Big Paw spends all his days with Little Bit who has already had her say here in What Little Bit Has Taught Me About Living. His teachings are less nuanced than Little Bit’s (as is he) but his whole-hearted approach to being and creating his space in the world teaches me just as much.
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If you want to get real close to someone, maintain eye contact and shimmy your body forward. Do it again.
If you don’t have words, squeaks and squaks and harumphs will do.
Friends and family are delightful and worthy of getting the full you. Be sure they know and experience that.
It’s important to have ample alone time.
Seize any opportunity you can to get close. Adjust your shape for maximum contact and rest your head or a paw on an arm or a shoulder. Stay there as long as you can.
Relish. Every. Morsel. Always be ready for more while satisfied with what you have.
Let littler ones take the big bed, even if you are twice their size. Their comfort is yours too.
If you think you are close, you are not close enough. Climb up, nudge in and make a cozy spot.
Sometimes others will put too much pressure or weight on you. Grumble and adjust to get more comfortable, and push them off or find a new spot if you need too. Above all else, do you.
Greeting is a most important act. Give it everything you’ve got.
You've got legs. Know how to use them.
Even if your heart is leaping, you can let go without a fuss.
If you haven’t seen someone for a while, get up and go check on them. Look them deeply in the eye so they know you’re tracking them. And then go back to what you were doing (or not doing).
Together time is treasured time. So is solo dog time. Make space for both.
No space is too small or awkward for you if there’s an opportunity to curl up. Shoulders and chests and legs make good headrests.
Anytime there is a couch or a bed or a papasan chair in your sights, leap onto it. Stretch out or curl up, whatever the space allows.
Tennis balls are the best. If you get one, find a soft patch of grass and chew it as long as you can. If Little Bit gets it, that’s OK. You can just follow her wherever she goes. Eventually you will get the ball back.
Sometimes you should just stretch out next to someone. No further action is needed.
Devouring is amazing but you can also learn to chew and savor.
Always be ready to dance. Unless of course it’s nap time.
Enthusiasm is too often muffled. Bring it. Always.
Big Paw!
Papasan!