Lunching with Super Models

Since we have gotten Jam back, we have been taking "the boys" out for lunch.  Dunedin has several restaurants with patios where both Coach and Jam, who doesn't have a coat, are welcome.

One of those restaurants is The Dunedin Smokehouse. They love Coach and are super friendly to dogs on the patio.  They always bring out bowls of water for them. There are other restaurants, but on Sunday, we went to the Smokehouse because we wanted some amazing barbecue (their wings are splendid as well!).

Photo of Jam under the table looking up at me and smiling.

What I've noticed about taking the boys out in public is how many stares we get.  As soon as we got to our table, the small boy at the neighboring table had run over and asked to pet Jam.  I said yes.  Jam was lying down on the ground as the boy told me about his lab and how it was in the hospital.

"Oh no.  Is he getting better?"

"She's getting better every minute," he said with confidence.  He patted Jam on the head and stroked his neck and down his body.  Then he patted his feet. "Those are big feet."

"Yes, they are."

"Thanks!" He jumped up and ran back to his table.

Coach is sitting and smiling and looking at the camera.

Last weekend when we went to the smokehouse, there was an older couple sitting a few tables away from us and they just could not keep their eyes off of Jam and Coach.  The lady in particular would eat some of her sandwich and gaze with adoration at him, much as I imagine women gaze at Ryan Gosling doing yard work without a shirt on a film shoot.  Finally, she called over to us.

"He is so beautiful." She waved her hand at Jam. Her husband was nodding in the background.

Fred and I smiled.  "Thank you.  They are pretty well behaved too." I tell her about Jam being dropped from Southeastern's guide dog program.  They are very impressed with Jam and think Coach is the bee's knees.

When we first got Jam he was fuzzy like a polar bear.  Very distinctive.  On one of our first outings to the Sarasota Discovery Center we made the mistake of eating lunch at St. Armand's Circle at a table next to a big picture window.  Jam was in full view of every tourist who was passing by.  We learned what it was like to be a zoo animal as almost everyone stopped and pointed at Jam and then mouthed the words: "HE IS SO BEAUTIFUL!" It was like eating lunch with super models.

Now, when I take Coach out, everyone comments on how handsome he is, but the two of them together seems to be an overwhelming amount of labby attractiveness.  Coach goes in for training on July 20th. Until then, we will try to spread his handsome mug around as many places as we can.