Dog friendly cities

Bailey will be walking along just fine and then-- squirrel! Squirrel! That's how it is for me when I am walking except it's dog! Dog! I want to stop and pet every dog I see.

As a dog lover, I always notice dogs wherever I go. It's interesting and sometimes disconcerting how pets are treated in different countries and even in our home cities.

In Peru, there were hundreds of dogs and cats roaming the streets hungry and dirty. It appeared that having a dog or cat as a pet was not very common.


I recently returned from a trip to Colorado, which is at the top of the list of dog-friendly states. I was visiting a friend in Fort Collins-- a college town 65 miles north of Denver.

On a lovely and warm Thursday afternoon, my friend dropped me off to hike at Horsetooth Reservoir. The cutie in the picture above is one of the many I saw that day. It was more likely for a hiker to have a dog than not. I loved it! I was happy to stroll along and pet every dog I came across.

Later on, when I was in the Avon and Vail area, I saw adorable pups as well but not as many as in Fort Collins. So, as far as recent trips are concerned, I am deeming Fort Collins the most dog friendly, at least for now.

Four-legged friends seen abroad

When walking the Camino de Santiago across Northern Spain, I saw a plethora of different animals. Mostly they were dogs and cats and farm animals. In the smaller towns, dogs and cats roamed free. There weren't a ton of them but a few. They looked a lot dirtier than the ones in the cities, which makes sense.

In the larger cities, such as Leon and Burgos, dogs were seen on leashes. Some even had clothes on, but I didn't get a picture of them.

Here are some cuties I saw along the way.

 This pilgrim took his little puppy (seen at his feet) for the whole Camino. At least he fit in a backpack:)

Thunderstorms

This goon is Prince. He is terrified of thunderstorms. He gets this crazy look in his eyes, starts panting heavily and roaming around haphazardly.

Poor Prince is not alone. Apparently, about 30% of dogs experience storm related stress.

So what should you do?

Do not consol or punish your dog. Yes, distract them. Play music or turn on a fan. Give them a special storm only treat.

Some people use thundershirts that fit snugly like straightjackets. I have not decided how helpful these jackets are. I've used them on certain dogs, but they are still very nervous.

Then there are pills such as doggy Prozac.

There have been times when I've used all of the above methods, and the dog is still freaking out. If that is the case, you may have to wait it out. Try to find a place where the sights and sounds associated with the storm are lessened.

This is Paddington, or Paddy. She is the mascot for my business, Four-Legged Friends Petsitting. She was an Irish Terrier and my childhood pet. My family loved Paddy dearly, and I hope each of you have a four-legged friend to share your life with.