Friday, August 12, 2022

Dogs Help Us Bond With Others

Stuart (Legend’s Daddy) takes Legend on exciting walking adventures every day. Legend’s all-time favorite place is the Dana Point Harbor. It’s cool with the breezes coming off the water, very scenic and it has a myriad of wildlife and of course, Legend’s furry squirrel friends.

But there are also a lot of lonely people there too. Sometimes when we walk, especially at night, there might be someone who will strike up a conversation about Legend as we pass by. Sometimes they have a pet or remember one they did have. Regardless, the people are drawn to Legend, find him to be just the icebreaker they need to connect to another human being.

Legend is no exception. There are thousands of us walking our dogs (or other pets) and your pet may be the lifeline that a terribly lonely person needs (often elderly) to connect with someone. In today's world, we never know what another person may be going through. A dog has a way of making people smile and helping them to open up.

We are all busy, in a hurry and it’s hard to stop. But sometimes when we meet these people, we wonder that maybe by spending 5 or 10 minutes talking, that we might have made a difference for them in a much bigger way. Just those few short moments can make someone's day.

It’s been a tough couple of years and there are a million reasons NOT to stop and talk to someone who is clearly lonely and desperate for another human to connect with. But just remember that the next time you are out with your dog, your pet may be the one bright spot in another person’s day.