It is January 31, 2010

Ooh, the last couple of weeks I was a little ill. If this was caused by the snow which I licked, this is not sure. But anyway I got problems with my bladder and an infection was there. Not nice and currently I’m on antibiotics and also attention is paid to my diet.
Also Xiong ran into similar problems. Anyway, it is already going much better with the both of us and we are recovering very well.

This time I like to report about Kiang and what happened to him.
I hope you don’t mind I take a bit more relaxed this time…

In our neighbourhood there is an elementary school and we (the whole family) have to admit not always being so happy with that. In particular not, when there are parents waiting with a throbbing (and so dirty smoking) car and further lots of kids, screaming, running and biking, when the school goes out. It happened already that Xiong got painful hit by a bike-pedal of one of the kids. It got even worse…. The kid started calling names to Xiong: “Fxxx You, Dog!”

This passed week it appeared a couple of times that Helma was stopped by some kids and also some adults:
“Is this that sweet Chow? Is that Kiang?”
After she received the same question again and again she started wondering.
It became revealed very soon when a little boy of near 8 years old, she recognized Damien, together with some kids came near her while she was walking with Kiang.
“Look, this is my friend. That is Kiang and you can stroke him easily. So, don’t be afraid for this dog. However you have to ask first the owner if it is alright to stroke my friend.”
There was a little dazed kid a couple of steps behind Damien and who obviously had quite some fear for Kiang. Damien encouraged the boy who, after some nervous hesitation, finally carefully started choking Kiang….
“You see that Kiang is a cute, very kind dog”, Damien explained to the ‘melting’ boy.
Damien told his friends that Kiang was the cutest and most lovely dog from the whole neighbourhood and that Kiang is his best friend! While he talked about that he was thoroughly hugging ‘his’ best friend and got many licks in return.
It turned out that Damien had given a speech in class about Kiang, his friend. He had spoken from the first time he met Kiang and was allowed to stroke, now a two years ago, and that from that moment on Kiang was his best friend.
‘Damien now continued talking about Shadow, Xiong and me (yeah me, Hanna) and that, in spite being cute and kind too, always needing a different approach. That is valid for all dogs. Always ask the owner if coming near a dog this is okay. Avoid running and biking nearby dogs, since dogs can get frightened or upset and then you never know what can happen.’

Helma remembered she met Damien together with his mother the very first time about two years ago. It was during a walk was walking with Xiong and Kiang. Damien wanted stroking the Chows and his mother asked if that was okay. It gave Helma the opportunity to explain something about dogs and Chow Chows in particular and, of course, especially about us (even I was not born then). It was the first time Damien stroke and hugged Kiang. Not often, but once in a while Damien and Kiang saw each other. But when....there was a wagging tail and a face-to-face hug......
Damien and Kiang. Kiang and Damien.

A young boy 'understanding and respecting' a dog (sorry ...a Chow Chow).

And how does it go further?
What I know is that Peter is aiming to shoot some pictures from Damien and Kiang soon and Damien is getting a nice poster from 'his' best friend.....

Since a couple of days several kids and adults greet Kiang and us all and they know much better how it works with dogs and being more careful in approaching dogs. A promise for the future in our neighbourhood!
“Yes Damien, Kiang is your best friend!”

See yah,
It is me!

I’m Hanna

(© Peter Wellinga/DutchChow :: e-mail: p.wellinga (at) happychows.nl)