They call him Buddy. Buddy was a placeholder name until they thought up what his real name was Buddy. And it stuck.
Also known as: Simba, Echo, Shadow, Sir Budrick and don't forget the infamous Buddmeister
Buddy is one of those dogs that enjoys sleeping under the covers. He is sensitive, thoughtful, sometimes aloof - sometimes as sweet as can be. He is one of the quirky ones. Not quite human not quite dog - Buddy's his own breed. He can be moody, finicky and picky. He will let you know when you aren't on his good side. But he's also ridiculously smart, agile, graceful and a truly sweet sensitive soul.
When I first met Josh, sometimes Buddy would be my best friend and the next day he would be aloof and want nothing to do with me. Buddy just isn't your average dog. It takes time and patience to understand this fella.
He heels perfectly, doesn't bark, doesn't jump on strangers, friendly to all people and dogs-- not a man bone in his body. He sits, stays, down - he knows lots of things and is seriously so smart he could learn anything if you just take the time to teach it to him.
Two months ago, we brought home a golden retriever puppy home to the mix. Recently we started playing games with both dogs to work on recall so they would both come when called better.
The other night I took buddy out to the park and he actually came when called when there was a big distraction and I didn't want him to go over.
He's actually starting to listen to me!!!
Since Lucy is getting bigger now - he's got a buddy to play with. And he's spending more time being a dog than sitting there thinking trying to solve world hunger. Seriously, buddy can be so serious when there's nothing to worry about!
A shift has taken place recently and I can't pinpoint the exact moment it happened. Buddy trusts me now and loves to play school and learn his ABCs. He loves to play silly dog learning games. You should see the way his face lights up sometimes!!
He's got a buddy of his own now and never has to be lonely. I'm really glad they are turning into friends instead of a jealous rivalry. Really glad we're avoiding that. And the bigger Lucy gets, the more they run and play and the more they get along.
Buddy still gets skittish and distracted when there's too much going on. Like at the dog park with a million dogs. Maybe he'll always be that way. And that's perfectly okay. Those are moments when I need to put the leash on him till we are out in the open with less distractions. Buddy is such an interesting dog, so different from others I've known.
But by taking the time to be patient and understand buddy from buddy's point of view, I help him to be happier and more well-adjusted overall. He continues to teach me so much:)
