Sleepy slippers

Jane's slippers might be under constant threat from the mighty Bing, but somehow my own feet have continued to command respect. Assuming of course that slippers being used as pillows can be interpreted as a sign of respect. And if not then I don't care, there's something wonderfully endearing about it anyway!

Bing's never been a lovey-dovey dog, and any attempt to elicit a cuddle has usually been met with a squirming, gerroff response. Just recently though he's started to mellow a bit. After we return from our lunchtime walk, and after I've wiped down his paws and undercarriage (I can't believe how dirty he can get! Neither can I believe that we've only just begun this post-walk wash routine; before then we just let him back in and left him too it. No wonder everything downstairs now looks second hand!). But as I was saying, once I've finished all that I'm now used to feeling a paw nudge me as Bingley slides onto his tummy. Then he lifts back his head with a go on, scratch me look in his eyes. So suddenly (and at last) I have a dog snuggled in my arms, I'm scratching his chin and neck and he's reaching up and licking my nose. Magical. The only thing that spoils this halcyon scene is the memory of where that tongue was half an hour ago!

Bingley still spends much of the day sleeping, and I guess that he always will. He has two walks a day, one in the morning with Jane and one at lunchtime with me; then he'll sleep solidly for 2 or 3 hours after each. We have a playtime just before and after his evening meal, following which he'll crash out for the evening; there are also some brief play sessions during the day. None of these last for more than a few minutes, and if things start to get out of hand then a gentle 'settle down' almost always works. But if that happens to fail then ‘Bingley's Sleepy Song’ always does the trick! That's right, I haven't forgotten the words and whatever he's been doing, if I start singing his song he gets sleepy: he'll instantly stop all his shenanigans, start yawning, slide down onto his tummy with his muzzle on his paws....and go to sleep. I have no idea how or why this works, but it does! Every time.

I'm looking for a career change; maybe I should hone my skills and take a course in hypnotism? Or maybe I should record the song and sell it to Holland & Barrett for their alternative therapy section. Better still though, I think that I'll keep it secret: Bing's very own little lullaby that always works...as long as I'm wearing those slippers!