Dogs are the best icebreaker

April 16, 2026

After getting back from my daily walk with Trix this morning, I got to thinking about how having a dog is a great way to meet people.

We walk the same route every day. Part of it goes through a small neighborhood, and over the years I've gotten to know a lot of the people who live there — because at some point, they wanted to meet my dog. Trix loves meeting new people. She's great with kids and other dogs, and when she sees someone she knows, her tail goes into overdrive.

Some are hello-how's-your-day acquaintances. Others are people I'd genuinely call friends, ones I interact with almost every day. Without Trix, I probably would have never meet most of them.