Where Dogs Roam Free

 ... are places like industrial parks on the weekend.

The Catican Guards without the big man, Bodie, are a bit skittish. They're a pair of chihuahua mixes and they really miss their big brother. They still love to romp off the leash, but any place that might have other dogs is out of the question, particularly for our neurotic fashion model, Leah.

So where do you take the kids when you don't have 3+ hours to go to the mountains and you can't go to the school or dog park? How about a local industrial park or office park? I've also tried little-used parking structures. Those are OK, but the girls really want the sunshine and some plants.

During the Wuhan Flu insanity, there was this terrific office complex in Poway that had a bamboo forest and was fenced off from any streets. The parking lot was surrounded by the bamboo which made it perfect for chihuahuas to run and play. Once things here in Insaneifornia became a bit more normal, out came the security guards on the weekends to give us the bum's rush because ... who knows? In a more genteel, read: Southern, world, they'd look the other way while little dogs got their ya yas out, but they come from a world of rule-followers so what are you gonna do?

That left me with an industrial park that was fenced off from traffic and populated by truckers when there was anyone at all. That means they were cool and loved dogs, even little, goofy ones.

These are my people, man. 

So now the girls romp around the industrial park and any employees that might be there on the weekend smile, wave and sometimes stop to pet the kids.

It's a beautiful thing.

What fun! You never know where you might find some bits of old sandwich or maybe the end of a burrito.

There's a hillside with shrubs and some dilatory ground cover. You never know, there could be crows to chase or even a squirrel!

I hope you had a great weekend.