I guess I need to let you all in on a little secret: Bella doesn't really do snuggles.
I came home tonight to Jan telling me Bella hurt his feelings today because, while she was snoozing on the bed, he laid down next to her and she promptly got up and left. I tried to console him with the fact that this happens to me on a regular basis. A seriously regular basis.
Such is our life.
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| Selfies are a particularly unimpressive enterprise. |
Bella will choose to snuggle on her own terms. And when she does, it is like capturing the most wonderful treasure. It's your birthday, Hanukkah and Christmas all rolled into one five minute extravaganza of affection. It doesn't happen often so you relish and cherish it when it does.
But for the past week, Bella has been sneaking into bed with us at night. And I say 'sneaking' because she waits until we are asleep (or so she thinks) in the wee hours of the morning and hops up on the end of the bed. She settles in between us usually pressing her body against one or the other's legs.
Of course, the slightest quiver from one of us and she is out of the room like a shot. So, for however long she chooses to grace us with her presence, I lie immobile, holding my breath and begging my achy, twitchy body to stay still for just a little while longer. Inevitably, something spooks her, or she just decides she needs to move around, and she gets down and lumbers over to her own bed by my side.
Every day I have had her in my life, I have touched her briefly when she comes to her bed. Just to let her know I'm here - not to pester her or smother her - just a touch to say "I'm here. You're safe. You're mine."
No, she may not be a snuggly dog. But when she offers you just a bit of herself, it is a gift beyond all measure.
It's a wonderful thing to recognize the gifts that come your way. :)
ReplyDeleteThe more I read about Bella the more she reminds me of people I know with autism spectrum disorder--brilliant and charming but quirky and hypersensitive. And if calm naps in a sunspot make her happy, she's earned them.
Bella is clearly not part rottweiller - snuggliest dogs in the world...interesting comment about autism. I wonder if dogs can be autistic. Why not?
ReplyDeleteMy sister Katie is not a big snuggler but the GBGV breed is known for snuggling. Bailie and I can't snuggle enough with Mom. Bella gets the snuggling she needs and it makes it more special when she does snuggle with you I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteOh Bella, I think those snuggles made up for earlier!
ReplyDeleteLily
I love those sparkling moments, those gifts they give us perhaps without even realizing it! Emmett isn't a snuggler, and he won't stay in bed once we get in. But on those few, rare occasions when he cuddles up, I do the same thing... hold my breath and will it to last for as long as possible! :)
ReplyDeleteThat last photo just melted what was left of my heart. It is lovely to see her looking so relaxed, in whatever form it takes.
ReplyDeleteShiva used to be very similar. She likes being near us but cannot relax if we are touching her. In fact, when we went camping we brought along a whole tent just for her as she couldn't sleep if we were in the same space. Somehow, though, things have changed. She still isn't a huge snuggler - though tolerates my advances much more good-naturedly - but she has shown a recent preference to sleeping on our bed with us to the point that it's kind of become annoying when I find myself shoved almost on the floor every night! I never thought it would happen. But if Shiva can become a needy cuddler, you never know what is in store for Bella either.
The special nighttime visits sound wonderful, and are obviously her way of showing you that she cares. Bella's displays of affection are unique, but that makes them so much more valuable.
ReplyDeleteSo basically... Bella's a cat... and when the humans are there, she bolts. What expensive snuggles you have.
ReplyDeleteLOL - this made me laugh out loud. Yes, I'm pretty sure Bella is at least part cat. Too funny.
ReplyDeleteI like to think she's showing affection in these nighttime visits. I suspect however, she's really just cold. lol ;)
ReplyDeleteOh I do so hope... I love her forays into our bed at night - even if it does leave me squished into about an 8th of the space. Thanks for the hope. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I didn't know that about Emmett. He's the one I would most love to snuggle with, too. But I am glad to know I'm not the only one with a less-than-snuggly puppy.
ReplyDeleteOh Maggie, Bella feels your pain. And we, Mr. Punk's. Bella still will not sit between us on the couch. The only time she'll deliberately sit next to one of us on the couch is when we take her downstairs during a thunderstorm and even then, it's usually just me she'll sit next to.
ReplyDeletePoor "men who live with dogs who are afraid of them" (ala Debbie Jacobs new Facebook page) - I can imagine how that must hurt their feelings.
The autistic question has been raised here by other visitors in the past. Someday I will have to do some research about it to see if it is possible and what it means.
ReplyDelete(But no, sadly, Bella is not even a little bit Rottie. They do make the best cuddlers.)
That is an insightful comment, Pamela. You've sort of described her succinctly yet fully. And the autistic question has been raised before by other visitors. I need to do some research into it if only to see if it's even possible and what it would mean to us raising her.
ReplyDeleteIt might be an interesting question to ask Dr. Dodman someday. He'd have a better understanding of the physiological underpinnings.
ReplyDelete