Blogs on Dogs - In Rockwood (RIP Dexter)

While each of us pull out our leashes and smile as our dogs do the "I'm going for a walk!" dance, we don't think about how that connection to our furry friends connects us to one another in the community.

Since my restaurant is located next to a park where many walk their dogs, my shop stores a goodie bag for dogs next to the goodie bag for kids. It is a "must" here next to Vance Park. Many of my patrons and I have chatted over stories about our dogs and they have known my dog by name as I have known theirs. Some dogs wait outside the door for their bone as their master exits with the expected treat - coffee for mom/dad, dog bone for Charlie...; many dogs are keeping guard from the back seat of the car. Always, I am informed by proud owners that there is a friend close by anxiously awaiting mom/dad's return.

The chats of our love for our dogs became difficult a few months back when my dog stopped eating and every trip to vet brought back an uncertain diagnosis. Each day my customers would ask "how is Dexter?" and each day customers would bring me phone numbers for their favorite vet, ideas on treatments, and warm caring wishes. When the potential lymphoma diagnosis came, and my response to "How's Dexter?" came with tears welled in my eyes, each customer's eyes welled up also. I thought about the effect on my business, and while my restaurant is a happy place, I was sending my customers out the door in tears and with hugs. Perhaps not the way to build business?

After prolonged misery and many a tear shed by myself, and by so many customers who opened their heart to me, I had to put Dexter to sleep, and closed the coffee shop early the next day. Maybe some would call that a bad business decision, maybe some would say "it's just a dog."

The next day showed how people really think. The floral delivery truck arrived with a bouquet in memory of Dexter, a card was delivered, and another dear customer brought me a bouquet and a card with tears running down her cheek. Customers who had stopped by when the closed sign was up came back and did not allow me to apologize for their inconvenience but offered sympathies instead. I would not have understood this before I was a dog person, but I felt very connected now.

Two days ago, a couple of my regular young boys came in and asked for a dog bone for their dogs - one, his grandpa's pit bull that is out at Vance Park every night, and the other - a beautiful husky that is tied to the fence while his 10 yr. old owner gets himself a hot chocolate, and gets his dog a bone. I was out of dog treats, and hadn't had the heart to go back and look at the bulk dog bone bag to refill the supply. Yesterday, a customer stopped in and had a crepe before heading up to Lewis & Clark State Park to walk her retriever/chow mix. She got him out of the car and allowed me to pet him before they headed out together. Etta, my morning vanilla latte friend, brought me a picture of her favorite dog of all time, Bear. He could've been Dexter's brother.

So, Dexter is no longer one of those dogs on their leash prancing around Vance Park, and he- like all of those other dogs pulling on their leash, are probably oblivious to the fact that because their owners love them so much, they are responsible for building a true heart-to-heart connection with so many others in our community.

I vow to remember why I love Dexter and why I love my customers and their dogs. I vow to refill the dog treat canister, and I vow to celebrate dogs and their loving owners in our community when the park warms up!