Making me smile.

One of the great joys in my life is our little pug, though she is getting old and doesn’t walk as well as she used to, her enthusiasm in the morning for her breakfast brings a smile to my face each time.

Each morning at 6:30, before the alarm clock goes off, she sits up and starts to make little grunting noises, she slips in a sniff now and then, and if too much time goes by without movement from our bed, she gets up and sits by the door. She continues the sound effects, getting a little louder as time goes by, and if I do not respond by a certain time, she walks over to Cowboy’s side of the bed and starts to make her noises over there.

Most of the time, some movement on my part will keep her on my side of the bed. Usually I hold out my hand, point to her bed and mumble “five minutes”, and she will climb back into bed, with a sign and wait sitting up, for 2 minutes, then she will head back to the door.

When I get out of bed, if I don’t put my robe or pajama bottoms on fast enough, she will lunge for my feet like she is going to bite me, but most of the time, she just chases her tail, until I reach the door, then she heads down the stairs, stopping at the landing to make sure that I am following her.

Next we open the door, so she can go for her morning pee, she looks back to make sure you’re watching, because she wants her breakfast, and if she doesn’t need to pee (to get her breakfast), she won’t.

Then she runs as fast as her little legs will carry her (almost like she is flying) to her food bowl, and If I haven’t made it there yet, she stops to give a twirl, and then she waits for me to place her food in her bowl, I then change her water.

After she is done with her breakfast, she will walk slowly back into the kitchen to she if Dad dropped anything, which is kinda funny because she cant see it. If we do drop something we have to point it out to her.

Then I look at her and say “potty?” If she needs to go out again, she will head for the door, if not she looks at you like you are a dummy. Then I say “okay” and she takes off running for the living room, where she gets to sit on my lap while I reflect on my life and the gratitude I feel for the people in it, until Cowboy gets up.

When he comes downstairs, sometimes I have fallen asleep, and when he gets his coffee Toshi will climb up onto the arm of the chair, while I get up and Cowboy takes my place, she will then lie down in his lap and go back to sleep.

On the weekends the routine is the same, except on Saturday she will allow me to sleep until seven.