Remember “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten?” My own version would come under the heading: “A Lot of What I Really Need to Know I’ve Learned from My Dog.” Anyway, I’m sure God gave us animals so we could learn about ourselves by observing them.

Blitzen, our Chihuahua who is famous now for being like a lamb in my arms, knows our patterns so well that he is aware of when it is the weekend. Something in our schedule triggers him. He likes the weekend because I go get breakfast for the family and take him along for the ride. On Saturday it’s muffins from the bi-polar baker (you never know what mood he’ll be in), and on Sunday it’s bagels from the bagel shop in town. The minute I’m up, he starts following me all over the house lest I up and leave without him.

The big deal about this drive is that he gets to stand in my lap, put his front paws on the window’s edge and stick his head out the window, and though it’s less than 5 minutes to either of these places, that doesn’t matter, it’s a big deal to him.

And the biggest deal is whenever we pass by another four-legged creature. Blitzen goes nuts, barking, hopping, breathing heavily, and carrying on all over my lap.

This immediate rapport with his own kind is something I’ve noticed with all dogs. Picture two strangers passing each other both walking their dogs and imagine the people don’t want to talk. Too bad, because the dogs do.  Would that I were half as friendly.

I’m taking it from Blitzen from now on. Everyone I pass is deserving of an enthusiastic greeting. Time to get excited over strangers — hop around a little inside. You never know the value of a smile or a kind word. People have been given hope to go on over less.