Checking out the hallway.

I love to travel.

Here We are strolling down the hallway of a very, very, very nice hotel. Kind of near where I live. It’s also near where Thomas Jefferson used to live. (Pretty cool, huh?) It was after midnight when He and I decided it was the perfect time to check out the lay of the land. Inside. I’d been tooling around outside for most of the afternoon, but hadn’t had the chance to peek in the common areas of this nice place that’s called “dog friendly.”

Now, I don’t get that. What does “dog friendly” mean? Exactly? Isn’t every place “dog friendly”? Why are some places “dog unfriendly”? Is there such a word? When They go to Europe, They can take me just about anywhere. If I could only get there. (You KNOW I’m not traveling in any airplane cargo hold!)

I’m a very human-friendly fellow. Sort of. If I like you, I’m friendly. But if I don’t know you, I might seem a bit aloof. Or just plain ‘ole uninterested. But that doesn’t make me a bad canine. I behave myself. I’m good on a leash. I’m quiet. They clean up after me. They respect others. I respect others. So what’s not to like about me? Why can’t I travel anywhere I want to go?

Why am I welcome at this very, very, very nice place and not welcome at other places? Is it my breath? (Could be.)

According to the American Pet Products Association’s 2009/10 National Pet Owners Survey, more than 45 million households in the U.S. have a dog. It would seem to me, then, that it would be a smart thing for hotels to allow Us to visit and stay a while. Why? Because They spend money. People like Them spend money. If I had money, I’d spend it on travel, too. (For those who may have forgotten, “They”, “Them”, “Him”, “Her”, “Us” all refer to my human companions and Us as a family. See August 7.)

Now, I know that more and more places are in the “dog friendly” groove and We appreciate that. To them, We say, “thank you for letting our whole family visit you”.

Here’s a big ‘ole Scottie “Roo Roo” to those places that welcome me. I’ll be back. You can count on that.

Thanks, Keswick, for accepting me and helping me feel welcome.

Do you have a favorite place that you’re allowed to stay? I’d love to know about it.

What You Learned Today:

• It’s really sad that Americans think I’m unsanitary and Europeans think I’m the greatest.
• There are some places that I can go and have a great time. (I’ve been riding in the shopping carts at Lowe’s since I was ten weeks old!)
• I’m really well behaved when I travel.
• It’s too bad that lots of irresponsible dog owners have made it bad for the rest of us.
• If I could only ride on trains… or stay at RCI resorts…. I’d love that.