Pup Friends by Melanie Kalmanson

Full disclosure: Before rescuing my Wrigley, I was not a dog person. It’s not that I disliked dogs, but I also didn’t freak out when I saw a stranger walking their dog and usually shied away from friends’ dogs. But, before Wrigley, I never thought I’d be half the doting dog Mom I am today.

“I never thought I’d be half the doting dog Mom I am today.”

In December 2015, I rescued “Wrigley the Beagle” from a humane society in Georgia. In January 2017, I rescued Turner, a 60-pound Coonhound who I thought would be Wrigley’s size. Notice the baseball theme? (By the way, the year I rescued Wrigley the Cubs won the World Series.) My heart has never been so full.

Whether you own a pup or borrow a friend’s pup for the day, pups are the perfect friend for any situation. So many times, my friends have said they just want to come over and hang out to see my pups or to take them to the dog park. And I have yet to find a feeling better than your pup jumping and making happy noises when you walk through the door, whether you were gone for 15 minutes or 3 hours, especially after a long day at work.

“Pups are the perfect friend for any situation.”

When you don’t feel like talking to anyone, your pup will make sure you don’t feel lonely and is always happy to accompany you on any adventure. If you don’t feel like calling anyone to make plans or don’t feel like getting dressed to go do anything, you can always rely on a pup to be your friend. You can picnic, go to the dog park, walk on a trail, sit outside at a coffee shop, take a ride in the car with the windows down, get ice cream, go to Starbucks, etc.* If you don’t even want to leave the house, they’re just as happy to cuddle with you on the couch and watch a movie. And, for those of you who are single, pups make holidays so much more fun. Both of my boys have been to the pumpkin patch to take cheesy pictures and are the stars of my annual Christmas card.

Pups don’t always have to be a fill-in for when you’re feeling like a loner, either. They are a great way to meet new people. When I rescued Wrigley, he was fostered by a lady who is now one of my best friends. Also, a friend of mine in law school had just rescued a similar pup and we started going on walks together. Pups tend to start conversations with strangers at the dog park, restaurant, etc., which turns out to be a great way to meet people.

“They are a great way to meet new people.”

On a larger scale, as cheesy as it sounds, I think pups make you a better person. I love the quote: “Be the person your dog thinks you are.” They have this way of grounding you. Pups make you thankful for an excuse stay home at night or give you a reason to wake up in the morning. And, in a few months, you’ll give yourself a pat on the back for keeping another life going. Just don’t look at your bank account.

*A lot of ice cream places will do “pup cups,” which is a small scoop of vanilla ice cream with a MilkBone. Otherwise, just order your four-legged friend a small scoop of vanilla. Starbucks will give you a pupaccino, which is a small cup of whipped cream.

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Melanie Kalmanson is a double-Nole attorney living in Tallahassee, Florida. She lives with her boyfriend and two pups — Wrigley and Turner.​ Check out Wrigley the dog’s Instagram @wrigleytherescue.