Down dog gets a new meaning

Sophie on alert against that pesky squirrel in the tree

outside my office--he keeps taunting her and she falls for it every time

 

I've always been told, in training dogs, that once you're on the floor, all bets are off and you're a toy for the dog. So I try to do my yoga routine when Sophie is outside, but a few times I've left her asleep in her favorite chair and she's ignored me. Not so tonight. She'd just been out--my daughter let in her in not knowing I didn't want her. And since it's a damp night, Sophie wasn't interested in going out again. I worked a bit at my computer until I thought she was comfortably asleep and then went off to do my yoga.
All was fine during the standing and sitting routines, but about the time I knelt on the mat, she came, found me, and began to lick my face. To give her credit, when I said "No," she backed off. She'd watch a bit in curiosity and then come lick my face again. Saying "Sit," had no effect--and she's usually good about it. She just stood and watched me as though trying to puzzle out what I was doing. Then she settled for lying on the floor, watching over me as though she had to be sure I had not gone insane and put myself in danger. She'd wander away for a bit, but then she'd come back--but she never bothered me, and I didn't encourage her by talking to her.
When I came to the relaxation phase at the end of the routine I thought she'd gone away, but as I lay there with my eyes closed she began to lick my face--attempting to revive me? I told her she was good but to go on, and she did. I did a rather shortened version of the meditation (which often turns into prayer for me) and sat up, only to find she had fallen into her relaxed sleep pose--on her side, all four legs stretched out in front of her. She never budged when I told her how good she is.
Thinking I may get a dog as a companion when I do my yoga from now on, and I like that thought. Of course I didn't have my camera, so I didn't get a picture of how cute she was.