Many of you know that we have a Boston Terrier dog named Boston Red Sox. We got her as a puppy eleven years ago. We love her and treat her like a family member. But moving to Portugal was not her idea and quite frankly we didn’t think to ask her if she wanted to come.
The trip to Portugal was a nightmare for her and only she really knows all the details. That’s a story for another day. Today we want to talk about how she is adapting to life as a city dog.
Sox used to have the run of a six acre farm, along with our older dog, Boston Beans, three laying hens, two cats, a smelly compost pile (perfect for a dog to roll in), frogs in the pond, and rabbits. There was a large turtle who appeared out of nowhere once or twice a year. Deer would occasionally cross our lot, as would a red fox.
And then there was Sox’s nemesis, Mr. Squirrel. (It’s probably correct to say “nemeses”, plural, because there were lots of squirrels, but Sox never seemed to tell one from another.) She never tired of stalking them and chasing them up a tree, under which she would sit and wait, sometimes for an hour, daring them to come down.
Unfortunately, Beans “crossed the rainbow bridge” shortly before we left the US and the cats and hens were sold with the house, so Sox traveled alone. Getting settled in Portugal has been a challenge.
City Life in Porto
Sox now lives in a fourth floor (it’s called the third floor in Europe) apartment and never goes anywhere unaccompanied or off leash. Our daily routine begins with Mary taking her out for her first walk in the morning and ends with Mike taking her out last thing at night. We take several long walks throughout the day and usually manage to squeeze in a Frisbee game in the little patch of grass behind our apartment building.
Sox is a dog with an accurate internal clock and a strong sense of habit. About 10:30 every morning, she appears in the living room, sits, and stares at us. If she was a cartoon dog, there would be a bubble over her head with the words “Well? It’s time, you know.”
If she had a watch, we’re certain she would point to it.
Our part in this play is to ask the question, “Do you want to go to the park?” Sox’s response is immediate and joyful. She jumps up and dances around the apartment until we’re ready to go out the door.
There are two large parks within walking distance of our apartment. One is the Parque do Covelo. It is a large park that covers about 20 acres. It has walking trails, man-made waterfalls, a playground, and a long, shaded alley lined with benches – a perfect spot to sit and enjoy a quiet Sunday morning.
Parque do Covelo is almost 2km from our apartment – about a 25 minute walk. Sox can make it there and back, but it’s at the outer edge of her endurance. We’ve taken her there a couple of times.
Closer to home is the Praça de Mouzinho de Albuquerque, also known as the Rotunda da Boavista. It’s a 7 ¾ acre park in the center of one of the busiest roundabouts in Porto. Despite being in the middle of a roundabout fed by eight busy streets, the park is surprisingly quiet.
The centerpiece of the Rotunda is a 148 foot tall monument, the Monumento aos Heróis da Guerra Peninsular or Monument to the Heroes of the Peninsular War. It commemorates the victory of Portuguese and British armies over the invading French troops in the Peninsular War (1807-1814). At the top of the monument is a large lion, which symbolizes the Portuguese and British victory, sitting on a French imperial eagle. You can see the lion above the trees and buildings as you approach the park from almost any direction.
The Rotunda is a prominent feature on the map – the green circle you see below.
The Rotunda is about 1km or 12 minutes from our apartment – the perfect distance for a dog walk. We go there almost every day. Sox could probably get there by herself. She practically pulls us to the park.
Every other day or so, we take a slight detour and ride the Metro. We’re trying to get Sox used to riding on a train so we can take her on trips. We only ride from one stop to another, a total of about 3 minutes. Mike picks her up and holds her tightly throughout the ride. Sox is scared of the noise and vibration, and shakes for most of the trip. Mary tries to soothe her by telling her we’re going to the park.
But all is forgotten (and, we hope, forgiven) when we run up the stairs from the train platform and emerge on the Avenida da Franca, just up the block from the park. Sox leads us down the sidewalk, weaving in and out between the people who are blocking her progress.
And then, we’re there!
On The Hunt
When we first started going to the Rotunda, Sox would lead us on a meandering stroll around the perimeter. Her ears were up and she was constantly scanning the landscape in front of her. Looking. Looking. Looking…for squirrels! For chipmunks. For mice or rats or bunnies or any other little furry critter.
