My dog, Puddles, is antisocial. She loves humans. But she cares very little about her own kind. She’s ten-years-old and is set in her ways, and I can’t blame her for not wanting to be bothered by others dogs, especially those who are overly curious or who want to just run and play.

Puddles finds Callie, our cat, to be just bearable. But she, too, is antisocial. That’s rather typical of cats, isn’t it, to be independent and aloof? Puddles is a great little dog. She pines for us when we leave home. I think that Callie, in her own special way, even loves us too. She tends to hang around us and enjoy our company, just always at arm’s length.

Ollie is a sixty pound Great Dane puppy. He lives next door but sometimes comes over to see Puddles. He’s got a lot of energy and wants to play all the time. But not Puddles. Ollie likes to run. Puddles likes to sleep. When Ollie starts sniffing, Puddles growls -- a rather weak defense for a dog that weighs only ten pounds, don’t you think? Ollie doesn’t’ seem to recognize Puddles’ growl as any sort of threat. And that’s a good thing since Ollie’s return punch would, I’m sure, be more than Puddles could manage.

Day 9 Guide

Relationships: think of how you relate to your friends and family. Relationships develop and grow only when barriers are broken down, when defenses have been lowered and you allow people into your life. Vulnerability is a key to a close friendship.

© 2007, Levi Hill