It's true. I've never owned a small dog.

My personal dog experience was mostly of the Collie variety. Cappy, Friskie, and Honey were my childhood companions, and they were big enough to keep up with whatever adventure I had cooked up in my imagination.

But I've had plenty of opportunities to be around small dogs, and I have to admit: I'm a big fan!

Why?

Well, one thing has always stood out to me: The connection they have with their humans is something pretty special.

I've seen it over and over again.

Meet Casey

Meet Joan and Casey. Now, I cannot put together a list of My Favorite People Ever without ranking Joan very highly.

Joan and I played ping-pong every Tuesday afternoon in her garage. Casey? Well, he was an adorable little terrier who desperately wanted to be part of the action.

The problem?

A garage with a ping-pong table, two blistering competitors lost in pride and ego...not to mention swinging paddles and a little dog running around wasn't exactly the safest environment.

So Casey couldn't join us for the actual game.

He wasn't particularly thrilled about that arrangement.

But once the game was over, we'd head outside to the cabana to sit, relax, and talk.

And guess who suddenly became part of the group?

Of course: Casey.

He'd happily accompany us outside, happy that his hiatus from his human had ended. He'd settle in while Joan and I talked.

He didn't need to play ping-pong. Nope. He didn't need to be the center of attention.

He just wanted to be with his human.

And I remember all that love he shared with me, too. Casey was special...a little bundle of companionship. And Casey's not alone on that front. 

Small Dogs Bring the Lovin'...

My friend Barbie had a wonderful little dog who seemed to have that same kind of relationship with her. It was about connection. It was about companionship. 

That dog wasn't simply something she owned.

No. She was a trusted and loving companion.

Then there was Tim the Beagle, my Mammaw's dog, who was another wonderful little character. I was little when Tim roamed around...maybe four or five, but I absolutely have vivid memories of ole Tim. 

And I've watched my cousin, Lori, absolutely adore her small dog.

My niece has an amazing dog, Lady, who I adore and who is clearly the master of the house. 

Different dogs.

Different families.

Different personalities.

But the same basic relationship.

Connection. Companionship.

And That's the Magic

I think that's what I've come to appreciate about small dogs.

It's not necessarily that they're more affectionate than larger dogs. They're certainly not. 

Dogs are individuals. They have unique personalities. They are unique characters. 

Some want to be beside you every second. Take Casey--he was a rescue who got extreme anxiety anytime his momma's would leave the home. 

Some prefer a little independence. Ole Tim loved roaming the woods. 

Some want to sit in your lap. If my niece sits...Lady is quick to follow suit--right on top of her.

But small dogs have a way of fitting into their humans' lives.

Literally.

They can curl up beside you on the couch or sit at your feet while you work. 

They can accompany you around the house or help you pick a good Netflix series to get lost in. 

And before you know it, they're part of virtually everything you do. And yes--that's pretty magical. 

It's About Being Together

That's what I remember most about Casey.

He wasn't particularly interested in what Joan and I were talking about.

He didn't understand the intricacies of our ping-pong game.

He certainly didn't care who won...certainly not like we did! 

He just wanted to be where we were. Sometimes companionship doesn't require anything from you.

No games nor grand adventure needed. Just presence.

"I'm here. You're here...and that's good enough."

The Connection Goes Both Ways

Of course, that companionship works in both directions. Pets need us. But we need them, too.

They give us routines. They give us something to care about and care for. They make us laugh. They keep us company during quiet moments.

And sometimes they simply provide that warm little presence beside us when we need it most.

I've experienced that with my cats. From Neyland to Toku...from Molly to Bocce and now with Cali and Ms. Cuddles. 

Cali has her routines.

Ms. Cuddles has hers.

And I've come to realize that many of the things I once considered my daily habits have actually become our routines.

That's one of the great things about living with animals.

They quietly become part of your life until you can't quite remember what it looked like without them. 

Small Dog. Big Life.

That's probably what I've come to appreciate most about small dogs.

They're not simply a smaller species. They're much more. 

They have their own personalities, their own quirks, and their own ways of connecting with their humans.

And sometimes that connection is incredibly close.

A little dog can be your shadow. Your lap warmer....walking buddy...your couch companion.

They greet you when you come home.

They are your constant little presence throughout the day.

And, occasionally, your extremely determined participant in a Tuesday afternoon ping-pong game.

No, Casey never got to play ping-pong with us. But he got to go to the cabana.

And looking back, I think that's all he really wanted.

He didn't need to understand what we were doing. He just wanted to be part of our world.

And maybe that's the secret to the small-dog connection.

They're little dogs with very big places in the lives of the people who love them.