And she was always disappointed. It’s not surprising that there are no rabbits in an urban park. But no squirrels? Maybe this is a tribute to the way the city of Porto is managed. We see crews in the park every week, raking, blowing leaves, mowing. In general, if it can be washed, cleaned, vacuumed or raked they do it. This city is scrubbed. Is this what keeps the critters away?
We did some research and learned that in early 2020, along with the coronavirus outbreak, another virus – the adenovirus – infected and killed most of the red squirrels in Portugal. What puzzled the scientists here is that the strain of adenovirus was different from that found in other European countries, but nearly identical to one found in South Korea.
As we walked through the park every day, Sox would periodically stop at a couple places where there were holes in the ground. Most were less than 6” in diameter – the kind of holes that a rodent might make. Most days, she’d stick her nose in the holes, sniff, and move on.
But then one day, as she approached one of the holes, we saw movement. It was a mouse, or a chipmunk. Whatever it was saw Sox and ran into the hole. Sox stuck her nose deeper into the hole than before. Then she checked the other holes in the area. Nothing moved. After a few minutes, she gave up and we moved on.
But she remembered the spot. Now when we enter the park, Sox pulls on the leash and drags us to the holes in the ground. She knows something is in there – she can smell it. One morning we saw a little head pop up out of the ground. Then it disappeared.
So the hunt is on. It’s like playing whack-a-mole with Sox going from hole to hole. For the last week or so she’s spent most of her park time watching, smelling the holes, and waiting.
Boston Terriers are delightful dogs, great companions, and stubborn as hell. We know Sox will keep looking for the squirrels in the Rotunda. She’ll never catch anything.
But above all, she is an optimist.
What animal brings joy and laughter into your life? Leave a comment below or send a note via the Contact Form. We’ll ask Sox to read and respond.
Enjoy your weekend! / Aproveite o seu fim de semana!
Mary and Mike
The Cook and The Writer
That Sox is one smart girl! Very interesting about the squirrels. When I look out the window or go for a walk here, I swear that squirrels are taking over the world . . .
This was a great blog!
Hi Karen,
Thanks for your comment. Mary told me she read about an area somewhere up north where they have a sanctuary of sorts for squirrels – a protected area where they can increase the population. Hopefully we’ll see the results while we are here.
I hope you and Jeff are staying safe and well.
Mike
As the human of a 10 year old mini poodle, I appreciate your post and I’m happy to know dogs can ride the metro without being inside a carrier. We will be moving to PT next year and my dog is afraid to walk indoors on wood and most tile floors. I just bought him some gripper socks. I hope they work and will make a difference. Any suggestions regarding this particular issue? Thanks
Hi Michele,
Thanks for jumping in with your comment. It’s great to hear from you. I’m no expert on dog training – Mary has done most of the hard work with our dogs. But I’ll draw a parallel between your dog’s aversion to hard floors and Sox’s discomfort/fear on the Metro. We know that Sox was traumatized by her trip over to Portugal. The noise of the plane, the unfamiliar surroundings, and the last few hours in a noisy warehouse in Porto all combined to leave her nervous and dehydrated when we picked her up. I suspect that the noise and vibration of the Metro is similar, so I’m not surprised by her shaking. However, we’ve been introducing the train to her in small doses – rides of less than 5 minutes where she is held tightly and comforted. Today’s ride was notable in that she shook less. We’re hoping that in future days, she’ll be increasingly comfortable as she gets to know that the train is noisy, but safe.
Perhaps your dog will benefit from a similar desensitization routine – walking in the socks on the hard floors for a few minutes each day, with each session followed by praise and treats. That’s my amateur opinion. I hope some other readers with more experience will weigh in.
Best wishes for success as you make plans to move to Portugal. Let me know if we can provide any info or encouragement!
Mike
What a great story about Sox. Coco has the hunter instincts about squirrels, but now I limit her hunting times Eve since 3/4 of her teeth were pulled.
