Teddy and the Big Dogs

By Michael Cross & Teddy
Life lesson: Respecting someone's space while keeping a friendly heart.

Teddy and I were walking in the park. There were all kinds of dogs.

Small fluffy ones. Long-legged ones. Short and round ones. Big, strong ones.

Teddy was one of the smallest.

But inside, he felt like a lion.

He trotted along, tail up, ready to make new friends.

A big dog was walking across the park with his owner. Teddy’s eyes lit up.

A new friend. Maybe!

He trotted closer, giving his best friendly wag.

“Hi! I am Teddy!” (That is what his tail said.)

But the big dog turned towards Teddy and gave a low growl.

Teddy froze.

It was his way of saying, “No way, little guy. I do not want to say hello.”

Teddy’s ears went back. For a moment, his heart shrank.

Then his spirit puffed up instead.

He planted his paws.

“WOOF!” he barked, loud and sharp.

“WOOF-WOOF-WOOF!”

It sounded like he was shouting,

“HEY! I am just trying to be friends!”

The big dog turned back towards his owner.

He kept on walking.

Teddy and I stopped and let the dog have his space.

“See, Teddy,” I said, “we have to be respectful of others’ space.”

Teddy watched the big dog walk away.

Soon, the two of them were farther down the path.

I knelt and scratched under Teddy’s chin.

“You wanted to be friends, but he did not want to say hello. That is okay, too.”

Teddy leaned into the scratch.

Teddy looked down the path after them. He still wished the big dog had wanted to play. Then he gave one little sniff and turned to walk beside me.

Later, we met another big dog.

This one wagged slowly and sniffed the air in a friendly way.

Teddy’s tail wiggled.

Teddy waited beside me. The other dog gave a little play-bow, and Teddy bounced forward to greet him.

Sniff. Sniff. Wag. Wag.

Soon, they were trotting in a little circle, play-bowing and bouncing.

I smiled.

“This one wants to play, Teddy.”

Teddy trotted proudly beside me again.

He might be tiny.

But his voice was big.

His heart was big.

And he was learning that being a friend meant respecting others and giving them space when they needed it.