Puppy Chow
What do I say? How do I ask her? Am I coming on too strong? How do I word this so I don’t sound like a total freak?
Would you mind if I took your dog out to brunch tomorrow?
Rosie is a three-month-old mini Australian shepherd. She belongs to Peter Gamble Bacon and Lauren Dahlin, two proctors in Matthews. I meet her outside her dorm a little after 10:30 a.m. on Friday morning. Standing (on all fours) about 10 inches tall, Rosie has soft white fur and a merle pattern across her coat that includes shades of grey, black, and tan. Her most distinguishable feature is her piercing blue eyes. It’s love at first sight.
Upon picking her up at her place, I notice that maintaining eye contact is going to be a challenge. Once she steps foot onto the soft, leaf-covered ground, there’s no stopping her from smelling and tasting absolutely everything in sight. We walk a few feet…sniffs…another foot…sniffs…“C’mon Rosie, keep walking!” She’s probably just nervous. First dates are always nerve-wracking.
I realize that deciding where to go is going to be difficult. While I prefer real, human food, Rosie seems to prefer sticks, leaves, and possibly even some scattered dog/mouse/squirrel poo left on the ground. “Rosie, don’t eat that!” I mean, to each her own, right?
Rosie’s parents call her “the youngest dog ever accepted to Harvard,” and she is quick to flaunt her intelligence. She performs tricks for me, such as “sit” and “touch,” with perfect grace.
We talk about our hobbies. Mine: studying, watching Netflix, hanging out with friends. Rosie’s: playing fetch, biting people’s ankles, hanging out with friends. Despite our differences, we definitely have some things in common. One of Rosie’s best friends is the six-month old Samoyed puppy Daisy, who also lives in Matthews. They often play together, or with dogs who live in Straus, in the courtyard between the two dorms. Their owners now call the space the Straus Dog Park.
The thing about taking cute dogs out for brunch is that they are usually noticed by other people. Throughout the course of our date, about five people in total stop to compliment Rosie. “Your eyes are just the most beautiful!” or “Aren’t you just the cutest little thing?” A couple passersby even come over to pet and play with her for a while.
I drop her off at Matthews a little after 11 a.m. Overall, I’d say the date was a success. Make sure to say hello if you happen to spot Rosie out in the Yard—she loves the attention.