Pix-elated

Pixie, Pixie, Pixie!

What a great dog and a really good teacher. In-the-moment, joyful, Miss See-And-Do, let's have fun, lets relax, it's all good, whatever, where's the cookie?

This little dog is all about living the good life, and she teaches me how to go with the shifts in focus with more ease and grace. I have a schedule, Pix has other ideas, so how can we partner in a win-win experience?

With ease and grace and a dollup of doggie treats.

Pixie is pretty easy to accomidate. Yesterday, a lovely summer day, hot, with breezes off the bay; I lay in my hammock as Pix raced by me with her favorite toy. A whirlwind of terrier mania, she flung her toy up in the air, snatched it back and whipped it around as if it were a rat she was killing (she's part Rat Terrier, part Schnauzer--it's her nature) then she carries it off at full speed, all over the yard, growling and snarling.

I know, this doesn't sound cute, and it probably wouldn't be if she were full-grown German Shephard, but she's so tiny, and her little growls and snarls are just so adorable she makes me laugh.

Every now and then she decides it's my turn to play with her. She flips the toy onto the hammock, I grab it and we play tug-of-war. Sometimes I let her win, and sometimes she suddenly lets it go; so I toss the toy away and she races after it, captures it, whips around the yard again, and the whole thing starts over. What energy; so funny; what fun!

She's also gets me out a lot more. We take a walk about three times a day, and we're now enrolled in obedience school, and today we went to the community Fourth of July Celebration.

I hardly ever do stuff like that, but I decided that, since she was a city dog, she should be trained to be better with people than I was. After all, when I snap at someone I rarely use my teeth. That's pretty much all she's got.

I swear, she was having such a good time it was contagious. She's so interested in everything. We ate some food, listened to the bands, walked around all the booths, and met dog loving people and lots of other dogs. She was a well-behaved, polite little angel-pup, even with the really, really, really tall guy dancing on stilts wearing flowing, bright red and blue pants. Mission accomplished!

I actually had a pretty good time, too, and stayed longer then I usually do at those things. Still, I'm pretty sure Pix would have outlasted me if given a choice. After an hour or so, I was ready to go. We're home, and she's asleep now, and seems very content. Not like some humans I know, myself included, who might complain and feel ill-used if a companion-in-fun hauled me away from the good-times.

Pix is teaching me to embrace change and to see what happens when I flow with what life gives me. I watch her move from one place to another and milk all the fun out of it she can. I see how she pays close attention to each moment, doesn't judge and evaluate, just takes whats given and tastes what's offered.

Through her eyes I see how shifts and changes from one thing to another aren't necessarily things to brace for and worry about. They're just alternatives to sniff around and explore.

And just maybe enjoy.

Thanx Pix!