I have had the very same experience!

People, even those without pets, are much more likely to come up to you and talk if you have a friendly dog to break the ice.

It's just one of the many wonderful aspects of having a dog.

PS - Bacon is absolutly adorable! I love his little rolls and those big Frenchie ears!

That pic is so sad! Little guy needs a buddy :-)

I am so in love with Bacon =)

We have met so many of our neighbors because of our rescue dog Haley. My next door neighbor has keys to my place and hangs out with Haley when my husband and I are at work. We saved hundreds of dollars during our vacation because our neighbor across the street took care of Haley for two weeks. We return the favor by watching her dog when she travels. It truly takes a village to raise a healthy, happy dog!

I have to say, I'm not much of a dog person, but that picture is absolutely adorable! It's the whole reason I clicked on this story in the first place : )

I travel for work and am gone months at a time. My being gone never made an impact outside my building. But once Riley was in my life - the first time we came back from being gone all the local dog owners were asking where I was, telling me they were worried - heck, one women pulled over in her car to ask if I was ok! Guess, he is more missable then I am.

This vegetarian loves Bacon.

I've had my 3-year old chihuahua since he was 8 weeks old. Being a first time dog owner, I thought I was socializing him enough as a puppy, but that was obviously not the case. He barks (& growls) at everything, even if they're half a block away. People actually cross the street to avoid him when they see us coming. I've discovered the hard way that it is WAY harder to break a dog of a bad habit than to make the initial efforts to prevent it in the first place. If anyone out there is thinking of getting a young puppy, for your own sanity as well as your neighbors, please take this to heart.

Has he tried to fly with those cute puppy ears yet?

Aww, that picture makes me want to get sheep!

Aww! Big ears and butt wrinkles have never been so adorable! I'm on the Bacon bandwagon!

Everyone in the neighborhood knows my dog's name, but they totally forget mine. It's a humorous price to pay when you have a super cool dog.

I think owning a dog does great things for a community. As a result of my daily dog walks with my dog Oliver, I have met all of my neighbors in my building and many people in the surrounding neighborhood. I have learned all sorts of new things about my community and myself through daily doggie play groups in the park. It enhances my sense of well-being and connection, and has created a new support system for me. I kind of feel sorry for people who don't have the experience because they're missing out on something that is pretty hard to find these days!

In the three months we've had our puppy, she's managed to make more friends than my wife and I have in the 5 yrs. we've lived in the neighborhood. It's the best possible way expose yourself, and your pup, to neighbors you never knew you had.

Murphy (the big friendly black lab) has absolutely made a huge impact on meeting people in the neighbourhood. The kids at the bus stop know him by name and he stops to let them pet him.

And yeah, I know the other dog owner's by their dog's names and vice versa. It's a kick running into them outside without the dog - "Hi Murphy's owner!" :)

my friends who also live in Boston have a dog named Bacon. Looks nothing like your Bacon (which is completely adorable) but is a great dog nonetheless.

mattab - I feel your pain. Same experience.

One thing that helped me was to use a clicker, a pocket full of treats, and as soon as he spots someone say "friend" in a high-pitch fun voice and give him a treat. He's afraid, it's not his fault, he just sees the world as a scary place.

Google clicker training, "friend" command and you'll find more info. on exactly how to do it. You'll have to do it what feels like a hundred-million times, but it will make him think that seeing people is the best thing in the world. good luck.

I want a dog :( I live a lone and am a bit of a free spirit, pick up at the drop of a hat type. A dog just isn't in the cards.

Also, not to be a bummer, but I lost a dog when I was in highschool (not like "whoops-where'd the dog go?" but as in "we're so sorry for you loss") and I am actually a bit scared of getting a pet again because I will likely outlive it...once again, I am sorrry I am such a bummer.

But then I look at a dog as cute as Bacon and just want one to cuddle up with!

Oh my. I want Bacon.

DrRubyDoomsday, you could consider fostering for a local animal rescue or humane society. It is a great no-committment way to have a pet around, and still be able to travel or whatever. Not to mention that the group usually pays for vet bills, food, supplies, etc. It is a very rewarding experience. I do fostering for my local greyhound group. Coming off the track greyhounds have limited life experience, so I get to teach them to navigate stairs and help them learn how to play. Watching a dog go from scared of a squeaky toy to loving it is such a wonderful thing to be part of. It's just a thought for you to think over.

Wes & Kayla,
Ever since you posted that first picture of Bacon sleeping on your sheepskin rug, my boyfriend and I have taken to "stalking" him on Flickr for the most recent photos. I have been trying to figure out how to contact you guys to see where you purchased him, so I just bit the bullet and registered on AT. My boyfriend and I are looking to buy a Frenchie (and already have a Pug, Jezebel) and are trying to find reputable breeders. Where o' where did you buy that Bacon Bit??

