Is Denver going to the dogs? This city has more pet pooches than it does kids, and that raises a number of issues, as we’re exploring in a week-long series. Here’s the next installment:
I’m sitting in the grass at Cheesman Park with a few friends when a dog runs up to us. “Aw, hi,” one of my friends coos, reaching out to pet the panting pup invading our personal space. My other friends are smiling, but I feel like I’ve been hit in the chest. I like dogs, and this one looks friendly, but dogs running up to me triggers a freeze response. The kind that courses cold through your entire body and makes you want to evaporate.
I didn’t use to be like this. I grew up with dogs — they made home feel like home. So naturally, I got my own dog at the age of 21, about four months into my first full-time job…