best moments with your dogs?

ORIGINAL: tacran

As everyone has said, there are too many moments to choose just one.  When Tonka was still with us, the simplest things brought me so much joy, and the absence of those little things make for the hugest hole in my life now that he's gone. 

But, one of my favorite moments was when he was very young, maybe 18 months old.  Our neighbor's daughter, who was 4, was crazy about him.  She spent many an evening lying in the front yard with him after we returned from our walks, and he licked her ears and let her rest her head on him.  When she went to Kindergarten, she wanted to bring him to "show and tell."  We brought him in on the designated day, and she stood in front of the class with her arm around his neck (he was a Bull Mastiff, so huge compared to her), and announced, "This is Tonka, and he's my best friend."  I literally felt my heart swell, and tears sprung to my eyes as I watched them together.  She gave her little speech about his "biography" and their visits, and he happily greeted the group of about 15 Kindergartners as they circled around him. 

Just one of the many ways he was truly my "pride and joy."

That is one of the sweetest things I've ever heard.  He must have been somebody special!

ORIGINAL: t__m

Like everyone else,  every day is precious to us...
Talus does something memorable every day....

Yesterday, he had to take his bullwinkle down the stairs and his football....
In order to get them both down on one trip, he stopped....looked at both things....shot the bullwinkle down the stairs with his left paw, carried down the football, and accomplished both tasks in one shot....
Today, he wanted to lick his back toes so he sat between the couch and the coffee table, put his hind leg up on the edge of the table so he could reach it easier....

I love Taulus, what a smart boy.  I have a smile on my face from the visual.  Big dog between couch and table, leg up, how funny!

Today, Romeo decided he wanted to go for a car ride by grabbing my keys holding them in his mouth and pacing back and forth to the door, so the sucker that I am, I gave in.  We got in the car, and went to the country road, once there I moved him to the front, let him ride in my lap with my window rolled down, the ac full blast, he did not stick his body out, instead he rested his head on the door the whole time, (I drove about 10-15 miles an hour) it took us about 30 mins, but I loved watching him, enjoying the breeze in his face, taking every scent in.  After the ride we ended up at the local ice cream place, I had a double scoop of pistachio on a waffle cone, and he had his usual an orange juice, banana, strawberry smoothie on a waffle bowl.  Afterwards, I got a big wet sloppy kiss. 

 I'm like the others; every moment with Jessie is special but one I am very proud of was when my 5 year old grandaughter wanted to walk her. We walk Jessie on a 26 foot long flexi and even then she pulls if you don't walk fast to keep up with her; she's always had a lot of energy. She is very good though and will do a sit-stay or leave it  whenever we tell her to so we allow her to go far out on the leash. We had taken our grandchildren to a state park and the youngest wanted to hold the leash. We were worried about her walking Jessie since Jessie's a big dog and could easily overpower her but she really wanted to do it so we let her try. Jessie was very good and didn't pull at all and my grandaughter kept the leash short; about four feet. My grandaughter of course was very pleased with herself because she could walk this big dog; it was so cute.

Emma likes to climb into my arms and tuck her head under my chin. I wrap my arms around her, effectively encasing her in ME She LOVES to snuggle like this, and will stay, for hours. It's so sweet.

Teenie just learned, yesterday, that she could talk to me, and I'd listen. Ever since, she's been babbling her little head off. It's hilarious, and so sweet.

I can't even count how many times a day Gingerbread makes me smile, laugh or feel warm and fuzzy inside.

My favorite times with him are late night and early morning snuggles. He lays on his back for a belly rub and he's just the cutest little Ewok in the world.

I also love it when he streeetches and "sharpens" his claws on the carpet. He always turns his head to one side and it's just too adorable for words. Then he finishes the stretch by doing what I call "the inchworm", he arches his back and, well, looks like an inchworm. []
 
I'm also always proud of how friendly he is to guests we have over. He's changed more than one person's mind about "small dogs". He also has a way of spending the most time with the loneliest person. It makes me happy that he can brighten their day and make them feel good.

I can't really pick a "best" moment, but I will share one of my proudest.  Sally and I were in a pet store in line at the register.  There was a teeny boy, about 3, there with his mother.  She asked if he could et Sally and I said yes.  Sally stayed so quietly in a downstay and gently sniffed and licked the little boy and let him pet her--then she rolled over for her belly to be pet.  It's hard to describe it on a computer--the mood was just so quite and serene, like there was nowhere else in the world she'd rather be than being pet by that kid.
 
 

That is so beautiful and what a special gift she gave that little boy. 
 
 
All animals are beautiful in their own unique way, but a dog, a dog is beyond special. []

Thank you, Xerxes.  He was very special.  To us, he was the world, but he touched so many people during his life, especially children -- even those who were afraid of dogs would find something calming in his face and muster up the courage to pat him.  The pleasure on such a child's face afterwards was a true delight!
 
Another favorite moment just came to mind - Halloween was always fun, because of the reactions we'd see from kids when I'd open the door with Tonka by my side.  He seemed so big and imposing, but was intent on seeing all these odd characters at the door.  Some kids would back away and hold their candy bags WAAAYYY out in front of them, others would recognize him from the neighborhood and give him a scratch. 
 
One year, after a group of kids left the porch, I saw a lady encouraging a tiny boy dressed as a bumble-bee to walk to the door.  He was no more than 3 years old.  He took a couple steps and spotted Tonka, and froze.  He sloooowly put down his plastic pumpkin, never taking his eyes off Tonka, who was equally riveted.  I thought, "Oh no, here come tears, running away, or Mom grabbing him up and leaving."  But the boy walked slowly up the porch, with arms outstretched, put his hands on each side of Tonka's massive head, and gently kissed him on the nose.  The gentleness in the little boy's hands was so amazing - like a healer's hands.  This all occurred without anyone making a sound - I was astounded the mother didn't stop him, yet we all seemed to be taken in by this weird connection they had.  Tonka just snuffled that boy's face for several minutes, and the boy kept holding his head while they held each other's gaze.  The mom finally had to come get him and lead him back down the steps.  He had NO interest in the candy, and he kept looking back at Tonka, giving a little wave.  He never uttered a sound, but the mother said, "He loves dogs."  There was something special about that little boy - I don't know if he couldn't speak, or if he just chose not to, but even Tonka's usual calm demeanor seemed even more so during their visit.  We didn't recognize the boy from our neighborhood, and never saw him other than Halloween.  But we were really affected by their interaction.

she's been babbling her little head off.

  I'm picturing it and feel this weird urge to pinch her little cheeks and smooch her little face like some weird great aunt.  TOO CUTE!
 
I get to add another "best moment" - minor, but I'm still riding the happiness.  Gracie passed her CGC tonight, with a nice compliment from the evaluator who said "it's evident she is a really well-trained dog".

I'm picturing it and feel this weird urge to pinch her little cheeks and smooch her little face like some weird great aunt. TOO CUTE!

Pinch away. It's quite an adorable behavior, and still happening, LOL. She's been telling  me ALL sorts of stuff!