But, I have to ask this question. Now that Sox is required to be walked in public parks, where do you find Walmart bags for clean up?😆😆😆
Hey John,
Thanks for your note. I wouldn’t worry too much about Coco hunting the squirrels. Her odds of catching one are probably about the same as Sox’s were – lots of time stalking, not so much catching. And we brought a case of poop bags with us, knowing that there wouldn’t be a Walmart anywhere near. If you want a plastic bag in the grocery store, you have to pay for it. Part of the overall recycling program. The price encourages all of us to bring our own bags.
Our best to you, Ginger and Trev.
Mike
Loved your story about Sox. I can imagine her exploring new territory. Our sweet Bogey died last summer. We miss him so much. I look forward to more adventures with Sox. Love to both of you.
Julia, I am so glad we can keep up through this blog. We miss all the Archers. I love keeping up with the girls through Instagram. We miss you too.
Another delightful Saturday morning spent with the Johnstons! So glad Sox could join you this week! What a joy to hear about her life in a new land!
Take care,
Nan
Hi Nan,
Thanks for your comment. We’ll have more to say about Sox’s move in the next post. She is adapting well, and is not stressed about learning Portuguese…unlike her humans!
Have a great week!
Mike
Finally! A Sox fix. I’ve been wondering how that country girl was adapting. Hugs to Sox.
Thanks, Bonnie! Sox is doing ok. We took her on the Metro again this morning. A bit less shaking today, so I think she’s getting used to it.
All the best to you and your family,
Mike
Mike, Mary & Sox, 10/23/21
As always, I enjoy your posts/emails so keep them coming. Of course I really enjoyed the one about Sox…since I’m an animal nut. I remember your Boston Terrier at Lockerbie Terrace that run to the lobby to meet Mike…what a hoot. Do you remember our Schnauzer Rancy?
Briefly, if that’s possible, Jessie and I sold our two condos at Lockerbie Terrace and moved to our beach front condo in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida.
Our life is fairly simple and we don’t go out too much due to Covid. We both are fully vaccinated and Jessie gets her booster shot today at noon. I’ll get mine soon at our local VA facility. I get 100% of my medical needs furnished by the VA since I’m considered 100% disabled due to my hearing loss. Unlike many people, we wear our masks whenever we go out.
Jessie walks over 30 miles a week mostly on the beach and my walking is limited due to my unwillingness to stay in shape. Of course I have the usual old man issues and recently I had prostate surgery called Urolift.
As I recall, you were Apple people and so are we. We have two iPhone elevens, and I have a 27″ iMac. Jessie has an old iPad but we bought her a MacBook Air this year. Do you guys have smart phones and are they useful in your area?
I would love to have another dog but Jessie thinks I’m too old for that and not to mention, I don’t think there are any “holes” around here.
I’m still a real estate broker in Indiana and still belong to the Indy MLS for how much longer I don’t know. Jessie is a broker here in Daytona Beach and she owns her own company and is a member of the Daytona Beach MLS. She’s sold a few properties but doesn’t work very hard at it…I probably need to take a belt to her. 🤣
Still poor yet humble,
Dan
Hey Dan,
Thanks for your comment. It’s good to hear that you and Jessie are doing well in Florida. I recall taking Boston Beans, our older Boston Terrier, to the elevator in Lockerbie Terrace and telling her, we’re going to visit Dan! She was a sucker for an elevator ride.
Take care of yourself and Jessie.
Mike
This morning, Tux sat by the window in the living room on red alert. She must have been there for more than an hour. These critters! Such an endless source of amusement. Lovely story-give Sox a biscuit on behalf of her buddies Mo and Tux…
Hi Rosa,
Sox says “thanks for the biscuit”. You have your hands full with two dogs and the Mallow Man, too. But all three of them have their unique place in your heart. Looking forward to seeing you and Mary march off on the caminho next year!
Mike
Bostons are such great little dogs, real characters.
It was such a pleasure to meet up with you and Mary when Jim and I were in Porto! Thanks again for showing us around!
Hi Heather,
Bostons are some of the funniest, most lovable animals on the planet. Our lives have been enriched by having two of them.
We enjoyed meeting you and Jim. I hope the rest of your trip was productive.
Mike
Enjoyed this so much!! Was picturing in my mind with ease! Love reading your adventures!!!
Hi Elisabeth,
It’s great to hear from you. I’m glad you’re enjoying the posts. We appreciate the feedback.
Stay safe, stay well!
Mike