No, they are not. Sorry. Please don’t bring your dog/child over here.

The other evening, we took Chloe and Mack down to sit by the Indian River. There was a gorgeous cooling breeze and we were relaxing with the dog children. Of course, here comes the dithering older lady with her dog and her mask hanging under her chin. I eyed up the mask, breeze was in our favor. No one around us and here comes the 6 foot distance infringer with a dog. Really?

“No, sorry, they aren’t friendly.” She seemed confused with this answer and was still approaching when Mack erupted in a series of “Protecting the Realm” barks. He can be quite intimidating when he wants to be. She stopped and again I told her they weren’t friendly and I apologized. (Actually a bald faced lie but she didn’t have to know that.) She hung around us a few minutes but seriously, when someone tells you their dog isn’t friendly, why would you still walk your dog near the people? Especially with a 6 foot social distancing rule?

I was trying to be nice. I could have said, “Lady, please don’t bring your dog over here because I don’t want them getting hurt by your much larger dog and I want to sit and enjoy the evening with my husband and I don’t want to socialize with you and the mask on your chin.” They always say their dog won’t hurt yours but I don’t know that and I don’t want my very tiny dog getting hurt. All dogs are unpredictable. Chloe has a broken ear because of another dog. Plus I want to sit outside and enjoy the evening air without speaking to a stranger. Pandemic sucks.

She wandered away and my husband looked at me. I shrugged, sorry. He knew why I lied to her. People just don’t listen and they want to approach Chloe and Mack with their dogs. It’s easier to lie so they’ll go away. If they were alone with no dog or children, we’d let them pet them.

I sketched this ‘toon right after the lady left. The point of it was to show the size difference and it is very scary to us when you approach with a larger dog. Chloe was sitting on my lap and Mack was on the little table that should have had my water while I sketched this.

I get it. I want to hug everyone tiny dog I see, too. Chihuahuas are tiny and cute but they are very delicate and easily injured. Chihuahuas aren’t bad dogs, although they can be quite intimidating. They bark to protect themselves and their families. THAT is their defense mechanism. Please use common sense when approaching someone with any toy dog especially if you have a dog with you. It’s better to be safe than to be responsible for a accident.

Plus, we are supposed to be social distancing. I get nervous when people get close to me, too.