The Honor of Being Treated Like a Puppy

We had a sweat lodge last evening and I left after three of the four rounds due to some exhaustion and beginning cramping.  Long experience has taught me that I would feel quite a bit worse as soon as I left the lodge.  I did.  One of the participants had brought their dog, a large female mastiff. When I left the lodge and began to lay down, she nudged and nosed me to check if I was alright, which she has done many times in the past.  On this occasion, she persisted in her nudging and then gently (for a large dog!) tried to get me to play.  She was treating me like one of her puppies - quite an honor!  It is quite an experience to connect with another animal the way I do with other people.  I finally covered myself with a blanket to stop her and she laid down next to me, pushing her body against mine and we both just laid there.