Top SF Realtor POV: Happy as a Dog on a Walk?

Top SF Realtor POV: Happy as a Dog on a Walk?

Writings about residential real estate, San Francisco, and all things home, by Lisa Riddle, J. D. and Kindred SF Homes Associate

There is nothing happier than a dog on a walk. Their eyes are bright, their tails are high and they are practically grinning as they trot down the street without a care in the world- just happy to be smelling all the smells and seeing all the sights.. They don’t care that they're on leash as long as they get to keep moving- except for when they choose to halt abruptly for what they consider to be mandatory sniffs and potty breaks. 

I know that, on our walks, my dog Vinnie has a giant ear-to-ear smile on his face because people coming towards us always light up and comment to me or to each other: “Look at his face.” “How adorable.” “He is soooo cuuute!”  I do think my dog is quite handsome but seeing how others react only reinforces my notion that he really is something to behold.

But the happiest dogs of all (besides the ones hanging their heads out of car windows) are the ones running at the beach with their leashes off. You should see the grins then. The tails are at maximum height, their heads are high and you feel the pure joy radiating off their fur covered bodies. The frolicking, the enthusiasm, the crazy antics as they zoom up and down in the sand – what a sight! 

There are dogs like Vinnie that approach the water cautiously and prefer not to get their feet wet, unless perhaps a ball needs to be rescued from the tide. And then there are the dogs (usually the big ones) that love to run into the waves at full speed with complete abandon. They turn around and do it again and again and again because it's not about being IN the water, it's about the SPLASH they make upon impact.

If you have a dog you know what I’m saying. Show them the leash or ask if they want to go for a W-A-L-K and you’re guaranteed to get an exuberant, over-the-top reaction. If you don't have a furry friend at home, look around for dogs when you're out on your next walk and tell me if I’m wrong!