Honour

 

This is my friends' dog Skipper. When I stayed with them one weekend, Skipper loved it when I played with him with his toys. 

I count it an honour when an animal wants to be with me and invites me to play.

I once had a guinea pig called Pickles. I taught him to climb the stairs and I'd race him on all fours. I hugely enjoyed it but didn't realise how much he did until one day I felt two little paws on my calf. I'd let all eight of my piggies play in the hall and when I glanced down there was Pickles on his hind legs pushing against my calf with his front paws: his way of asking me to race him up the stairs. We both got into position and set off. I forget who won (he was faster than me although I was bigger) but that memory still gives me a lot of joy. A guinea pig asking me to play. What an honour.