Dogaccinos in the Sunshine

Reading back over my posts, it has dawned on me that so far all of my stories have been about Mila getting herself into trouble. Admittedly, they are the most entertaining tales – but they probably don’t paint a fair picture of our little buddy.

Mila’s bio on the GAP website described her as a “people dog” – and it really couldn’t have been more accurate. She loves every person who shows the slightest interest in her (sometimes to the point of being annoying) and, although she is a big black hound, we have discovered that she would make the worst guard dog in the world!

She’s not all that into other dogs unless we are on a walk, or there is a chance of a race. At Obedience Classes, she was more interested in what the owners were doing than in interacting with the other dogs and she is also happy to make her own fun - running around by herself chasing leaves, squeaking toys or splashing in puddles. Sometimes Mila’s disinterest in other dogs borders on impatience (we are learning to tolerate the small excitable dogs at the moment) and she will let another dog know if they are being a pain. However, in a household with no cats or other dogs (although we do have a rabbit who is kept well out of sight and smell), Mila fits in perfectly.

On Sunday, I decided to test her a little with a walk down Oriental Parade. It was a glorious summer day in the Capital (one of the few so far) and I knew there would be dogs of all shapes and sizes enjoying some time out in the sunshine. We started around by Te Papa and resolved that, if we were good, we would stop at Beach Babylon (about a 5 minute walk away) and try something from their new K9 menu.

I was super proud when we made it the whole way along without a single problem. We passed Beagles, Pomeranians, Seagulls and plenty of kids on scooters and there was no lunging at all! We even had a lady with her big black Labrador come up to us and ask if her dog could meet Mila. No worries, we said.

So with that, I wandered confidently along to the café to find a seat in the sun. As we went in, I saw a little Scottish terrier and a couple of Jack Russells which I thought might cause us some issues. But of course, the most exciting thing for Mila was the number of smiling people who wanted to stop for a pat. She was in heaven!

We ordered our drinks – an OJ for me and a Dogaccino for Mila. A Dogaccino is a mix of cold milk and beef stock served in a large dog bowl – an extra special treat because we don’t like to give her dairy too often – and she loved it! She was a bit apprehensive to begin with, taking a couple of slow licks at the bowl, but when she realised that it was okay for her to keep drinking, she was right into it.

After we finished, it was off home for a much-needed sleep on the couch. A big day for Mila, but a successful one exploring the sights and sounds of Wellington City. And Dogaccinos get the Mila Grey Seal of Approval! 

Chowing down on our Dogaccino under the shade of our table on Oriental Parade