We adopted Riley, our dog, 5 years ago this June. This was pre-covid. Hell, this was pre-parenthood. So much has changed. Somehow, doggo, not as much.
We regularly have to convince friends and family that we did not stuff the dog. Because 95% of the pictures of him are the dog sound asleep. It’s his favorite pastime. Choose a room. Choose a bed. Zonk. Bark for 18 minutes per day. Specifically, bark at the Doberman that walks down the street (Eli is convinced it’s “let’s be friends” bark, I’m not sure).
Definitely, Riley has one dog whom he loves most. Our backyard neighbor who we share a fence with has a “grand-dog,” named Lucy. When our neighbor’s kid visits with Lucy…. it’s a new ballgame. Lucy comes to the fence and barks. Riley hears and goes nuts. Riley goes outside and it’s the most he moves. Now, Lucy is longer AND taller AND in better shape than poor Riley. He tries to race her along the fence. Try being the key word. They both clearly love it.
It is ridiculous to watch my chunky boy run 10 feet, realize he’s loosing the race and stop dead. Lucy turns around, runs back, and they go again. About 10 feet. Riley stops. Lucy realizes and comes back. Occassionally, she barks at him. If he gets very tired (which he does), she can get annoyed enough to bite at the fence near his feet like she’s chiding him to hurry up. That’s usually when I tell Riley it’s time to go inside. Keep it from getting too annoying to her.
Riley doesn’t play like this with the couple of other dogs he has met. Not even the very, very friendly Jensin (golden retreiver in every hair of his body) who lives in that house/yard. Lucy is special. And apparently, it is a two-way street. We’ve been told Lucy gets excited to see Riley too. Just one of those special bonds. It is really, really adorable.
Dream by Day 