Only in Bozeman

Bozeman is the most dog-friendly place I have ever been. Most of the residents have dogs and the dogs go everywhere with their owners. It's crazy. Thankfully, Bozeman dogs are incredibly well-behaved - living here has actually changed my opinions of dogs for the better. Sometimes I think Bozeman is a little fanatical when it comes to dog love, though. Some of the stores downtown keep dishes of water outside for dogs (one place even labels it "puppy punch"), our Borders bookstore keeps complimentary doggy biscuits at the customer service desk, and you will be hard pressed to find a store sporting a sign declaring, "service animals only." Dogs are welcome here. Borders has "read to your dog" sessions where you can bring your canine friends for story time, and we have a bakery downtown called Barkenhowell's that sells only doggy delicacies - no people food. Then there's the Belgrade establishment selling random dog gear. Its sign says it's a store for dogs and their humans. While my parents were here they even saw someone toting a dog in a baby carrier. And our church directory has 3 pages dedicated to pets - though there are only 2 pictures of cats, and the rest are dogs. Oh- and I can't forget our new car-and-dog-wash place. Yep, you drive up, drop off your dog, and while you drive through the car wash they wash your dog and you can pick up a clean dog in your clean car and keep on down the road. It's a strange, strange world we live in. But I've pretty much gotten used to it.

Last weekend Leif, my mom, Ellie, and I went for a walk around the River Rock lake. Leif had Ellie in the sling and as we were walking a woman called over and asked, "Do you have a baby in there... or a puppy?" *sigh* Only in Bozeman.