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Community Contributor: Just treat me like a dog Sunday Jan 1, 2017 at 6:29 PM Jan 1, 2017 at 6:29 PM By Barb Settles For the Tidings Life in Ashland is quite special, but it would be a nicer life as a human if people treated me like a dog. Time after time, when I am out with a friend on a trail, hardly a word is spent on me. We walk in silence. Along comes a total stranger, a dog, any size or color, and out burst coos, ahs, and a variety of praises: “Can I pet you? What’s your name? You’re so pretty, so cute, so darling!” I stand by, wishing for a small pat on the shoulder, my foot, any kind of gesture of warmth. No one asks for my name (or remembers it if I tell them), nor does anyone notice that I’ve just had a new haircut, am wearing a rather nice new jacket, or that I can stand up on two feet rather well. I wish I were a dog. The other day in the hardware store at the check-out desk, a large dog went right up, not in queue, and placed his dusty paws on top of the counter, right next to the delicate card scanner. “Oh, how smart you are, do you want a biscuit?” was the response of the folks behind the counter as they paused from serving those in the long line to find and serve a doggy biscuit to their guest. If I had put my tired feet, having waited in line for some time, up onto that counter, what would have been the outcome? Would there have been a biscuit for me? On hot days, whizzing through the town in vehicles, how cool it is for pooches to hang out the windows. If we tried that, we’d be nose-swiped in no time without any apologies. Where are our seatbelts? Take the issue of relieving oneself in public: How many times have I suffered bladder stress while searching for a McDonalds or a Starbucks with unlocked restrooms? Doggies just need to stop and go. No one calls in an indecent exposure complaint. Another point of the high quality lifestyle dogs lead is how they always get someone to walk with them. No matter what hour of the day, or how busy people are, if you are a dog, there will always be someone willing to go out with you. No need to telephone first. Some nice person will walk slowly or quickly, depending on the doggy’s mood, and stand patiently under or near a tree until it is properly marked or inspected. No lonely times for the dogs. Have you ever gone into a dog-friendly bank? The tellers bend over backwards to acknowledge the little barkers and nearly always offer treats, and the owners are acknowledged, well respected, have good taste and are indeed welcome — as we without pets stand by quietly, not too close to anyone, without visible welcome signs. Have you ever seen a sign in a store or bank in our town welcoming grandpas, carpenters, teachers or professors? Wouldn’t it be grand to see “Seniors are welcome in this restaurant”? Oh, walking into places I go, hardly noticed, how I wish I had four paws. Last week, on the coldest day of the year so far, my friend picked me up for a long-awaited errand — and there in my seat was a totally strange dog she had picked up. It took up all of my space and she hardly said "hello" to me, just gestured for me to get in and help her figure out what to do with the poor doggie who had lost its way. We took it to the police station where she bid me to stay in the cold car as she carried the dog warmly into the heated police station. I am not often jealous of others being carried around, but it was quite a jolt to be ignored in the cold while a total stranger got first-class attention. What am I complaining about? We’re all fortunate here to have one another, folks and dogs, dogs and folks, but too often we folks could feel a bit more appreciated if we treated each other like dogs. Perhaps this could be our new year’s resolution. Barb Settles is a resident of Ashland.