Must Love Dogs

Barney, Winnie,  Hazel, Chance, Gus, Chip, Blackie,  Nayla, Bo, Kenai, Lady ...…. these are just a few of the special dogs that are no longer with us but have touched my life either directly or indirectly.
One of my favorite dog quotes is   “ There is only one great dog in the world, and that is every child’s dog”.     That of course means the child in all of us… young and old, American or Chinese.  

As I start my travels around the world not knowing what to expect Greg always tells me  “ People are People” and that continues to hold true.   In every country I continue to see families and children having fun, arguing, and just getting through everyday life.   One thing I have noticed in China is their love of dogs, so here I adapt the saying to “Dog People are Dog People” .

( OK—this is the opportunity for someone to tell a bad  joke about what is eaten here, but I will tell you we are in North China and dog and cat are not served for meals here.  That is in the South.   They say the Northern Chinese like their noodles, buns and dumplings and the Southern Chinese like their “weird food” .  )

 Most of the dogs I see are the tiny “ mop type  dogs” but that fits with the Chinese city life.  Small spaces work for small dogs, and  I have only seen  a few “big” American type dogs here.  One mutt Barneyesque type dog was always waiting behind a gated courtyard near our previous hotel location … .....I walked by that gate all the time just to get a look at that face, hear the deep bark and  it would make me smile.   I saw a Golden Retriever being walked down the street and another  time a Husky ran past us on his own as we left a restaurant; but 99% of the dogs are the under 15 pound type.    The locals here love their dogs; they are carried, transported in bicycle baskets, dressed in silly sweaters, pampered and loved as they share a meal of street food.   The Chinese love dogs as much as I do … as a companion and someone to enjoy a good walk or a heart to heart talk with.  

On my daily walks when I see dogs and owners out and about I greet them and ask permission to pet their dog.  They don’t understand English and I don’t understand Chinese but as I tell them what a beautiful dog they have the language is universal and they smile.

This is dedicated to Hazel and all the special dogs out there that have touched our hearts and have  gone to Dog Heaven.