Pippin teaching me

Hmmmm …. Poor Pip.

First we had a special house guest and then I have not been feeling well. What does this add up to? Not much work. We have worked a bit … and I mean just a bit … and we have played and taken walks. And so – what has happened?

I have noticed that Pippin is so wonderfully patient. He comes up and gives hugs and kisses. If I go to do something with him, he is immediately grateful, but never reproachful for what I can’t do. Why can’t people be like dogs.

I do have to write about something else – I have noticed some special things going on between Pippin and the other dogs. Pippin has different relationships with each of the other dogs in the family. He recognizes their differences and their needs.

With Genevieve – he loves to play with her in the house. He has realized that as much as he wants to rough house with her outside, she just can’t do it. She wants to, but her hips just don’t let her. So, he plays gently with her in the house. He grabs a toy, and prances over to her. “Take it” he seems to say and shows her the other end. When she grabs it, then a tug of war starts. One that he could win, but he plays to her strength. And they play and play. This is one of his favorite games.

With Truffles our pug – he is a 11 year old pug and is usually “aloof”. Does not interact with the other dogs so much. Except Pippin. Pippin looks after “Uncle Pug”. Example – Pug likes to play with his bedding in one of the dog beds and one evening, Pippin was laying in that bed. Pug comes up and starts to pull at the bedding. Pippin just watches. Pug pulls and pulls and pulls. Bit by bit he is getting the bedding out from under Pippin. Soon, the bedding is almost out – and Pippin grabs the bedding gently and holds on to it. Pug starts to tug and play and tug and play. Pippin just holds on as he senses this is as much as he should do. If Pippin were to tug and play the way he does with Genny, Pug would get whipped around the room! So, Pip just holds on. Then Pug tires and Pip lets go – Pug will either lay down on the bedding there or trot away with the bedding to go lay down somewhere else. One time, Pug was tugging with my son and my son got tired so he handed his end to Pippin - who then just held on and sat down!! What a love!

With Michette – he knows that at home she watches over “her mom” so at home they play just a little. But on the walk – different story! Michette is not watching but walking – and then they run and play and play and run. Pippin keeps it at Michette’s level (okay, a couple of times he has “bowled her over” but he learned what he can and can’t do!). They get lots of good running and playing like this.

I have not noticed to such extent the other dogs working with each other this way. I am finding that Pippin has such a loving, gentle soul not only for us humans, but for his fellow dogs and cats. I hope that I can be that way with each and every person and animal as well. What a teacher!