Monthly Archives: July 2012

Porta Garibaldi to Sant’Agostino

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As Magnum P.I. used to say, “I know what you’re thinking and you’re right.”

This nice Italian gentleman and his dog do bear a striking resemblance to one another. But honestly, that wasn’t the first thought I had when they boarded this Milan Metro train one Saturday morning. I was more focused on how great it is that you can hop on the subway with your dog in Italy and everyone’s okay with it. Hmm. I offered my seat, but the man preferred to stand with his friend in his arms for the entire journey. So I sat there staring at this relaxed pup and reminiscing about the days when I used to commute into San Francisco from Oakland on BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). The only dogs I ever saw on those trains were service-dogs-in-training, or dogs pretending to be service-dogs-in-training. And whether or not they really were service-dogs-in-training, they were wearing the service-dog-in-training cape. Everyone knows that cape means “Step off! Don’t give me any attention, don’t even think of petting me or saying silly stuff to me in baby voices.” Which is another thing Magnum P.I. used to say: “Don’t look at the dogs!”

I didn’t pet this dog or say silly stuff to him either, I was just glad he was out and about. He made a trip on a crowded subway train much more pleasant. Now that’s a service dog!

A Stylish Couple

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One Saturday afternoon in the piazza outside the Duomo di Milano, this particular pair struck me as the perfect picture of everything I envy about the quintessential Italian lifestyle. Relaxed, confident, stylish (how do they do it?). My jaw drops and I imagine this faithful dog rescuing stranded climbers in the Alps on a regular basis (of course she does!). This woman is probably a designer or maybe she has a vineyard somewhere or both (I’m sure that’s it). I stand there wondering if I could ever wear lavender All-Stars as well as she does (and why didn’t it occur to me to wear lavender All-Stars that day?).

As I slyly continue to observe, I see that the champion Alpine rescue dog has taken notice of something and her gaze is fixed upon it: an equally stylish significant other (the heir to a textile empire?) has emerged from a nearby museum (was he dropping off a statue they no longer had room for?) and she goes directly to him. He kneels to greet her and fluffs the fur around her neck, scratches her ears. She’s in heaven. The woman joins them and they stroll out of the piazza together (probably to return to the vineyard or a weekend house on Lake Como).

Imagination aside, the whole little vignette of this couple with their lovable dog was a beautiful sight to see that day. And all I really know for sure is that I was grateful to watch.

Lola at Yoga

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Here’s a great example of dogs making something better. When I joined my yoga group a few years back, I was so happy on my first day to see that the instructor brings her dog to every session. Most people already know that yoga is great for reducing stress and increasing relaxation & focused breathing, but add a lazy snoozy Lab and that benefit skyrockets! You can’t help but relax. The first dog that came to class was Yogi, an older black Lab that passed away last year from cancer. Oddly enough, as soon as that sad event happened Lola transitioned from Yogi’s goofy sidekick to Miss Namaste practically overnight. Now she yawns and naps and breathes, rising only at the end of our session for her own “down dog” (because what else would she do, right?). After that she makes a beeline for me because she knows I bring her a few biscuits and she munches away while I roll up my mat. We’ll always miss you Yogi, but we know you’re very proud of your understudy. Viva Lola!

Roberto of Cozumel

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On a recent trip to Cozumel, we visited one of those really great but out-of-the-way beach restaurants with incredible fresh fish. At one point the resident pup Roberto showed up and the staff buried him in the cool sand up to his neck. Although there was a lot of laughing and giggling going on, this seemed to be Roberto’s thing and he loved it. Eventually a friend arrived but Roberto was able to emerge from his resting spot and get things sorted out, but not before all of the customers got dinner AND a show.

The Story of Finn

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This story about Finn is the inaugural post of my blog Dogs Make Everything Better because she embodies everything that’s great about dogs. She will forever serve as inspiration for my business venture as well as being “the one that got away.” Apologies for the length, future posts will be much shorter.

