Different Strokes

I met my neighbour a few years ago (at least a year after she had moved in) when she and her husband adopted two baby bull dogs. While I try really hard to respect my neighbour's space and not intrude, I couldn't help but suck up all my courage and to ask if I could come into their yard to see the puppies.

This is what they looked like back then:




This is what they look like now:

I'm really glad that I approached her. Jen and I have since become friends, and we often take our dogs for walks together. It's a bit of a motley crew, with two english bulldogs, a standard poodle and a wee little maltese. We get all sorts of comments, but we've noticed that it's rare for all four to get compliments at the same time.

Yesterday was a perfect example: Jen, the bullies, Tula and I all went on a long walk together yesterday. On our way back, a car drove by, pulled over and then the occupants got out. They ran up to the bullies, patted them, oohed and aahed over them and told us how much they love the breed. Tallulah and I stood to the side and - other than a 'no offence to the poodle' comment as they got back into their car - were pretty much ignored.

Jen came over and gave Tula a scratch, and we carried on. That's the way it seems to go. Either people love the bully breeds, or they love the hair breeds. Not many people are drawn to both, and neither of us are bothered when the other's dogs are singled out over our own.

It also helps that these things seem to even themselves out on their own. When we got home, we stopped in her front yard. Tula lay down on the grass, and the bullies milled about. Jen and I were talking about gardening when a truck drove by. The window opened, and the passenger leaned out to yell as they drove by. "OMG, I love that Poodle!"