Coffee and Dogs

The Coffee Shop Is Becoming a Dog Park

One of my Saturday reset rituals is walking down to the coffee shop at the end of the block, ordering an Americano, and journaling while processing the week. It’s a simple rhythm, but it’s mine.

Lately, I’ve noticed more and more dogs coming into the shop. It gets me thinking about my cute little Bella — and whether I should bring her sometime.

This morning, as I was leaving, I struck up a conversation with a dog owner whose pup had that same distinctive teddy bear face most doodles, maltipoos, and “any-other-poos” tend to have. We were told Bella is part maltipoo, part Aussie, and honestly, the resemblance was uncanny.

What struck me was the owner’s reaction when I told him I’d probably never bring Bella to the shop. He looked genuinely shocked — “Why not?” — as if bringing a dog to a coffee shop is just a normal part of living now. I explained that Bella would bark at everyone, and my bigger fear is she’d pee on the floor. That felt like a hard no.

So I left with the question lingering: Should I bring Bella to the coffee shop? Probably not. But maybe. Though I do have to be honest — if she came with me, journaling would become impossible. My whole purpose for being there would shift. And truthfully, Bella isn’t asking to go to a coffee shop. She seems perfectly content at home.

What it really made me think about is how pet culture has quietly evolved. Growing up, we had dogs. Friends had dogs. But you never saw them in restaurants or coffee shops. It just wasn’t a thing. Now it kind of is — and I find that more curious than bothersome.

Change is change. It doesn’t make me angry. It just makes me pay attention.

Is there a place, routine, or ritual in your life that’s quietly shifted over time — and how do you decide whether to resist the change or lean into it?