If you want a great activity for socializing with all sorts of distractions, try walking around downtown Raleigh – especially on a Saturday morning! Today was perfect because Poppy got to sit and watch the Veterans Day Parade. He hung out beside me while giant trucks drove by, sirens wailed, marching bands played, and Civil War reenactors passed by, while families with strollers and other dogs were all around us. We watched the parade and then explored the sights, smells, and interesting surfaces of the city. Cobblestone streets, metal grates, water fountains, traffic passing by, sitting before crossing the streets – Poppy’s got this down! We walked by a closed street where construction workers with jackhammers busily worked, and Poppy didn’t mind at all. When you’re nervous about taking your dog somewhere new, he will sense that anxiety and will feel that way too. The best thing to do is enter the situation calmly with lots of confidence! And now he’s ready for a big snooze!