Dog Moines: It’s True

It was three years ago that Leo and I moved to Des Moines from Austin.

There’s much to love about Austin, but the promise of three feet of topsoil (Austin has about a half inch), lots of family, plus charming brick houses listed at prices that Austin hasn’t seen since the 90’s, lured us to a life 929 miles to the North.

A big and unexpected bonus that we discovered almost immediately: Des Moines is amazingly dog friendly. Paws and Pints,  of course, is the mecca, but there are hundreds of smaller spots – from coffee shops to small retail, and even the big boxes where dogs are either welcomed or greeted with a biscuit, a pup cup or maybe just allowed in. 

Dog-friendly is the norm. 

This observation is fueled a bit by an easier-to-ask-forgiveness-than-permission approach. 

Sometimes, dogs might not officially be welcome, but seldom does anyone want to take it upon themselves to banish Leo. Superior manners and spectacular handsomeness help in getting the rules bent in his favor, while coaxing strangers to scratch his ears and assert that he is ”such a good boy.”

Extra points when the dogs themselves do the welcoming.

That would be the case with Wild Birds Unlimited, in Windsor Heights, where a fabulous Weimaraner named Dude serves as the official and highly enthusiastic store greeter. Leo, who prefers humans to dogs, did not know how to handle Dude’s energy, and was a little standoffish when he first got eyeball to eyeball with another canine . Dude didn’t push. Instead he raced to the back room and brought out his favorite toy to share with Leo. A stuffed animal squirrel.

That’s what I’m talking about.