If you have a three-year-old child or grandchild in the family (as we do), this admittedly corny video may find an appreciative audience, especially if the kid likes dogs, annoying music, or millinery:
ABOVE: Is this dog being babied, or is the dummy on its collar (see inset photo) being worn for the convenience of the owner's infant?
Maybe we should have labeled this post "Pups with pacifiers," but our less elegant headline was more fun to write.
In the photo above, and in the enlargement of a critical detail at right, you'll see that Bowser is wearing a binkie on his collar--which just goes to support the argument that many Venetians treat their dogs like children.
If you're a dog (or a person) who enjoys watching boats go by, Venice is a great city to be in. But if you're a Bearded Collie or another breed with a herding instinct, watching boats is like being exposed to sheep without being able to herd them.
In the video below, Maggie shows signs of frustration when she's unable to take charge of her flock. (Listen for Maggie's protests, which begin when a vaporetto cruises past her vantage point on the Grand Canal.)