Breed Bias

Before I actually owned a dog, and before I started coming to the dog park, I had very definite ideas of what dogs I liked and which I didn't. I loved golden retrievers and labs-- who doesn't?  Bichons, if they didn't bark too much, were cute little fluff balls.  Cocker spaniels-- and springer spaniels-- were cute and fun.  And of course anything out of Disney Central Casting-- in other words, anything of undetermined heritage and looking like a loveable moppet-- was a something I had to stop and pat.  Basically I was a sucker for anything with long fur and liquid eyes, and breeds that wag their tails a lot.

Then there were the dogs I didn't like.  I didn't like small dogs like Chihuahas and poodles.  They yap.  And they bite.  Pugs and chows were ugly.  German shepherds, Doberman, and rottweilers were vicious.  And of course pit bulls were pure evil.

How tastes have changed.

Dog Park Mornings

We've had a horrible wave of weather the past few weeks; two weeks ago, the heat was in the 90s and even went over 100.  When it gets that hot, heat stroke for both dog and man becomes a concern, and dog park visits dwindle to nothing.

However, if the planets align and I get more than two hours sleep the night before, I might drag my carcass out of bed around 7:00 or 7:30 and take Our Best Friend for a walk before the heat gets too deadly. (Also, before the Spouse and Three Dependents are awake and wanting me.) One morning I arrived at the park at 6:58 a.m., which is almost as astonishing as the sun rising in the west. At first I thought we had the place to ourselves, but then I saw a few people at the other end sitting in the shade to avoid the steadily-climbing heat.