Granted another warm, sunny afternoon (before the next Arctic front arrives), my wife and I had lunch at an outdoor cafe in downtown Littleton. We were joined by a good number of fellow patrons, at least half of whom brought their dog (or dogs).
Settling in at their table, they seemed to spend most of their time keeping their pooches under control, distracted as they were by other dogs and the varied smells coming from the kitchen; indeed, we humans can only begin to imagine how keen and tempting their olfactory input must be.
As a dog lover and former owner (times four), I cannot appreciate the relatively new practice of taking your "best friend" everywhere, especially into settings where food is being served. It certainly does not improve the cleanliness of the restaurant, may annoy other patrons and can hardly augment the tranquility of the owner's meal. Then again, the diner and his/her canine receive plenty of attention, especially from those who brought their own dog(s).
