Stray (four-legged) walking buddies

Is there such a thing as a “Friends of Dogs Network”?

When I decided I was going to get off my rear end and start walking I wondered who I could get to go with me. No one around here wants to go walking. It’s not like I smell or something, maybe I talk too much (no, that can’t be it), or maybe they can’t handle all that goofiness that early in the morning. So, what do I do? I take off on my own.

Well, wouldn’t you know it…I’m not alone for long. All the stray dogs in the neighborhood got the memo that I’m pretty cool to hang out with. (The cats don’t give a flip, they are much too cool to be seen with me in public…but they sure like to hang around at night and mess with my yard.)

I stepped out the front door this morning, and behold (I know, too dramatic, but I like that word “behold”) two, new, best friends are there to greet me. They leave me after a block but wouldn’t you know it, two, new, best friends are around the corner. Big dogs, puppy dogs, brown dogs, black dogs crossing fingers so far, no mean dogs.

I don’t feed them, I don’t pet them…what’s up with that? Maybe they like that I’m singing to myself, quietly of course so the neighbors won’t think I’m some kind of freak. Maybe they know I’m not going to be mean to them or holler at them.

My dog-baby at home is having a problem with all this though. He shouldn’t feel slighted. I can’t take him with me, he’s just a little boy. There’s no way a little five pound Pomeranian can keep up with me…it would hurt him. Besides, he’s the one I talk to and love on when I get home. Those other dogs don’t get “Jerky Treats™” or car rides (no, wait, the puppys that followed me Tuesday DID get a ride back to where they first decided I might be cool to hang out with). Anyway, he’s my dog baby and those other dogs are cool, but they’re not Kipper.

I get this with cats. I don’t even particularly lurve cats, although I don’t hate them, either. When I’m at someone’s house, the cats are pretty indifferent. But when I take a walk, suddenly every Tom, Dick and Fluffy is coming out from under the bushes to say hello and walk with me for a block or so. CATS! What’s up with that? My husband says I must be a Cat Goddess and not know it.

I like cats…
…they taste like chicken :wink:
(I know, ewwww)