Before adopting Annie, I didn’t really have any experience with pets. Since that time, I’ve started to feel more comfortable around four-legged friends, including both cats AND dogs. My friends have been kind enough to include me on some of their daily dog walks, and it turns out I really dig it.

Growing up, my brothers used to tease me about sniffer dogs that would catch me at the border. I’m not entirely sure why I was so scared, but eight-year old June definitely panicked at the US-Canada border. I think part of it was due to my small size, as larger breeds could definitely have knocked me over as a child. To this day, I feel more comfortable around smaller dogs, but the big ones are growing on me too!

I was surprised to learn that there’s a lot more to leash training than just clipping a collar on and setting out. It turns out that you have to think about prey drive, socialization, and even working on recall. If that feels a little overwhelming, then you can just be like me and borrow other people’s dogs after they’ve already been trained. It’s a bit of a running joke on dating apps that people only swipe right on profiles because of a cute dog in the pictures, but the number of cute dogs I’ve met that way is truly unparalleled.

Anyways, I’ve always liked going on walks and talks with friends, and adding a dog to the mix is a great excuse to do it more often. I’ve thought about adopting a dog myself, but I just don’t think I’m at a stage of my life where I’m ready for the responsibility of raising and training a puppy. Who knows what the future holds though!

Until next time, happy crafting!