Day 789

I was out walking with my two seniors this morning and realized our town was having quite the celebration. Each summer, Riverfest is on a Saturday and people come from miles around! Cars were arriving and parking near the house and on our walking route. Not surprisingly, Lilly and Ranger insisted on greeting every single person! They LOVE people!

At first, those approaching would move towards the street as they looked at these two dogs, extra-large. Reaching out, I would ask if they liked dogs and explain that these two were Therapy Dogs at the local hospital and senior residences. Each group immediately stopped for a visit with my precious pups and they received love...even if they were not in the market.

It was an interesting study to watch the visitors to our town exit their car, head for the sidewalk and stop cold in their tracks when being confronted by my duo. About half of the people could read their body language and didn't even hesitate to pet them when they saw their smiling faces and wagging tails. Others joined in the party after I invited them to meet my seniors.

It made me wonder about the difference between the two groups. It had to be past experiences with dogs where some were confident while others were hesitant. Totally understanding that connection, I hope Lilly and Ranger helped ease the uncertainty regarding doggy interactions.

At the pool, the other day, Asher was enjoying diving underwater to retrieve rings from the bottom. He would bring them back with a big smile on his face and the game would be repeated. Suddenly, two children (somewhere between 6 and 9) jumped into the water and asked (in broken English) if they could use the rings. I told them that Asher would love to have them join him in the game, so after a quick conference in Russian, they agreed. For the next half-hour, I threw and the trio brought them back. Asher had a great time and our two new friends seemed to enjoy the game immensely.

Much like the second half of our dog visitors this morning, I hesitated a moment before asking them to join our game. Not being sure how deep the language barrier was, for a split second, I was unsure of the success of this grouping. However, I am so glad we asked them to join us. The kids had no issue with communication and everyone understands a smile, a high-five or a "Great job!" The next time we see them at the pool, we will invite them over to play!

If we could all be open to new meet-and-greets, perhaps there would be more smiles and tail wagging. That might just start an avalanche of acceptance among us. I can attest to the success with our little group! Lilly and Ranger would agree in a heartbeat!