Truth time: I know more of my neighborhood’s dogs than I do the people
who live throughout our little nook of our city. To be fair, when our kids were
school age and carpooling and playdates were part of our regular schedule, we
developed great connections with several neighborhood families. Thankfully, a handful of those neighbors remain, and impromptu driveway bonfires with longtime neighbors and new families have picked up, so we maintain neighborly relationships, which we treasure. But I have to say, my (weather-permitting) daily walks or bike rides through the neighborhood allow me to become more familiar with the personalities and quirky habits of some of our four-legged residents. We have the window watchers, the chain pullers, the side-eye givers, the property
line chasers and the friendly barkers. And I get a giggle when people greet my dog (not me!) by her first name. “Hi, Pippa!” No offense taken here. Pets can be a great entreé into meeting new friends and neighbors. I grew up with dogs, and they
