Dog-Friendly Places are People-Friendly Places

It is our nature as people to want to be happy.  Most studies about happiness agree that strong social connections are an important component of being happy. Dogs not only love us unconditionally but they help many of us forge social connections with our neighbors and others we don't know. For those of us who struggle to meet people, dogs are a great icebreaker as they create the first topic of conversation. Our dog Tuukka has been a wonderful addition to our family as she is a happy dog who loves people and other dogs and is well-behaved.  This gives us the flexibility to take her to places where dogs are allowed.  Many chance encounters happen because of her.  As happiness is vital to people, it's important for communities to be dog-friendly.  Besides, dogs need continuous socializing as well. So what does a dog-friendly community look like?  I'll use Austin as my reference but these concepts should apply anywhere.

First, I'll use an example of our usual Saturday mornings in Austin.  My wife and I take Tuukka to the Barton Creek Mall Farmers Market where we hang out at the Austin Boxer Rescue booth (Tuukka is a Boxer who we adopted from ABR).  Lots of people take their dogs to the farmers market and many people and dogs stop by the booth.  Tuukka and we get to meet a lot of people and dogs in a friendly atmosphere.  Good friendships have been formed at the farmers market.  After the farmers market, we go to the Austin Beer Garden on Oltorf where we sit outside at picnic tables with other people and dogs.  Not only is the beer and food great, so is the atmosphere.  We always meet people with Tuukka. Without her, our chances of talking with a stranger is lower.   Cafes, coffee bars and taverns are important places to meet people.  Hopefully, these places are close to where you live so you can walk or take a short car ride.  Too bad my neighborhood doesn't currently have any retail nearby so we must always drive.

Tuukka makes a new friend at the Draught House, a great dog-friendly tavern.  All photos by Paul DiGiuseppe

Parks are another must, even better if it is a dog park.  A dog-friendly park is great for exercise and the ability to meet others.  You will see hordes of people and dogs at Auditorium Shores and other Austin dog parks.     Unfortunately, we do not have a park within our neighborhood and can attest to the need for having a park within a neighborhood.  However, we use the neighborhood's detention pond when it is dry and occasionally see other dogs and people in the pond.  A trail or greenbelt is also great.  I've met many dogs and people during hikes. I haven't taken Tuukka to the Barton Creek Greenbelt because if I took her off leash, she'd probably end up in Canada.

The Barton Creek Greenbelt is a great place for people and dogs.

Sidewalks are vital to walking your dog in your neighborhood and meeting your neighbors.  One interesting thing I've noticed with Tuukka:  when walking, she always goes to the sidewalk and away from the street.  She seem to understand what people know; use the sidewalk because it's safe.  Our neighborhood has sidewalks on both sides of the street but no where to walk to like a park or restaurant. As I live in a low-density neighborhood, we usually do not see people or dogs on our walks.  This bothers Tuukka as she wants to see dogs and people who are not my wife or me. I expect more dense, compact neighborhoods have more encounters with neighbors and dogs.

Great dog places should also have with lots of good vets.  Pet stores with good quality food and toys are also a must (as well as another great place to meet people and dogs).

As a friend said  "Dogs are such good people...  better than people." I agree. So if we want to be good to dogs and ourselves, we must make our communities dog-friendly.  By doing so, we are making our communities better for all of us.  Hopefully, you and your dog live in a neighborhood with sidewalks and places to go such as parks and retail.  

Seattle might be the ultimate dog city.  For proof, check out this video of the dog who rides the bus.

So, readers, what are some other dog-friendly amenities?

Why I Love Austin

I'm writing this blog due to my love for Austin but also in response to the increasing criticism of Austin I've heard recently ranging from locals to bloggers who've visited.  The concerns usually focus around the negatives associated with growth: increased traffic, rising costs, water shortages and being more crowded.  And of course, change.  I frequently hear that Austin was better, depending on who I talk with, in the 60s, 70s and even 80s.  They say it was a friendlier town when it was smaller. While there are many reasons to love a place such as beauty, inclusiveness and social interactions, I'm focusing on culture and vibrancy.

