Dudes with Dogs: The Fellowship of the Burdened
Why this is the only secret society you actually need.
If you walk through Soho, Victoria Park, or along the South Bank on a Saturday morning, you’ll see us. We are the men looking slightly weathered, holding a flat white in one hand and a retractable lead in the other.
“Dudes with dogs” isn’t just a demographic; it’s a survival pact. We are a specific tribe of Londoners who have collectively agreed that having our expensive rugs ruined is a fair price to pay for a creature that thinks we’re the Second Coming of Christ every time we walk through the front door.
The Unspoken Rules
The “Proper” Greeting
When two dudes with dogs pass each other, we don’t do small talk. We don’t ask about careers or the property market. We look at the dogs, give a slight, weary nod of mutual respect, and ask: “How old?” and “Is he friendly?”. We are basically just accessories for our pets’ social lives.
The Pub Selection Process
A “good pub” is no longer defined by the craft beer selection or the lack of tourists. It is defined solely by whether or not they have a jar of treats on the bar and enough floor space for a Bulldog to collapse without being stepped on by a hen do. If the dog isn’t welcome, we aren’t drinking there.
The Masculinity Shift
There is nothing that humbles a man faster than standing in the middle of a crowded street, dressed in your best gear, while your dog decides to do a “protest sit” because he wants to go to the park instead of the post office. Your dignity is gone. The dog is the captain now.
Why We Do It
Despite the ruined trainers, the 6 AM alarms, and the fact that our dating profiles are now 90% “must love dogs,” we wouldn’t change it. There is a specific kind of peace in coming home after a terrible day in the city to a wagging tail that doesn’t care about your KPIs or your rent hike.
It’s a beautiful, chaotic, hairy trade-off.
If you’re tired of the “pawsome” clichés and want the no-BS reality of raising a dog, you’re in the right place.
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