sasha_feather | Topic Open House: My dog

wild_irises asked: What's the best thing about Sorcha?

There are so many good things about Sorcha! She is a very loving and affectionate dog, and when I am around her, I think that I am a more loving and patient person. (Not that she doesn't try my patience sometimes! But her challenges are pretty minor ones.) She brings a lot of simple happiness to my life. She is a good cuddler, sometimes lying on the couch with me and putting her chin on my wrist or leg. She makes cute sounds like clacking her jaw when excited (a Greyhound trait), huffing air through her cheeks, or little growls and yips when she is dreaming.

I've been around animals most of my life, so all this isn't unexpected; but, it is a surprise how easily she fit into my life when I got her. It's like she's always been here.

There are some ancillary benefits to dog ownership: A pet is a neutral topic of conversation to bring up with co-workers, family members, and strangers, unlike a lot of my other interests (which most people think are weird, or which at least require some explanation).

Walking at the dog park once or twice a day has been very good for me and Sorcha, it's a nice routine, it's social, it gets us out in the fresh air, and I've met some very nice people there. The kind of small talk that happens at the dog park is very non-demanding and seldom stresses me out, unlike small talk almost anywhere else-- often we talk about dogs, sometimes about work or the weather.

Having an unusual, recognizable dog means that people will approach you in the neighborhood when you are out walking. This could be good or bad, depending on your circumstances, but for us it's fine since Sorcha is generally very calm. So, I've had some nice interactions with my neighbors and gotten to know more of them.

Oh, and she takes a good photo. :)