Funny Fat Dogs

The other night I retired to my bedroom at an irresponsibly late hour (as is my custom), and Maddie, my adorable albeit ludicrously overweight Black Labrador, followed me downstairs to snuffle at my door, as is her custom. Our pets spend the night in the part of the house that can be closed off from most of the bedrooms precisely because they tend to snuffle at doors. Most pets do. As it happens, my room is also in this part of the house. And Maddie, being the type of dog who needs to be around people, has taken to coming downstairs and spending the night on my bedroom floor. I like to pretend this is because I'm her favorite, but I have to concede the possibility that she might grace me with her presence solely because my bedroom is the only one accessible to her. 

This particular evening I was retreating to my bed feeling defeated, my spirits crushed by a spectacularly awful day. I slipped under the covers without taking the time to change, and no sooner had my eyes closed than I heard the thundering footsteps of my elephantine dog trying to descend the stairs without falling headfirst, imbalanced by her inordinate weight. I couldn't help but grin. Thank you, Father, for funny fat dogs.

For one cranky moment, I contemplated leaving the door closed and spending one night without sputtering snorts and grunts punctuating my repose, but then I heard her press her nose against the wood and start sniffing loudly, and I couldn't deny her entry. I rolled out of bed and half-crawled to the door to open it. Maddie came barreling in with even more enthusiasm than usual, and before going to her spot where I often lay out a blanket for her, drove her head into my chest and knocked me backwards. 

Overwhelmed by a long and discouraging day ending with this unexpected and unrestrained expression of affection, I succumbed to the happiness welling in my chest and lavished attention on my dog, petting her and wrestling with her for a while. After a few minutes, she quieted down and flopped onto the floor, though when I tried to get up, she shuffled towards me and put her paws on my legs to keep me down. I smiled, and stroked her head, and whispered, "I love you so much, doggie. Do you know how much I love you?" 

At this, she looked straight into my face with those big, brown eyes, then nuzzled her face deep into my lap and wagged her tail. My heart just about burst from the sweetness of that moment. 

I thank you, Father, for soft fur and hot smelly breath and thwapping tails and cold noses and unabashed affection. I thank you for creatures whose simple love reminds me of Your unfathomable love: unreserved, given freely and in spite of many shortcomings.