They’re eating treats and napping in dog heaven now, but if you’d have walked these sweet animals on the sidewalks of my borough, you’d have had a fun challenge.

Rosie, the energetic mixed breed, always wanted to run ahead.

Sammy, the toy poodle, would want to sniff, explore, and mark.

A walk entailed a leash in each hand, arms outstretched, and two dogs with two different goals in mind. To serve them both was to serve neither one fully.

A better situation was when two of us walked the dogs separately. Rosie was happy. Sammy was happy.

It’s worth considering how we meet the needs of those we seek to serve. “One size fits all” may actually be “one size doesn’t really fit anyone all that well.”

Sometimes, two dogs need two walkers.