The bonus of walking a dog is that you meet a lot of people when you’re out and about.
Some become close friends. Others stay on nodding terms. It’s all uplifting.
One local woman took a year to speak to me. Flossie and I walk past her house most days and she’s often outside. It felt odd (to me) not to say hello as we saw her so regularly.
At first, she looked past us, and Flossie and I would walk on. But I continued to say good morning whenever we saw her. Sometimes I’d comment on the weather. I didn’t get much back.
One day, she was walking along the lane and witnessed a local dog have a real go at Flossie as we passed. Flossie barked back. The woman looked startled but she did say that the other dog was always very noisy.
This felt like progress.
Little by little, she began interacting with me. It went from a cheery “good morning” when I greeted her to wondering if rain was due and whether she should hang out her washing.
And so it went on.
Now, a few years later, she knocks on the window when she sees us, waves, and hurries to put her shoes on so she can come outside and talk to us. She gives me apples from her tree. Her husband kindly takes Flossie’s poo bags and puts them in their bin so I don’t have to carry them home.
It’s gone so far the other way that if they ever drive past us, they toot the horn loudly, hands waving enthusiastically, and stop the car to chat. It doesn’t matter if there’s traffic behind them. That has to wait.
The first time they did this, I felt embarrassed, and made apologetic signals to the other drivers for the hold up. But, it’s only for a few seconds, so now I just enjoy it.
Really, those kinds of interactions are what living in a friendly community is all about.
As published in the Bath Chronicle, 28 May 2026
Suzy Pope is a certified copywriter and newspaper columnist specialising in pets, business and lifestyle. If you would like help with a writing project, please get in touch.