Owners of puppies, seasoned pooches, or unethical purse poodles; your dogs don’t belong to you. They belong to those who don't have the space, time, or resources and want to live through you. Living in an apartment fit for two humans and a carnivorous plant, I won’t be subjecting pets to walks on lawn-less pavement. And I will squeal like Kristin Wiig’s Target Lady when a Corgi passes. In congruence with this excitement, I’m going to pet them. Hopefully with permission. This excludes service and emotional support heroes. (I squeal from afar for you, cherubs.) Why is it that when we express joy toward a stranger’s dog, they pull the leash?

A bellicose Shitzu? Fair. A panting slobbery labrador? Thank you for protecting me. But a gregarious frenchie? Who hurt you?! Dogs want new friends. For instance, a towering aspiring comedian writing to you now. A golden retriever will go out of their way to meet new faces all to be tugged far far away. That lover could heal us. So why are we being kept apart?
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Given I don’t have a dog, I opened the floor. Which will remain anonymous. These are governmental secrets! Amidst the forum came these themes: Parental instincts, social anxiety, fear of disrupting the peace, and “multiple reasons”. Puppy parents are protective and want to keep all involved safe. Which is reasonable and hot of them, I guess!

Albeit I imagine the doors to engage with my hypothetical long haired weiner dog would be open, maybe they wouldn’t be. Dogs are children, so would I really want my newborn infant plagued up by just anyone? Would I want to feel obligated to pause life to have a meet and greet with someone I’ll never see again? At the end of endless energy being exerted on a bath war, feeding, and manicuring, I believe the answer wavers. Giving one’s all to a four legged cutie pebble may be enough.Those four designated walks may just be empyrean enough. Like dogs, we too need rewards. Being open to outside affection, may just depend on the day.