Making New Doggy Friends

                                                            

                                                    

Best Buddies

                                                   
                                                                                    Making friends, an easy task

                                                                                    If you are a greyhound like me,

                                                                                    Being introduced to someone new

                                                                                    Is always a source of glee.

I don’t know about you, but when I watch my dogs interact with other 4-legged creatures, it is always a source of joy and amusement.  They have their own set of rules and regs when it comes to introducing themselves and finding out about another animal.  These creatures seem to be very astute at their methods.  I, on the other hand, just watch in amazement.

Dogs seem to know who they prefer, who they can take or leave, and who they want to avoid.  In that way, they are like us.  However, they seem to  especially enjoy the meeting process, whether it be at a Meet & Greet, on a walk, or at a dog park.  

Kiowa and Bella

Greyhounds live with other greyhounds all their young and then racing lives.  They know other greyhounds very well but are not introduced to other breeds.  That is why when confronted with different breeds of dogs,  they need to stop and regroup a bit.

We have had seven greyhounds over the years, and Kiowa is our newest. He is a fun loving boy, likes to play with toys, enjoys other dogs, and is a great ambassadog for our Meet & Greets.  We have dear friends who, like us, love their dog dearly.  Their previous dog was a dalmatian, but in the past year, they have gotten a chocolate lab.  Her name is Bella, and she is a wonderful dog, happy and full of life.

Bella in quiet moment

A few days after Kiowa (Kiowa Stop Matt) came to live with us, our friends came over with Bella to meet him.  Bella came running into the yard, happy and go-lucky.  Kiowa was just watching her.  I could see the little wheels turning in his head: what is it, it has 4 legs, a dog…maybe, it's crazy, it’s like a Mexican jumping bean, licking my face, OMG.  This was his first meeting with Bella.  The humans couldn’t understand why they just didn’t run around and play.  How dopey were we?  He was probably trying to figure out what it was.

That was Kiowa’s first meeting with Bella.  The second, third, etc. meetings went the same way.  He was still trying to figure out what it was.  It kept licking his face every time it came over to the house.  It ran around him and the humans, bothered him by licking him incessantly, and wanted him to do something.  Unfortunately, he wasn’t sure what.  Did I mention that Bella was a less than two year old CHOCOLATE lab.  She is a love bug, but tends to have an unlimited source of energy.

There they go again

It went on like this for a while.  I don’t know when Kiowa finally realized that Bella was a dog or what he was supposed to do with her, but he finally did.  All of a sudden one afternoon, he stopped in the yard, looked at her, and had a twinkle in his eye.  And then it began - the figure-eights in the backyard with Bella at his heels.   

Bella loves this, and so does he.  She follows as close as she can and then when he is too far ahead, cheats and cuts short the path.  They have great fun running, and the humans have great fun watching.

Being upside down is just as much fun

As time has gone on, Kiowa has sort of figured out how to control Bella’s incessant energy.  When, after their run fest, he can’t take it any longer, he opens his mouth and puts it around her neck gently.  She falls on the  ground, and he holds her there with his mouth.  OMG!  She can’t get enough of it.  I can almost hear her saying, “Oh, big boy, I love it”.  The minute he lets her go, she jumps up and resumes her antics.  He may put her down several times, but up she jumps.  That’s Bella.

I'll jump up when you let me go

Kiowa does enjoy Bella’s visits.  He seems to love her as his friend and understands the way she is.  He is so lucky to have a doggy friend like her.  She is always happy and animated and up.  We as humans want friends that are positive and look at the bright side of life, don’t we?  It makes us happy and able to face life with a positive attitude.  Our dogs must feel the same way, or I would like to think so.

Do any of your doggies have a play group or a special friend that they enjoy playing with?  Watch them at play and see their glee as they chase and nip and tumble.  It is joy in a dog’s life.