The Snuggles Factor

This is the beautiful grandaughter of Gwenn and Gary, pictured with Toffee (Ch Triumphant Magic Voodoo Man x Birch Springs Charly's Promise).  We had a wonderful reunion with Toffee and her very special owners this past summer at the Summer Field N Fun Day here in Acton.  She's a lovely 4 year old Brittany who is pampered, spoiled and gives back just as much love that is lavished upon her!  (Do Brittanys and babies mix?  I'd say the picture above tells it all!)

This morning after finishing chores in the Dog House, I took a few moments to rest among All Things Brittany upon the little couch.  Yes it is actually a love seat, and when I sleep down there I revert to a fullsize cot, but the love seat works well for snuggling with all the Brittanys.  With unprinted newspaper spread from one end of the dog house to another, the puppy pen gates open, it was basically a free for all for Treasure and Gibsons 11 puppies.  I realized I so often write about their development, training, socializing etc. that you don't really get to hear so much about the "Snuggles Factor".   This hit home this morning as I sat waiting and watching to see which puppies would figure out how to scale the foot stool and use that to climb up to the couch where I was laying.  I was very quiet and still, just observing.  And one by one, they discovered just how to get to me - LITERALLY!  As their little heads popped up with eyes wide and looking to see what lay just out of their reach, suddenly there were little woofs and squeals as they focused on me.  It was like an alarm went off among them as the others that were across the room quickly investigated to see what their littermates had discovered!  Talk about feeling like a celebrity!  I was greeted with such enthusiasm and puppy kisses as each one found their way up on top of me, climbed on my head, squeezed in back of my neck, ran down behind my back and ran back and forth.  And before I knew it, all 11 of those babies were right there in my face - death by suffocation of a litter of puppies nearly occurred! I started to laugh and laugh which made the babies happier still.  Some were content that they had made it to the top and ho - hum, they went back to what they were doing before down on the floor.  But those who stayed with me snuggled in as close as close could be and I just hugged and kissed and snuggled with all of them.  And I realized in that moment - that's one of those moments of pure joy in life, when a grown woman who is way over 50 something can simply become a little girl again who loves puppies with all her heart.  Being one who believes every moment in their development is opportunity for learning and growing, I also realized those puppies learned one of their most important lessons today - and that is how much happiness they bring to the humans who love them.  We can train our animals, breed them, show them, hunt and compete with them, we can feed them, teach them, care for and clean up after them.  But what is all of that without being motivated by our love for them?  Truly, as I captured these moments this morning with my heart and mind, I can say anew it really is all about the love of the dog, both given and received.   I must just thank God for giving me the ability to appreciate the most simplest of things in life and for sharing all of this together with John!  Take care and God Bless you and Yours, John, Ann and All Things Brittany