Before I begin, I must disclose that I currently have a household with 4 dogs, and really had no business sniffing around for another, but…

One day I was looking at the available dogs online at my local county shelter. There was one that had caught my eye, in fact I’d read her bio on a previous visit to the site. She was described as a “Spitz Mix”, which ended up being a Chow Mix but I have learned since that shelter staff can get colorful when it comes to creating curb appeal. When I called, they said she was still available so I decided to stop in the next day on my way out of town (who does that?) to see her.

I had never been to the county shelter before, because it’s just too heartbreaking for me. So in the lobby I asked them to bring her out so I could avoid the trip to the back kennel area. She was beautiful, I knew she would be. The color of French vanilla ice cream and a very regal stance, curled tail and splotchy tongue. She ignored me at first, this dog called Sophie that was not at all a Sophie. I took her outside to the enclosure to spend some time with her and eventually she gave me the time of day, sort of. We watched together as people backed up their SUVs, popped their hatches and discarded dogs they no longer wanted. When the crowds left we went back inside and I told them that I was thinking about adopting her but I’d need a day or two to think it over. I was told that she had already been there for 44 days, which is a very long time for an over-crowded shelter. By law they must take new strays and keep them for a minimum of one week and therefore adequate shelter space is at a premium, so there was no guarantee that she would not be euthanized that very afternoon in order to make room for newcomers. And, as they pointed out, seven had come in during the last hour alone.

The dog looked up at me on cue and somehow made her eyes sparkle. She turned her head this way and that way, making eye contact and sparkling like I’ve never seen. Even if she hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have left her there. I was going to save her. Somehow. The system, an irresponsible owner, a bad economy, the backing up of an SUV and a popping hatch, whatever circumstances had brought her to this point, I wasn’t going to let them to take her from this world. No way. In February I lost my dog Henry, a beautiful Malamute mix, to cancer and I did everything I could to give him as much life as possible, down to the minute and the morsel and literally the very last warming ray of sunshine on his body. So how could I justify turning my back on this beautiful healthy sparkling dog? I figured she was still owed a lot of rays of sunshine.

She had a good bath. A trip to the vet. A few hours with a trainer. Lots of good food and a nice bone. Brushing, ear scratching, massages. Walks. A few escapes (but who wouldn’t want to just run after being kept in a cage for 44 days, exercise limited to brief walks and only on Saturdays?). We had a long conversation one evening under the stars and we figured out that her name should be Finn. We said she was always Finn, and nobody knew that before, but we did. Finn.

And just as we settled in to be best friends forever, it became apparent that things were a little sticky at our house. Introducing her to my other dogs wasn’t so successful. And having just spent 11 years in a household with keeping two dogs separated that didn’t get along wasn’t something I could enter into again. The trainer’s advice was “you do not have to fix this…what you should do is take her straight back to the shelter.” Um, no. Because Finn is such a sparkly star and the heavens knew just what to do with a star like that (and also because I’m an extremely stubborn Capricorn) she ended up getting the best life instead. Ever.

My mom mentioned to me that her friends had been recently talking about the void left in their lives, their dog having passed away almost two years before and they missed her so much. Having no other pets at home and grandchildren that lived out of state, I knew that Finn would be the star of the show with them. And so they met Finn. She apparently turned on the sparkles and they all fell in love with each other on the spot. Now Finn (sigh, they changed her name to something else, but a rose by any other name…) spends her days and nights lavished with attention and love and ear scratches and you name it. What’s better than that?

Now I have to be honest: I was pretty blue the following week. We’d really bonded, Finn and I. But she taught me stuff, just the way dogs always do. I learned to let go and recognize my limitations. I reminded myself that she was better off with these people who were such a great fit and could give her the kind of home that I could not. And what a warm feeling to ease someone’s sadness with a new dog, never to replace the one they lost but to create a new perfect match. But what really took my breath away, what still takes my breath away, is the realization that I saved her! So yes, another victory for the underdog! It means that people popping the hatches on their SUVs and dumping dogs at shelters like garbage don’t win when someone does something to step up. Dogs like Finn can win. And win big. And that’s really huge.