A dog day in San Francisco: Good food, good friends, good dog
By Christie Keith
January 3, 2009
I love San Francisco. I think Gina loves it too, because she keeps coming here. For instance, yesterday she showed up at my house, 30 pounds of bison meat in hand and adorable and incredibly perfect McKenzie on leash. I cut Gina’s hair (I have many skills) and then we went out to lunch.
It was the traffic day from hell in the City, at least, the part of it we were in. But McKutie just rode in the back of my van, calm and sweet with her face resting over the seat making sure I actually knew how to drive.
We went to one of my favorite restaurants, the very dog-friendly Park Chow. We sat in the covered, plastic-swathed, heated outdoor patio so that McKenzie could sit with us. (Yes, it was cold and wet, but we’ll do anything for the dogs).
She was absolutely perfect in every way. She lay down on the cement, but I took pity on her and ran back to the car for a thick, fluffy dog mat. She didn’t beg (although Gina did slip her some steak and fries). She was so good it was hard to believe this was one of Gina’s high-drive field ‘trievers. (Cue up memory of a New Year’s Day a few years ago when Heather decided she was tougher than any old undertow and tried to save a Kong toy from the raging surf off Bodega Bay.)
A day spent with Gina is always a good day, but nothing makes a good day perfect better than a good dog.
McKenzie can’t wait to hit the road again, as you can see from the picture. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — January 3, 2009 @ 8:15 am
I forgot to mention the demo you did of McKenzie retrieving your dropped inhaler on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant! In the rain!
What a good, amazing dog she is.
Comment by Christie Keith — January 3, 2009 @ 11:01 am
Got to love a hard-driving retriever. If you exercise them and focus them, they can be good pets. If you don’t, they’ll destroy your house. I had a field line golden that was, for all intents and purposes, in temperament and body, a red flat-coat (even having a flat coat with no wave in it at all). She was a retrieving fool, very intelligent, but she had to be exercised and focused to be a good dog.
Comment by retrieverman — January 3, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
You forgot to mention her “patty-cake” trick. She has many talents, too. :)
Not bad for a field-bred ‘trievie with hunt test passes and lots of nose, brains and drive!
After yesterday, I think McKutie will be the designated “visit Christie in the big city” dog now that 12-year-old Heather isn’t liking long rides very much.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — January 3, 2009 @ 8:39 pm
Your dog has lots of talent…Good dog makes our everyday life perfect…That’s my dog also bring to me…I give him a treat every Sunday, we go out and we eat…Your dog reminds me of my dog…I left him to my parents a days ago because I need to work…I miss him…
Comment by Retriever Trainer — January 6, 2009 @ 12:46 am
So much fun! I need to move to a more dog-friendly place. I just saw on TV that Ben & Jerry’s lets their employees bring their dogs into work. Hmm…maybe Vermont…
Comment by Lori — January 6, 2009 @ 9:22 am