[My dog, Sammy, pictured above.]
I’ve written a lot lately about the enduring urge people are going to have for what I describe as the “luxury of solitude.”
This means everything from more spacious and private primary residences (including a growing desire for indoor/outdoor areas) to true second homes that allow for relative isolation.
That’s all true and I could support my theory with dozens of articles that are appearing every week in the major press.
But one thing I have missed—don’t forget about the dog!
Now if you’re not a dog person, the rest of this post won’t make much sense to you. But if you are a dog person, you’ll know that there is no one you’d rather have with you in that solitude than that canine family member.
And they are family members. It is almost unnatural how much we love them, except that given the number of dog owners in the US, it is the very definition of “natural.”
Pictured on this post is my dog, Sammy the chocolate Labrador. He is “stuck” in the upper peninsula of Michigan where my wife and young boy were vacationing when the coronavirus hit Texas (my home) so hard that there is no plan for them to return anytime soon.
And yes, I miss Jennifer.
And yes, I miss Sawyer.
But damn do I miss Sammy!!!!!!
Which means that there are all manner of dog-friendly services popping up from the doggie-welcome AirBNB equivalent, to specialized hotels, to dog parks (with splash pads, of course) to websites galore so that you can get your daily dose of your favorite breed.
I’ve seen designers who include a dog in their best photos; I think it’s an interesting way to brand yourself, though I have already shown my hand as a sucker for dogs. I like companies that list their employees and have a separate spot for the office dog. (Or cats which I like just fine…but if you’re not a dog person…you can’t really grasp the difference.)
I’m not sure how this informs your actual design. I’ll have to leave that to you to tell me. But I do know that if you play to your clients’ love for their pooch, you’ll have a loyal friend for life.
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