Smiles

Emi has a typical doggie smile, one that seems smug and self confident. She breaks it out occasionally when the smug is in an appropriate context. Kiah on the other hand, has the smile that says, “I just love it here, and there, and that, and this, and everything”. She has a sweet, sweet smile that seems typical of the Pyrenees breed. I find it easier to read her expression as compared to Emi’s.  Before Kiah’s arrival I would return home to a quiet house where Emi would be secreted somewhere safe and secure. If I let her find me, she would always approach with a stern look as if she were trying to figure out just who had invaded her space.  Never would she greet me at the door full of typical puppy love, wiggly and squirmy, with the tail going a mile a minute.

If Kiah were human, I would describe her as having a “zest for life”.  Just about everything is a new adventure, a new experience, for her. She seems to relish each day, each interaction and always playtime with Emi. One of her most endearing behaviors is sitting behind me. In the morning as I am brushing my teeth, I look around and she is quietly sitting there and as she sees my face she busts out in a huge smile.  She never fails to join me in making espresso.  As soon as she hears the grind of the coffee or the knock of the portafilter against the knock block she comes running, plops her little self (OK, big self) down behind me and grins. The best treat for her is when I show up in the backyard. She bounces and skips over, tail flying back and forth, with a huge, ear to ear smile on her face.

Kiah also has a wonderful wiggly welcome when I come back home.  If she sees me drive in she will be at the door staring up at the window and her smiling face is what greets me as I walk in the door.  Otherwise she can be almost apologetic about not providing a big welcome home dance and show. As I walk in and she notices I’ve returned from my wanderings, she will come to me with her head down, her eyes squinted and tail at half-mast, slowly waving back and forth. For all the world her behavior looks like an apology for not being more attentive to the erratic comings and goings of her owner.  We then all sit down on the floor to give both dogs a chance to sniff out where I have been and who I have been with, and of course, hugs all around!