Hillary

when i got my puppy frannie in february, we quickly got to know everyone and every dog in our building and our neighborhood, and as a result she's an incredibly friendly and well socialized dog. she even loves to play with cats after getting to know our neighborcats as a tiny pup. sadly, last month, we moved to a little house in another neighborhood and she clearly misses her dog friends. while there are plenty of dogs in the neighborhood and we go for lots of walks and to the park, most of those dogs are NOT well socialized and she's had some good scares lately from much bigger dogs growling at her. i'm hoping this doesn't damage her friendliness and sweet nature...

Hi Hillary -

Flickr stalking is more than welcome - if he wasn't ours we'd be desperate for more pictures, too :)

So glad that you're looking for a reputable breeder (read this). We found our breeder through this network. It is a small but well-trusted network of frenchie breeders. We would suggest getting on her mailing list because she sends out regular notices when puppies are available from reputable breeders. Bacon came from a good breeder friend of hers in D.C.

Owning a purebred puppy is a serious responsibility and we can't stress enough how important it is to do your research and find a reputable breeder who cares for their pups in a home environment! Good luck, Hillary! Let us know how it goes!

OMG, Kayla and Wes -- could your sweet pochini BE any cuter? Thanks for posting the extra pix. You've got another Bacon stalker. LOL

What adorable 'tocks! Put that puppy on Cute Overload!

I'm in love.

Such a cute dog----I would call it high fat bacon though!

Yeah! Bacon is back! Lets work him into every AT story from now on. (okay that may be excessive)

this is inspirational but i have a cat. if i took him out for walks i'd just be shunned and referred to as the crazy lady who walks her cat. :-)

my 3 year old frenchie is a bacon too and has neighborhood residents greet him on the street by name, and i don't know them. i also get many requests from neighbors in my building who want to look after him if i go out of town.

oh-my-gawd. cute overload.

mattab, please don't use a clicker on your little guy.

I know quite a bit about animal behavior and have lots of experience working with dogs (and cats), training pets with and without the clicker. Clicker training is based on the Skinnerian model of operant conditioning and is all the rage now. Unfortunately, not everyone who sports a clicker understands the theory behind the click.

I suggest not using the clicker for a number of reasons. One of which is that it can have a negative effect on dogs who startle easily. Leash walking your dog alongside someone who has a calm dog is a very nonthreatening way for your dog to be near another dog. Dogs find face-to-face meetings with other dogs (and humans, too) very threatening, that's why side-by-side is better. You may have to start out with quite a bit of space between you and your dog-walking partner and then as your pooch becomes more comfortable, you can slowly decrease the space between the four of you. One important component: treats! Stuff your pockets and keep a bunch in your hand. Make sure they're tiny and yummy to your dog, and start praising and treating (one at a time) while your dog is calm, and stop when your dog starts mouthing off. (Don't scold just stop the praise and treats.) Also pick a word--look! yes! watch!--to accompany the treat. Eventually, when your dog hears the word, he'll look at you for a treat, rather than going ballistic when he sees a dog. That means you have to think 5 steps ahead of him to watch out for approaching dogs, then get his attention with the "magic" word and start doling out the goodies.

This is a very abbreviated version of what I tell clients, but I hope it helps. If you want to learn more about training your dog using positive reinforcement, read The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell. She's very knowledgeable and enjoyable to read.

I'e had my dog since he was 2 months old and he loves people but doesn't play with other animals. He's 9 now so I can't break him out of that. : (

Bacon's pants are too big.

I have had the same experience. Even though my rescued boston terrier wants nothing to do with other dogs, he loves people. He's charmed our octogenarian neighbor, who said she is definitely not a dog person.

I love the term "Baconsits" for babysitting Bacon.

So cute!

i love your dog! i love his name! i love his ears! adorable!

The picture with the sheep is almost ridiculously cute.

bacon is a perfect name.
my first frenchie was named pig.
:P

i love frenchies!!! i really want one but i have concerns about the health of the dog. i've heard that they have respiratory problems and would like to hear more information from frenchie owners.

I never thought I'd say this, but I just love the wrinkles on his butt in the first photo.

BACON??? what a cute name and even cuter little face!!
I want one of those guys running around my home... : )

Jen Ramos
'100% Recycled DESIGNER Cards & More'
www.madebygirl.com
madebygirl.blogspot.com

Also...

For Bacon updates he can always be found <A HREF="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wesleyschwartz/sets/72157606016375043/">HERE</A>