Maggie in Venice

ABOVE: A Wired-Hair Fox Terrier and a West Highland White Terrier meet and greet in the Quirinal Gardens.

A week ago, we were in Rome without Maggie, who hates automotive traffic and has a tendency to herd Vespas.

It was a pleasant Sunday afternoon, and we wandered up the Quirinal Hill to the Palazzo del Quirinale, the official residence of the President of the Republic. There, we discovered that the Giardini del Quirinale--the gardens next to the palace--were a meeting place for dogs and their owners.

Here are some pictures from our visit:

The Wire-Haired Fox Terrier in the photo at the top of the page approaches the steps to the Quirinal Hill and Gardens.

During their meet-up in the Giardini del Quirinale, the two terriers honor the rule of "No fighting, no biting."

From a vantage point directly in front of our park bench, the Westie has a High Noon-style encounter with an off-leash spaniel.

In the meantime, a Dachshund watches the other dogs from a safe distance. (Dachshunds are extremely popular in Rome, and wire- or long-haired Dachsunds appear to be more common than miniature short-haired "wiener dogs.")

Soon, the Westie and Dachshund are playing with a third dog in the Presidential Palace's unofficial dog park.