One Paddle Short – But Still Rowing w/ Monica Lucia Hoffman: It’s A Doggie Dog World, And I’m Here For It
- One Paddle Short with Monica Lucia Hoffman
I love animals. If you know me, I’m basically running an unofficial soup kitchen for squirrels, ducks, birds, and the occasional deer. I’ll toss out seeds, crackers, or whatever’s in the fridge like I’m hosting an all-you-can-eat buffet. What I don’t understand are these viral videos where people “find” abandoned animals on the side of the road. Really? Because I look every day. Every. Single. Day. Do I ever find a stray dog limping nobly down Catawba Avenue? Nope. Do I stumble upon a kitten meowing under a bush, waiting to be rescued? Not once. Instead, the only “strays” I find have two legs but that’s another story.
If I had the space, I’d have a farm that looks like Noah’s Ark with a revolving door—chickens, goats, horses, maybe even a llama or two. Fish already greet me like loyal disciples every time I walk onto the dock. Yes, I feed them. Yes, they probably just see me as a floating food truck. But still, I like to think I’m Mother Nature.
But let’s get to my point: Dogs are everywhere nowadays? I don’t mean in the usual, “look at the cute pup on the leash” way. I mean everywhere. Airports. Trains. Cars. Grocery stores. And yes, sitting upright on barstools like they’re waiting for a cold draft and a bowl of peanuts.
I love dogs. My heart actually skips a beat when I see them hanging out of a car window with ears flapping like flags in a hurricane. But when they’re positioned in the driver’s seat, paws on the steering wheel, with the owner nowhere in sight—that’s when I reach full panic mode. I think there should be a law for their safety. If I ride on my guy’s lap while he’s driving, sticking my head out the window, I am sure we would be pulled over for a violation or two.
If a dog was inside a restaurant, it was a service dog. Quiet. Well-trained. A hero named Rocco, a beefcake with fur. Now? It’s Che Che, the ankle-biting Chihuahua in a rhinestone harness, yapping like he’s auditioning for a horror film. I understand a service dog, and we need them; they are essential, but some just don’t seem as well-trained as others.
At this point, I’m convinced that in a few years, dogs won’t just be sitting on barstools; they’ll be serving drinks. “Sit, stay, shake… and pour me a bourbon while you’re at it.”
But, at the end of the day, dogs really are everywhere because we can’t imagine life without them. They ride shotgun, share barstools, and sometimes even wear our clothes (bless their hearts), because they’re family. And families show up in all the places we do—restaurants, grocery stores, even out on the water.
So, while I may roll my eyes at Che Che the Chihuahua in a tutu or panic when I see a Golden retriever looking like he’s about to take the wheel, I want you to be safe. Dogs remind us to laugh, to be present, and to love without keeping score. And honestly? The world could use a little more of that.
One paddle short—but always rowing—with a wagging tail right alongside.
Monica Lucia is the Author of The Final Chapter and a passionate advocate for those navigating grief and loss. She is the Founder of Widow’s Den and Sisterhood of LKN, dedicated to supporting families In addition to her writing and community-building work, Monica is the Grief and Bereavement Counselor at Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home, Huntersville and Denver.
