dog – KELVEY OLIVIA VANDER HART

September, you were great. Here’s your monthly recap:

Best Book I Read This Month

The Danes have a word for all things comforting and cozy: hygge. As we start facing colder weather, learning more about hygge seemed appropriate. The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking was an excellent primer on the concept. Learn more here.

Best Article I Read This Month

Shameless self-promotion, once again. In early September, I wrote about ways to have a sustainable fall season for America’s Future. You can read the piece here.

Tip + Trick of the Month

We took our mini dachshund and mini schnauzer on a road trip at the beginning of the month and ended up doing a little bit of mountain hiking. They kept up! My tip for you? Don’t assume that your little dog doesn’t want to go places and do things with you. They love it as much as big dogs.

Kelvey Vander Hart's dogs on top of a mountain — Watson (L) and Missi (R) enjoy their mountain views.

Quote of the Month

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days.” -Annie Dilllard

Kelvey’s Thought for the Month

I’ve been a vegetarian for years now, and I get one question constantly: What can I feed you?

My friends and family are very sweet and want to make sure I can eat with them. However, feeding a vegetarian always seems more complicated than it actually turns out to be. To help you feed your next vegetarian, here are a few ideas for you:

Pasta is always a good option. Very simple to let people add the meat to their own dishes.
Already getting a supreme or cheese pizza for the party? Congrats. You just fed the vegetarian.
Sides are a vegetarian’s best friend. Mac and cheese, vegetables, BREAD, etc. I always joke that Thanksgiving food is even better now that I don’t have to save obligatory space for turkey that should really just belong to mashed potatoes.
If looking for a restaurant, Mexican, Asian, and Italian food are safe bets. Numerous fast food places (Taco Bell, Burger King, Starbucks, your local sandwich joint) are also awesome options.

In the end, know this one thing: To feed a vegetarian, just make sure they’re not eating meat. If you’re worried about dairy and eggs, you’re thinking about vegans. And honestly? I would need to write for a lot longer to help you feed a vegan.

Enjoy your spooky season. I’ll catch you next month.

When I take my dog for a walk, I’m really tempted to wear a sign around my neck that says, “Don’t pet him.”

I would follow this up with a second sign that reads, “Our dogs are not friends – don’t act like they are.”

But, signs around the neck are a little overboard, so I thought I would explain this to you, my readers. Then, it is your job to tell your friends so that they tell their friends, and the friends tell their friends until the whole world knows not to pet my dog. Or, for that matter, ANY dog.

One thing COVID-19 put to a halt was being approached by strangers while out on walks. Sometimes it would be somebody who decided to pet my dog without asking permission. Other times, it would be somebody who allowed their dog to run up to mine without permission. But during COVID-19, keeping a six-foot distance prohibited that.

However, more than a year into the pandemic, fewer people are religiously abiding by the six-foot rule. Thus, the return of my frustration.

You should never, NEVER go pet a dog without talking to its owner. And you ESPECIALLY should not let your dog approach it without seeking the same permission.

I’m going to use my dog as a classic example of why forgoing permission is a problem. I rescued him when he was picked up off the streets, and while I don’t know his background, I do know his triggers. He hates being approached suddenly, dislikes tall men, and gets really aggressive with big dogs. All probably for a reason, but for a reason unknown to me.

Aside from just being rude, people and dogs who approach my dog without asking could cause someone to get hurt. My dog doesn’t have teeth (again, no idea why!) but still has the ability to clamp onto a person or a dog pretty painfully. And, if he does that to a dog that responds aggressively in turn, my little dog could get really hurt.

Some people may be okay with you and your dog visiting with their dog – that’s great. I’m not one of them. Either way, here is your public service announcement for the day: Always, ALWAYS, ask permission for you (or your dog) to approach another dog.*

*Obvious exception being dog parks. Go crazy there.

Tag: dog

September 2022: ‘The Little Book of Hygge’ + How To Feed A Vegetarian

Don’t Pet My Dog