I can imagine a piece of what the unconditional, powerful love a parent has for their child feels like. Even though Olivia is “just a dog,” I love her with all my heart, would do anything for her, and love every moment of being with her. Of course we have times that we get on each other’s nerves, mainly when we are trying to share the bed at night, but I can never give her enough kisses! Probably like most children that she thinks that I can, but she lets me anyways. Whether it has been 2 hours or 2 weeks, we miss each other like crazy. There is nothing like coming home to a sweet puppy overcome with excitement just because you are home. I know raising children and dogs have similarities, but for the most part are immensely different. However, I think the benefit of dogs over children is that they never outgrow you. They always want to be cuddled and kissed no matter who is watching.
Olivia does the cutest, sweetest little things, and she brings me such joy. Now, at risk of sounding like a bragging mother, here come the pictures and stories that you would just smile and nod about if you were to hear them in person. Here are just a few for now, but of course there are thousands more.
Olivia loves to sleep in “The Big Girl Bed.” She has two doggie beds of her own, one in the den and one in my room, but her favorite bed is of course, my bed. My parents started calling it “The Big Girl Bed” several years ago, and Olivia knows exactly what it means. She even has her own flight of doggie stairs, so she can climb up on the bed all by herself. Her favorite spot in the bed…right smack in the center. Don’t try moving her unless you want to be growled at, hence why we tend to get on each other’s nerves at night. Although, we do like to cuddle sometimes too.
Olivia never ceases to amaze me with her personality or intelligence. One of her favorite things to do is play “The Game” as we call it. She eats two meals a day, and once you set her bowl in front of her, it begins. She looks at whoever is around and wags her tail. She waits for someone to attempt to get her food, and when they do, she growls and barks all the while waging her tail a million times an hour. She absolutely loves it when someone walks up to her and says “I’m gonna get it!” My mom actually created the little monster one time when Olivia was sick. Mom wanted to make Olivia interested in her food, so she pretended to take it away. Now Olivia won’t eat without playing “The Game” first.
Olivia loves to wear clothes. Most people think that dressing dogs up is cruel, but they have not met Olivia. She has about as many outfits as I do, and they are kept in a container under my bed. She wags her tail when she sees it. She is never forced to wear anything she doesn’t want to, (well, with the exception of her onesie…she hates it, but I love it!) and believe me, if she doesn’t want to wear it, you won’t be able to get it on her! When it’s an outfit she wants to wear, she’ll sometimes stick her foot in or her head in before I can put it on her myself. She just wags her tail, and she loves to be complimented on how pretty she looks. Such a little girly-girl!
Oh, that's wonderful. I loved reading about your dog and her clothes and the way she eats.
ReplyDeleteMindy is our rat terrier. Her best thing is greeting. She greets you whether you've been gone all day or just a minute to get the mail. She has her own way of talking. We still laugh about how she "asked" for a cookie by catching our eye and then slowing moving her head to stare at the cookie package on the table. So funny!
Glad you have such a nice friend.