in the classrooms and more. 

In this new era, dog owners need to be extra aware and respect that not everyone wants your dog to be there. We need to respect other people’s boundaries.  While you may love having a pup jump up on you wagging its tail and wanting to be your friend, don’t expect everyone to feel the same.   More and more dogs are being taken out, and a lot of these dogs start to experience anxiety.  Anxiety in dogs is on the rise with all types of to help reduce it, however having your dog with you while you stand in line at Home Goods is adorable to me, but when that same dog starts barking non-stop, it no longer is so cute. 

Let’s face it, when we look at our dogs, we see nothing but love.  As they say, sometimes love is blind.  Be considerate of the environment you are in; we dog owners are thrilled that our dogs can be a constant companion and it would be very disappointing if restrictions on our newfound freedoms start to be put in place.

Dogs are a magnet that pulls us into a very happy place, they make everything around us better.  If we are thoughtful and respectful as ambassadors for our dogs, they will soon enjoy diplomatic immunity almost everywhere!