Laika came into my life as a 37 lb bundle of joy. She was a good size, especially for her insanely high energy (and mischief) level! When I first took her to the vet, I was told that she was probably about a year old and was full-grown. Turns out, they had no clue what they were talking about! Laika kept growing in all proportions and soon nearly doubled in size! She grew stronger and happier and hungrier until she reached 64 lbs! This was ok with me, because I like bigger dogs. But...Laika's mind never quite caught on that she was rather large. She fancied herself a lapdog and her sleeping habits continued to drive her to be a master of small places.
As a pup, she loved to sleep curled in a tiny ball in her crate. After she "grew-up," she loved to sleep curled in a giant ball. As evidenced by her love of "nesting" in blankets, Laika excelled at snuggling herself into tight spots to be extremely warm. I had tried to get her various large lounger beds with high sides, but none of them met her approval (this story will be told another day). All of this changed when my mom bought a too-small dog bed for Laika for my parents' house. At first, we thought that Laika wouldn't like it, but, much like the vet's assessment of Laika's age, we couldn't have been more wrong!
Laika's tiny bed was actually the main attraction for her at my parents' house. When combined with the warmth of the fireplace, she was in heaven. It was hysterical to see her lay in the bed, because she was more or less bursting out of it in some direction when she would lay down. It was honestly too small to contain her entire body, but she loved sleeping in it nonetheless (see Photos 1-3). Every time I saw her laying "in" it, I got a mental image of a thumbprint cookie with the filling bursting out. Not sure why, but in my mind, this makes sense. Eventually the bed moved to my house and Laika continued to choose it over any of the other beds!
Additionally, Laika loved to curl-up either behind my legs or somehow "under" my back while I was sleeping in bed. She would tuck herself into the smallest size possible and just burrow into the space that she wanted. For being as large as she was, she didn't actually take up as much space as one would think. Granted, when she stretched-out, she could command a lot of real estate. But, usually, she preferred to be compact and occupying very small spots.
Even when she was't the only furry companion in the house, she and Heisa loved to sleep in a larger bed together. Heisa was smaller (and quieter) than Laika, but she was still about 43 lbs or so. On occasion, I would find both of them curled up in the bed together, fast asleep with the sides of the bed being tested to their limits (see Photo 3). They must have been so warm and content. It made me endlessly happy to see them so content being with each other; sharing one of the smallest sleeping spaces available in the house. I still look at the photo and feel extreme joy inside, remembering how much Laika loved to sleep like that all the time and also how well she and Heisa got along.
Even at our new house, where Laika only lived for her last month, she made a point to find small spots to sleep. I would sometimes wake up in the night and she would be wedged in the small gap between my bed and the bookcase, happily snoring or dreaming. I also found her curled up against the bathtub on the soft rug in the bathroom more than a few times. Until her last days, Laika truly lived the life of a small dog trapped in a large body. She was, indeed, the Master of Small Places.
Photo 1. Almost a perfect fit.
Photo 2. Starting to spill out, but still comfy!
Photo 3. Is this a bed or a cushion? Laika in a state of bliss.
Photo 4. Laika and Heisa "in" a bed built for...two?
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