Stevie Ray Vaughn's statue in the foreground and our changing Downtown shows

a city reminded of its past while experiencing a lot of change. All photos by Paul DiGiuseppe.

I am not a native of Austin or even Texas although I married a Texan.  I was born and raised in the suburbs just outside of Providence, Rhode Island then spent over 15 years in Tallahassee, Florida.  It is from this perspective that gives me my view of Austin.

Providence, and Rhode Island in general, in the 1970s and 80s was a mostly vacant, boring place.  It was a dying industrial area that saw a loss of jobs, people, investment, hope and vitality. My friends and I were usually bored out of our minds because there wasn't much to do, typically ending up at some cheesy glam rock bar or some other place that wasn't fun or fulfilling. Many people I knew complained how bad it was. While today's Providence is lively, back then there was little excitement.   Truth be told, there was some culture out there such as great art and theater but as a late teen and early 20-something, theater and art had no appeal.  The music scene was primarily cover bands with little original music. There were some good bands like the Schemers and great bands like Throwing Muses but I didn't know how to find them back then. Even Throwing Muses moved away to find success. I had to do the same.

Thayer Street in Providence was fun even in the 80s but was one of the few bright spots back then.

In 1990, I packed up and moved to Tallahassee, Florida to attend graduate school. The best way to describe Tallahassee is a beautiful city but a cultural backwater. In fairness, Tallahassee had a decent theater and art scene but musically it flopped. Touring bands stayed on I-10 and didn't stop and the local music scene was cover bands and Creed.   It seemed like for every new cultural thing added they would lose an old one. Not enough was happening and it lacked the spirit. For years, my wife and friends and I waited for the city to take off.  It didn't.  Tallahasseans were fond of saying "Oh, I heard Tallahassee is just like Austin."  Yes they both are state capitals and and large public universities but that's where the similarities end.

If I had known who I was back in 1990, I would have realized I was a city boy who should have moved to a big city like Seattle, Boston or Austin.  By the mid 2000's, I was aware of myself and desperately needed to live in a place with energy.  I was nearing 40 and never lived in a place I loved and needed to do so before it was too late. My wife and I started looking for a new city to live.

In 2006, at age 40, I made it to Austin!  From the moment I arrived, I could feel the Austin vibe.  It was a vibe I never felt in either Rhode Island or Tallahassee.   I knew Austin had a great music scene but didn't know the film, theater, food, literary, and art scenes were that prolific.  And so many people were friendly, cool, energetic and smart.

From my perspective, I believe Austin is better now than when I moved here.We have only lived in South Austin and have seen more and more great things coming our way.   Places such as Whole Foods, Strange Brew Coffee and Lounge and Moontower Saloon have popped up in South Austin in the last few years with the result being that we often stay south and don't have to drive as much.  As opposed to my time in Rhode Island and Tallahassee, Austin has seen more and more music venues, movie theaters, cafes, beer brewers, grocery stores, parks and trails, restaurants, art galleries, food trailers and other things that we either need or enjoy.  The recent renovations at Auditorium Shores and the new Boardwalk on Lady Bird Lake are other reminders why I love living here. They make me feel respected. Austin is my true home.

Amanda Pearcy performing a great set at Strange Brew

I get that change happens.  Even Rhode Island and Tallahassee have changed and will continue to change.  All places change.  I just hope that in the end, the change leads to a better place.  Some of my favorite places have closed like the Parlour on North Loop.  But for every closure, there are many more new favorites. I'll take Austin's positives over it's negatives and will do what I can to address the challenges.   Too bad that the naysayers are the ones who are usually heard by our City Council and media. I challenge the yea-sayers to get more vocal.  This is my view, what is yours?