Our Days With Smokey A Shih Tzu Full of Love and Surprises

Our Days With Smokey

Life with Smokey is not made of big moments.

It is made of days.

Ordinary days that slowly became unforgettable.

Smokey is more than our dog. He is our shadow. Our comfort. The quiet presence that fills the house and makes it feel alive. He moves through our days gently, stitching himself into every routine until life without him feels unimaginable.

Morning Light

Mornings begin before the world feels awake.

Smokey lifts his head from his blanket, eyes already open, as if he has been waiting. His tail taps softly against the floor. When I sit up, his whole body responds, joy spilling out of him without restraint.

He stretches. He yawns. He makes his way toward the kitchen, certain of what comes next. Breakfast. Cold water. Another day together.

Sometimes he pauses at the patio door, watching the quiet outside. Small body. Steady stance. A silent guardian surveying his kingdom. In those moments, I am reminded that courage is not measured by size.

Care Without Words

Caring for Smokey has become one of the most intimate parts of my life.

Brushing his coat. Cleaning his eyes. Taking time with the small details that matter to him. What once felt like work slowly turned into something sacred. A quiet ritual. A conversation without words.

He leans into my hands. His eyes close. Trust settles between us.

Love lives there.

In the patience.

In the care.

In the time willingly given.

Play and Stillness

Smokey plays with his whole heart.

When we play tug of war, his paws grip the floor, his body determined, his eyes alive with joy. He gives everything he has to the moment. When the game ends, he carries his toy proudly, then curls around it, content.

Watching him move so easily between energy and rest reminds me that life does not have to be one thing or the other. Joy exists in movement and in stillness. In laughter and in quiet.

Following Close

As the day goes on, Smokey follows.

From room to room.

From moment to moment.

If I stop, he stops. If I move, he moves. His presence is constant, steady, reassuring. To some it might look like clinginess. To me, it feels like devotion.

Every step he takes beside me is a reminder that I am not walking alone.

Night Watch

Evenings are calm.

Before he rests, Smokey makes his quiet rounds. A glance into each room. A final check. Only then does he settle in close, toy tucked beneath his chin, breathing slow and even.

His warmth brings peace. His presence feels like protection. In those moments, the world feels softer.

Love in the Ordinary

What makes life with Smokey special is not the extraordinary moments.

It is the repetition.

The routines.

The small details that return every day.

The sound of his paws racing toward the door.

The tilt of his head when he hears certain words.

The way he curls beside us when the day ends.

These moments build a love that is quiet but lasting.

On the hardest days, Smokey brings me back to now. He reminds me that love does not have to be loud to be powerful. Sometimes it is found in the simple act of staying close.

More Than a Dog

Smokey is not just a Shih Tzu.

He is comfort when the world feels heavy.

Joy when days feel long.

A gentle reminder that love often lives in the smallest spaces.

Our days with him have shaped us. Softened us. Changed us in ways we did not expect.

And that is the kind of love that stays.

If you enjoyed this glimpse into our days with Smokey, his full journey is shared in my memoir Smokey The Little Dog That Saved Us. You can also support our blog and Smokey’s Corner to help us continue sharing stories of love, hope, and healing.