There is a neighborhood near my house where just about every household has at least one dog. Some of them even have two or three dogs. As a result, not only is the neighborhood very noisy, but it is also very dog friendly.

Most of my neighbors are getting on in age. The only dogs that ever seem to come into and out of the houses around here are lap dogs and dogs that are just barely old enough to jump up and down the front steps. My dog can’t help but be a bit lonely.

Awhile ago, as I was walking my dog through the next neighborhood, I started thinking, “wouldn’t it be nice if I could introduce my dog to some of these dogs?” Then, just as I turned the corner, I was pleasantly surprised to find a brand new, roped off dog park.

On the inside of the fence surrounding this dog park, there were about a dozen dogs running free from their dog leashes with one another. They were jumping and dancing and having a great time.

I took my dog to the gate and he just couldn’t contain his excitement. As soon as I let him run free inside the gate, he ran straight to the middle of the pack. I huddled around the fence with the other doggy parents as we watched our pups play with their dog toys.

After about a week of going to the dog park, I began to make friends with the other dog owners who took their dogs there regularly. We started making plans to go out for coffee once or twice a week to a shop nearby where we could sit outside with our dogs.

Now our activities regularly include gathering at the dog park and then walking to the local coffee shops. We take our dogs walking along the river, hiking in the hills, and on other fun outings. Dog walking has turned out to be a great way for me to find new friends and develop several long term friendships.

My dog now always looks for and expects his new people friends to join us when we’re walking alone. As soon as I take him off the leash, he runs as fast as he can to the doggy park! We are lucky to have so many dog friends and like-minded families living near us.