Dogs aren't babies, face it

Where we live, people are very fond of their dogs. A man who lives down the street, for instance, carries his dog in a baby carrier that looks exactly like our baby Bjorn. There is a doggy daycare two roads over, where dedicated owners will drop off their dog for the day while they go to work. I checked out the website. They encourage things such as "positive social interactions in a cageless environment." (But of course, who would dream of putting a dog in a cage  for goodness sakes.)

I told Peter to "settle", and he was completely outraged

I was walking with Peter the other day and a man was coming at us from the other direction with his dog. I assumed we had the right of way on the sidewalk (baby trumps dog, sir), but I got an angry hip-pop and a glare because he had to move his precious pooch off the sidewalk. I like dogs myself, and hope to have one at some point when we have some land, but I think we have to draw the line somewhere in the whole dogs=babies thing.

Today in Trader Joe's, I heard a mother repeatedly tell her young son to "Settle". I kid you not.

I wonder what kind of instructions the family dog receives? "set the table"?

But then quickly remembered he doesn't listen to me anyways. :)