Bittersweet, a haibun
I’ve never had good experiences with chihuahuas. They’ve been teeth-baring, bulbous-eyed tiny terrors with no gentle in their souls. From lack of socialization to being overly coddled, they love only one: their master or mistress. To all others, they demonstrate just how sharp a minute incisor can be.
Until Louie.
Louie isn’t my dog. He’s a three-week visitor, thus his appellation: Louie the loaner dog.
We are on the waning days of his stay and he’s stolen my heart in that way dogs have of being unconditionally happy to see you, delighted to play or walk or whatever joy they think you might offer, snuggling up on your lap as you read or knit, just wanting to be near and loved. A wagging tail, a cheerfulness of disposition, a jubilant elegant strut, his true nature brightens the gloomiest of leaden-sky December mornings.
You could say he’s left me…pleasantly surprised.
Early winter snow
The pup’s breath shimmers whitely
Pawprints follow him
written for dVerse
12/11/2017
Sascha Darlington
Hi Sascha, good to see you here. As a dog-owner myself- I get you. Louie has obviously stolen your heart. I marvel at how the emotion and concept of pure love is crystallised in this kind of relationship. Lucky you!
Thanks, Vivian. So true. And, I’ll make certain I’m wearing waterproof mascara on Wednesday. 🙂
Awwww!
My son has asked us for a dog for years. This year we may visit a shelter together, so he can adopt one for the first time.
(I clicked “like” but it’s actually a “love.”) If you go a couple of weeks after Christmas, the shelters start getting some of the puppies given as gifts that people realize are too much responsibility. Have you decided what kind of dog you’d like to get?
I’m partial to retriever mutts, but whatever my son wants… 🙂
Retrievers make great family dogs!
How nice! Now you should find one of your own☺☺
Thank you. I do have my Scout (the fellow in my avatar), but I think we wouldn’t mind adding another dog to the house.
Nice. Scout probably wouldn’t mind the company☺
I agree with you.
Ha.
There is nothing like the unconditional love of a dog.
We could learn a lot from them in how we approach life
and other people.
Yes. So true. If we were only smart enough to figure it out. 🙂
This is not only heart-warming, it’s well-written. A worthy haiku to boot! When the owners come for the dog, look perplexed and say… “Um, let’s see now, where did I put him?”
lol I love it. He’s ever so small and easily misplaced. 😀
Yeah, that’s your story and you’re sticking to it!
What a wonderful surprise from one of our best friends in life.
This has me grinning. A best friend from high school had one of those. This is spot on … and very well written.
Animals can provide us with pleasant surprises. We aren’t used to nor expecting their abundance of love. Nice haibun.
Aww! Louie looks so cute and sounds delightful!
When I was a teenager, my best friend’s family had a chihuahua called Dandy – also known as randy Dandy as he was always locked on to someone’s leg! But he was also very sweet, Louie looks lovely and I hope the parting isn’t too hard for you..
It’s been extended by a day, but I’m hoping it won’t be and that this might be the lead-in for me to try to foster dogs again. I am a hopeless failed foster (tending to to keep the guys after I fall in love).
Thank you for reading, Kim.
So, what I like about it was your lead-in — a cynical view of the poor Mexican breed. You made me very defensive, as I one of my dogs (I always have a few) is a chihuahua mix and love him. I actually love him, and shepherds, and other dogs that don’t wag their tails at just anybody. I was saying to myself: she just wants the generic dog, obedient, predictable and always giving. She didn’t realize that deep love is compromise and observation and timing.
But then, you trapped me. Your next paragraph you let go of a prejudice as you let yourself meet a full-dimensional dog. Yay! I’ve done the same with a cat or two in the past. I’ve done the same with the French language — hating it, but finally meeting some French folks I really loved. Ahhhh, to release prejudices. And you did it so well here and then an excellent Haiku to show deep love in pure image. Nice!
Thank you, Sabio. I love dogs. I do try to keep my heart open to them, like people. I think we’re all just hoping someone understands us.
I love to hear the French language. Even after studying it for many, many years, I’d rather hear it spoken than try to speak it. 🙂
Oh how I agree! Miniature dogs always seem to be exactly as you describe your early perceptions…and my mother’s little dogs (Tinker and later Rab) loved her dearly but bit anyone who came close to her while the dog was there. My dad had to get into bed first or the dog would bite him!!! So I can very well see how you’d be “pleasantly” surprised by Louie the Loaner.
Super haiku too….pawprints in the snow 🙂 Glad you’ve had a good experience with Louie!
Thank you, Lillian!
I love your little dog, too. He is a cutie!
Your blog is beautiful. Louie is beautiful. Your poem has heart. I’m glad I clicked here.
Words like yours not only make my day, but make me happy to carry on with this blog. Thank you.
Carry on, Sascha, but whatever you do, don’t do it calmly! I like: Go Crazy and Carry On. Peace – Z
i am enamored by your story and how your affection developed and grew, they do catch us unsuspectingly and that’s the pleasant surprise we see in ourselves, beautiful haiku of tiny paw prints in the snow
I think it’s the blessing of life. To find those surprises every day, those precious moments in the world around us.
Thank you. 🙂
Look at all these comments! You’ve found everyone’s sweet spot. Nice verse–pawprints follow.
Maybe I should write about love and dogs. 🙂 It would be very close to home, that’s for sure.
Awww, those paw prints behind him…left all over your heart!