Barf. I did not see this in France.
I just flew in from France and boy, are my arms tired!
In case anyone was wondering, my wife and I had a great time in Southern France. Good bread, cheese and especially good wine. We visited Avignon, Arles, Gordes, Rousillon, Nice, Eze and Monte Carlo. And even though we knew Hoss and Pepper were well taken care of, we missed them quite a bit and thought of them each time we saw a dog. And we saw a lot of them. Most were in the 10-20 pound range, but we also saw a few German Shepherds and Rottweilers.
Many dogs were not on leashes in the crowded city markets, and just followed behind their owners without causing a ruckus. It was amazing. Even people without dogs didn’t seem to mind or think this was strange. We saw vendors’ dogs wandering in and out of their cafes, “helping” behind the counter, even mingling with guests and sniffing other dogs that walked by. No one batted an eye and there was not one dog fight to be had.
I don’t think this would ever happen in America. There would be some silly health code violation, or someone would complain because they don’t like dogs, or the dogs would get in a fight, etc. Fortunately I have the Lucky Lab next door, where dogs are welcome to sit with their owners on the patio while they enjoy a beer and a bite to eat. For me, this small pleasure has become a reminder of my European experience.
Tags: dogs
I’ve seen the labs in some get-ups that are ALMOST as silly as the little French puppy in the picture. Welcome home. Loved Birdie’s photos. When do we get to see yours?