You're the first person I know (and didn't just read about) who actually borrowed a dog! Thanks for confirming newspaper stories some may find hard to believe.

Whether Alabama seems "wet" or "dry" may depend on which part you've visited. The Alabama Gulf Coast (where I live) still reflects to some extent the influence of early French, Spanish, and other Catholic settlers (that's why Mardi Gras is so strong here) and tends to be "wet." The more northern parts of the state have a stronger Southern Baptist influence and are more likely to be "dry." At least, that's what lifelong Alabamians tell me.

Alabama is a more complex state than many imagine, with big rural/urban and city/country differences :).