What will the Neighbors Think?

When you have pets your personal definition of “normal” expands quite a bit. Recently a friend stopped by and met Eko and Penny for the first time. As we spoke he interrupted me to say, “Um, are they okay?” The question seemed quite silly, the pups were clearly happily at play. But upon further review of the photo evidence I could see how one might not recognize the pups’ behavior as “normal” play.

I thought everyone knew this is what two happy dogs look like?

My “normal”

As the old saying goes, “Love is smacking  your big brother in the face”

“Oh what, Will? You want us to pretend to be prim and proper?”

“Hey everybody, look! I’m Will, I walk on two feet!”

I sometimes wonder what my neighbors must think when they see two large mammals battle and chase each other around my patio like nutjobs. I never really considered it anything other than normal.

“Ooh, look, the Jones’s bought new porch furniture.” 

“We’re happy, Will. Don’t worry about the Jones’s!”

I’m not particularly self-conscious (shocking, I know), but I’m now thinking about all the “normal” parts of my life with dogs and laughing at how absurd they might have once seemed to me.

I know I’m not alone here, so fess up. What normal part of your life with pets might cause others to do a double take?