Your Best Friend: The Four-Legged Kind
The Best Kinds of Adventures
June 26th, 2026
Dogs are our best friends, and are the best additions to our families and lives. Without them, life wouldn’t feel as full. In my opinion, dogs are not only our best friend, they are also what brings laughter, unconditional love, emotional support, and happiness into our homes. Usually, when we humans venture out into the world, dogs stay home to guard the house. If your dog is anything like mine, she enjoys a good window-watching session and guards the house while I’m gone. But, it is hard to leave them when I’d rather take them with!
Dogs are more than just pets; they are our kids, and are treated like one of the family. I consider myself a proud dog Mom, and treat my dog like part of the family. All of my family’s dogs have been family dogs, and are well-loved.
To me, dogs are a God-given gift of an angel watching over us, being there for us during the good and hard times. If you spell “dog” backwards, it’s “God”. Dogs love unconditionally, and teach us a few things about how to love and care for each other. They are always there for us, wagging their tails when we get home, excitedly waiting for us to play with them, no matter what we are feeling. We need to be more like them, and love freely, looking at the world through positive, happy eyes as they do. They show us what it means to love openly, happily, and without a care in the world, and they give us their love no matter what time of day it is as they are always there for us.
Dogs are part of our family and a big part of our world, but to them, we are their whole world. Keeping them home while we are gone is sometimes what we have to do for work and other purposes, but they also have a life to live too, and their life involves being with us, their humans.
However, it is not always easy to take your prized pooch with you in this world. Most communities have become more dog-friendly in recent years, but there are many places that aren’t dog-friendly. The life we live is made for humans, and I’m hoping that changes in the future. Life with dogs is so much better than life without dogs. I feel that my adventures out of the house would be so much better with my dog with me. Then I would worry less about her being at home and she would get to experience every adventure with me.
But, not all things are safe for dogs to do outside the home. My dog feels safest when she is on her blanket on the couch. We as humans have to take into consideration what is best for our dogs, as they give so much to us in return; love, happiness, comfort, and laughter. So when you take your dog out to adventure with you, consider what is best for them and come up with different ways to adventure with them while keeping their safety in mind.
Certain communities have considered this and have created options for humans and their dogs to adventure together. Within Glencoe, there are been recent updates that have made it easier for dog owners to bring their dogs with them such as the dog park, outdoor patios at restaurants, and walking trails.
No matter what you decide to do, keeping your dog’s happiness and safety in mind is a top priority. If it were up to me, I would stay home with my dog every day to spend time with her! We never get enough time with our families or dogs, so I try to soak up every minute. Even so, I’ve learned to plan specific adventures that are dog friendly to specifically spend time with my dog that is safe for her and is something we can enjoy together! For example, when I go through the bank drive-through or get a Caribou coffee, I bring my dog with as she loves to ride in the car with me. She usually gets treats in the drive-thrus! This is something that usually dogs stay home for, but bringing them with for life’s little adventures such as driving around town, going through the drive-thrus, picking up groceries online, or even going on a walk makes for a happy dog and happy human!
Bring your dog with! Find ways to adventure together; they are a huge part of your life, and to them, you are their life. Consider adding them to your daily routine, and mix in ways to spend time with them in and outside the home. They love living life with you; you are their human and are their whole world. So the next time you are heading out the door, think about whether or not you could safely bring your dog with you, and consider doing so! They will love it and their company will instantly brighten your day, as is a dog’s nature. Let’s give back to our dogs, and give them the love, attention, happiness, and quality time together they deserve because adventuring together is the best kind of adventure!
~Alyson Winn-Lagergren~
