“Are they buddies now? Because they look like they are.” I paused before replying to my Sister’s question, “Kiiiind of.” But I thought about it afterwards as well as the iphone photo that I had sent her. Certainly, they were practically snuggled up together in it. Could my long held wishes be finally coming true?
It has been two years since we adopted Kipling. And amazingly – at least to me – his relationship to Remi and I as well as with our other dog Ben is still evolving. Two years is a long time and we certainly have had some surprising setbacks since moving to this tiny village as it has brought out in Kipling an even more aggressive attitude towards outsiders (dogs, cats and humans included) that we had seen in Arles. We have had some harrowing moments, I will admit. But gentle Ben, ever the ambassador of Good Hearts, has been utterly determined to reassure Kip and to teach him the one factor to being “a happy and healthy” dog that has been missing from the list: to play. I have seen it over and over these past few months, Ben will shake his toys in Kipling’s face and do everything within his ken to initiate a bit of rough and tumble. And Ben is the farthest thing from a rough and tumble dog! He is clearly doing it out of love and concern for his companion.
Remi has been telling me that it is starting to catch on but I wanted to have so some sort of photographic proof before talking about this with you all. So imagine my delight upon re-entering the courtyard the other day (luckily with camera in hand) to find Ben pointedly staring at me as if to say, “Watch this!”
Ben barely knows how to fake growl – bless his heart – but apparently it is enough to get Kipling worked up into a round of whoofs and whoos.
And then, it began. Ben pulled his signature move of throwing the front half of his body down to the ground while Kipling shook his head with joy (something he picked up from Ben) and excitement.
I wish you could know how incredibly happy these photos make me.
For Remi was right. Kip clearly has a few moves of his own. Such as sitting on your opponent…
…and something that he has done to me: gently gnawing on my arm as if to chase away fleas! Gnar, gnar, gnar, gnar…
Can you see Ben looking up at me during a pause in the action? He is clearly so proud of himself. As he should be.
And so, it is a start. It has been fascinating to see how these two adult male dogs inform each other – Kipling encouraging Ben to be more of a “guy guy” and Ben coaching Kip to be more trusting. And I am sure that this evolution isn’t over yet…
…but one thing that I do know is that I am glad that you are here Kip.
We love you, crazy rascal! Petit fripouille!
Kipling’s story is quite something and for all of the new folks here (Thank you!), you might want to take a look at:
and
Sending out wishes of Love, Health and Safety for all of our four-legged friends around the world.
What would our lives be like without them?
MIchel, these two have always gotten along. We wouldn't have brought Kip into our household if we weren't sure that would be the case. Now, Kipling with every other dog or cat in the world? Aiiy, that is the problem we are working on…
I miss you too, George. But I am so incredibly grateful that I was able to spend an afternoon with you and your wonderful friends…and yes, that you got to meet the furry ones that mean so much to me.
Sending Love,
H
How I do love that story. You must have been so thrilled! Hooray for the kitties and Bentley! I will have to look out for him now on your ig feed. 🙂
Oh Yvonne, I hope so much that the Cancer is gone for good! Keeping you in my thoughts…and if you do get a lovebug of your own, of course I am going to suggest that you get a Golden!!
Bisous,
H
Don't they Edgar? People always, always think that they are related.
Silke! I have been missing you! And was about to send out Ben as a search party. 🙂 I have to say – and I am totally not the only one – that he doesn't and never has ever seemed really like a "dog." He sits straight up on the couch like a human, he listens back and forth to conversations between people, he uses reasoning and can string words together to understand sentences and emotionally he is a lot wiser than (ahem) some humans I know! He makes me laugh everyday (on purpose) too. It has been beautiful to watch him work so hard and yet so effortlessly to help Kipling. Yes, maybe angels do exist!
Ben is honestly as mellow as they come but if Kip could mellow just a bit with time…I would breathe a lot easier!
Thank you for this really interesting insight. And it is such a good reminder on several points – including that human space and time is not the same thing as doggy space and time. And that we always, always need to keep in mind that Kip was so horribly abandoned for so long. There is one important difference spatially here too in that there is the walled in front courtyard before the house. Quite a huge difference from living in an apartment with no exterior! So for him, he definitely starts guarding at the gate not at our front door. That we have learned to work with but yes, there is a lot about living in the country that could be bringing up not so great things for him based on what we have been able to unravel about his previous life…
Yes! That is the perfect description! Two Golden Sisters?! In my family we have never had two girls…I am so curious what the dynamic must be like…my favorite is to watch Ben play with a really TINY dog. He does mini snapface!
I really hope that you get to meet them someday.