No matter where I go in Korea – no matter where I look,

…the first thing I see is the dogs.

They’re everywhere.

It drives me crazy and it breaks my heart.

Where others see something to fear, I see something to love.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not naive.

I’m not running up to each & every dog squealing, “Aren’t you just the cutest thing?”

I know to treat each of these dogs with the respect you should give any unfamiliar animal - because as sad as their existence is, they have a job.

And they do it well.

[this is Red & Ginger, by the way...dogs I'll tell you about another time]

I think Koreans must view big dogs as car alarms – because none of them are the stereotypical vicious guard dogs that you come across from time to time at home.

These are watch dogs – sounding out an alarm whenever anyone comes too close.

And just like any other car alarm these days, no one really pays attention to them – both literally & figuratively.

But a dog is more than an alarm.

A dog is a companion – big or small.

It’s just a different kind of companionship.

Little dogs will gladly sit in your lap, content to spend time with you in the comfort of air conditioning.

Where big dogs gladly go for long walks, content to spend time with you in the great outdoors.

And everywhere I look I see dogs that will never know companionship.

Dogs that never get to experience healthy pack behavior.

Who are left alone to spend out their days on a short lead – never to be truly fulfilled.

And it breaks my heart.

I swear…Korea is going to be the death of me.

It seems if Korea can’t kill me physically, its gonna try killing me emotionally.