A Boy and His Dog Update

Carter is finally getting to the point where he understands how to pet "nice" and Harper is actually enjoying his attention most of the time.  He is still rough on occasion, but he seems to improve daily.  There are still moments where I have my back turned and turn back around to see Carter sitting on Harper's back like he's riding a horse, if that horse was laying down.  It blows my mind what she will put up with.  Then there are moments when I turn to see him laying in her dog bed with her, his head on her stomach as a pillow, and his hand wrapped in her tail fur like he wraps it in my hair.  Those are the moments that I love.  When he is sweet to her and she is sweet to him.

Anytime Carter and I go somewhere without Harper, Carter says "bye bye Parpar" as we walk out the door.  He has even run back to the door, reached for the doorknob, and cried "doggy" wanting me to get Harper.  When we arrive back home Harper is at the door waiting for us and immediately wags her tail and licks Carter's face as if to say "I'm so glad you're back!"

Tuesday morning Carter gave Harper her very first kiss.  He grabbed her muzzle and kissed her right on her mouth.  Not even the grossness of knowing what all she does with and puts in her mouth could ruin that moment for me.  It was the sweetest, most adorable thing.  It was as though Harper understood what he was doing because she gave him one gentle sweet lick on his cheek when he was done.  Later in the day he gave her another kiss and I wished I knew it was coming so I could get a picture.  Sometimes he goes up to her and stares in her face.  I'm not sure if he's pondering what life's big questions are for a dog, enjoying her beauty, trying to get her attention, or sending her silent "I love you" messages.  She lays there and stares right back at him as if to say, "I love you, too".

Carter loves to get Harper's leash off the hook by the front door and walk around the house with it, pretending he is taking her on a walk.  When we take Harper for a walk he wants to hold her leash and walk her, although she calls the shots and pretty much walks him.  I let him for a little bit as we are getting ready, but take the leash once we head out toward busier roads and he cries at first.  He wants so badly to walk his doggy.  He laughs at her as he watches her walk.  He laughs at her all the time.  He laughs when she eats.  He laughs when she gets a bath (which she hates).  He laughs when she licks his face.  He laughs when she licks herself.  I'm pretty sure he thinks she is the funniest thing he's ever seen.  This morning Carter was a little grouchy and was crying.  I distracted him by making towers with blocks on Harper's back.  He was pretty sure it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen and Harper laid very still and even allowed Carter to smack the towers down, occasionally slapping her in the process.

I am so glad I now have the opportunity to stay home with Carter.  I love that he has more time with Harper.  It is helping him learn how to be nice even quicker and it is helping her become even more patient with him.  The more time they spend together, the more they love each other.  Harper has gotten so much calmer and relaxed around other children as well.  She has always been a timid, nervous dog.  I hated that I used to have to tell children who asked to pet her no, simply because I didn't trust her to be nice.  When kids were excited or slapped her instead of pet her she would growl.  I was so worried about how she would do with a baby because children made her so nervous and honestly so did adults she didn't know.  My friend, Erin, assured me that Harper would know Carter was her boy and would treat him differently as her dog Molly did with her son.  She was so right.  When we brought Carter home from the hospital Harper was smitten and loved laying on the floor with him any chance she got.

Harper is a totally different dog around children now.  We've run from a park with a splash pad a few times and then I let Carter play when we were done.  Harper was so good with the kids and would calmly stand and allow them to pet her, no matter how roughly.  She even had a little girl sneak up behind her and pat her hind quarters and she didn't utter a sound or flinch.  My mom has always said "Children need dogs and dogs need children" and in our case it is so true.  Carter loves Harper and he has made her a better dog.  She is calmer, more patient, more relaxed, and I love her so much for that!

I just couldn't help myself:

 Read about how their relationship has progressed here and here.