Dog Friendly Quotes

“What is he? I definitely see Newfie, and maybe some chocolate Lab, but what else?” Morgan asked.
“I did a DNA test on him and it said he was Newfoundland, Lab, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, and Chihuahua.”
Morgan shook her head. They’ve always gotta throw in that weird one, right?”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“Morgan noticed that the dog was off leash and way ahead of the guy, and she instinctively tensed up as it ran toward where they were standing. Bernadette kept her eye on the dog as well, but Palmer was oblivious, sniffing something invisible in the sand.
As the dog got closer, Morgan saw that he was carrying a piece of driftwood like it was a trophy, head up at an awkward angle to compensate for the weight of it. It was a beautiful black Lab, its coat wet with salt water. She relaxed when she realized that the dog hadn’t even noticed they were there, so focused on the joy of kicking up sand that nothing else mattered. It was the essence of dog happiness distilled to a moment, and Morgan’s heart pinched when she realized it was a pleasure that Hudson couldn’t experience.
Yet. Someday he’s going to be able to race down the beach with wet fur and a smile on his face, carrying a piece of driftwood with a buddy like they’re running a relay race.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“Hudson moved closer to Nathan and planted his head on his leg, looking up at him with puppy-dog eyes.
Nathan rolled his head back in surrender. “He just murdered me with cuteness.”
“Pet him, please!” Morgan said, swooning over the new bromance. “He’s dying for you.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“When she opened her eyes, Hudson was standing next to the chaise, staring at her.
“Hey, you,” Morgan said, placing her hand on the side of his face with a sad smile.
He looked up at her with a concerned expression, his ears plastered against his head and his tongue lizarding out of his mouth. He shifted his weight, then gently hopped up so his front paws were on the chaise next to her. Before she realized what he was doing, Hudson leaned closer to gently lick her cheek, exactly where the tear had rolled down.
“Oh my God,” Morgan whispered as it dawned on her. “You’re worried about me?”
Hudson continued licking her cheek no matter how she moved her face away from him. It was like he needed to distract her and wipe away any tangible traces of her sadness.
“Hud, I’m okay. I’m okay,” she lied as new tears of recognition welled in her eyes.
Oh my God. Hudson is a comfort dog.
Their family dog, Betty, had been one, so keyed in to offering support to the humans in her house that she could practically smell tears from a room away. Betty had been particularly helpful during Morgan’s angsty teen years, seeking her out when she was feeling depressed.
After realizing that Hudson meant business and wasn’t going to stop his comfort rituals, Morgan surrendered to him. She pulled him up onto the lounge, and he leaned his body against hers like a weighted blanket.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“A noise escaped her as they kissed that sounded like she’d just tasted something delicious, and Morgan felt him grin against her mouth before deepening the kiss. The barest hint of stubble, so light that she hadn’t even noticed it on his face, tickled her as their mouths and tongues explored.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“He’s definitely young,” she laughed as he began his up-close investigation of her feet and legs. “You’re so fast, Archer!”
Morgan knelt when the dog finally came to a complete stop and looked at her with his tongue hanging out of his catfish mouth, grinning and wiggling. He danced his way closer and bumped against her leg, so she took it as an invitation and finally reached out to pet him.
“He’s so soft,” Morgan exclaimed as she ran her hand down the dog’s khaki fur.
“Yup, my velvet hippo,” Nathan said, leaning against the truck and watching them with a bemused expression.
Archer was lean and muscular, with an athlete’s body and a comedian’s face. The black mask around his muzzle highlighted the fact that he looked like a reverse vampire with his two lower canines jutting out in a pronounced underbite. He slid his body to the ground with a plop, then rolled onto his back and swatted at Morgan to pet his belly.
“Okay, bossy,” Morgan said, reaching out to rub as instructed.
“Bro, let’s go.” Nathan laughed at his dog thrashing around in front of Morgan. “He’s never going to let you stop now. Arch, c’mon.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“Despite how tightly wound Hudson had been the first time they met, he was a pretty chill dog. She’d started a list in her journal of all of his positive qualities that at first had been limited to his good looks… the golden fur, the subtle black shading along his muzzle, the big ears that telegraphed more information about his emotional state than his tail. But each day together brought new insights about the mystery at the end of the leash, like the fact that he didn’t pull during walks. He never jumped up on her no matter how excited he got. He always dropped fetched balls at her feet. He didn’t guard his food bowl, toys, or his bed. And best of all, he was always DTT.
Down to train.
Hudson loved training. It was like he’d been thirsty to prove to someone how clever he was, so no matter what she attempted with him, he happily played along.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“I’d let her check you out before you try to touch---“
But it was too late. Nathan duck-walked with to Bernadette and the little dog closed the distance between them with a wagging hind end. She turned in circles against his leg like a cat as he patted her.
I guess no one’s immune to him.
“Aw, Bernadette, you’re sweet.” Nathan looked up at Morgan. “How old is she?”
Morgan felt a jolt rush through her. Men like Nathan weren’t supposed to be walking around in the wild like regular mortals, they belonged on catwalks or judging people from beachside cafés in Capri with fellow supermodels. It was hard to have a conversation with him because her brain couldn’t process anything other than the fact that physically, he was as close to perfect as a human could be.
He acts like he doesn’t know it, but he has to know it.
“Eleven,” she managed to squeak out.
“You don’t look a day over ten. Right, cutie?” He rubbed Bernadette’s ear and she closed her eyes in ecstasy.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“The biggest photo in the center of the page was of a gorgeous blond dog named Hudson who was posed with a smile and an irresistible head tilt.
He looked like a Disney character brought to life, complete with a starry-eyed expression and a filtered halo of sunlight around his head. At first glance she thought he was pure yellow Lab, but the dark muzzle and oversized ears suggested that there was something houndy mixed in his DNA.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“She was one of the smallest Schnauzers Morgan had ever met, weighing in at a whopping twelve pounds. The Pak-Reynoldses kept her silver beard precisely trimmed and her coat cut tight and neat against her body, leaving her leg fur a bit longer so it looked like she was wearing little pants.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“Hitting your puppy does nothing to help potty-train her, but what it will do is make her afraid of you. Bailey doesn’t know where she’s supposed to potty at this age, so it’s up to you to help her learn. Believe it or not, accidents in the house are people problems, not puppy problems.”
“Told you,” Allison said under her breath, looking down at her hands.
“Huh. So, no smacks?”
Morgan shook her head vigorously. “No smacks, ever, for any reason.”
Jared frowned. “Everybody’s a snowflake these days, I guess.” He leaned over in front of his puppy on the exam table. “Want to talk about your feelings, Bailey? Will that keep you from shitting in the house?”
Allison laughed nervously. “Jared, stop.”
“I know some excellent puppy trainers I can refer you to,” Morgan said, looking at Allison. “They can help you with potty-training.” She glanced at Jared. “Manners too.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly

“She felt her whole body relax when the puppy turned crescent-shaped with glee and wiggled into her palm. She wished she could inject the furry oxytocin hit into her veins like a junkie.
Thank God for puppies.”
― Victoria Schade, Dog Friendly