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Let me start this post with declaring I AM A DOG LOVER. Truly, I am. Until last April when I had to put down my beloved Ivan, I had three dogs. Two of them rescues, one purebred (my husband's hunting hopes gone wrong). If I was independently wealthy and had acres of land, I would have my own canine rescue. So, no comments on how I must not be an animal lover.

Today at the post office where I along with a zillion other people were mailing last minute cards and packages, I walked by a mom who was with her daughter. Her daughter, probably 3-4 years old, was in her stroller holding a cute little Maltese (this is a dog for the non-canine familiar). Mom was at the pickup window which is immediately in front of the double doors to the building which means everyone had to walk by them to enter the building. As I enter the building and walk by on my way to buy stamps, the dog barks at me. OK, whatever, the dog doesn't like me. I can live with it. However, the dog continues to bark at everyone who enters the post office. Remember, its four days before Christmas. This place is busy! The postal clerk doesn't say anything to this woman and another customer even comments on how cute the dog is (as he is barking at everyone).

So its clear to me this is a not a seeing-eye dog nor any other type of therapy dog. This is a spoiled, pampered little dog who has not been taught his manners. This gets me thinking, when did it become acceptable to bring your dogs into public buildings? This is not Petco or PetSmart and to my knowledge, the post office isn't holding spay or neuter clinics. This isn't the first time I've seen the family pet wandering through a store. Just a few months ago I saw a dachshund checking out lumber at Home Depot. Oh, his owner was there too but with a 20 ft lead, that little guy had free reign. I didn't recall the "dog friendly" sign as I entered the store.

That brings me to another point. Its always little dogs that get the hall pass. I will bet lots of money that if I brought my 90 lb. black lab/pit bull mix to the post office and he barked at everyone who entered, I would immediately be escorted out of the building. Not only escorted but I'm sure I would not be told how cute my dog was. Rex is a lover not a fighter but he is big, he is black and when he barks it can be intimidating.

So tell me, when did we start allowing small dogs the freedom to enter buildings of their choice? Small dogs must have clout. Maybe its Napoleon syndrome. You know, they may be little but nothing is going to stop them from going where they want.