These two boys are the best of friends. The little one shadows the bigger one. The bigger one looks after the little one. When a ball is thrown Blue always gets there first but when he’s told “Gouda’s turn” he sits and waits for the little one to have a go and sometimes instead of returning the ball for the next throw, he drops it near Gouda for him to pick up and bring back.
I spent two weeks watching them in New Zealand at the home of my second son and his wife who moved there just over two years ago.
They made me smile a lot… and one day they spoke to me. Clear as a bell – they spoke to me.
I was watching them from my sunny morning spot on the couch by the window and they were rumbling together on the deck. Gouda’s entire front leg was in Blue’s mouth when there was a single solitary yelp from Gouda. Quick as a flash the leg was released, the little leg licked better and the game slowed pace – but they didn’t growl or separate or sulk or cower. It was a game. It wasn’t about power and because Gouda trusts Blue the game could go on.