Lesson Number One

As her mother draws her into a hug, the small pup happily and eagerly returns the embrace. The words that Bellamy speaks are soft and filled with emotion but they are words that she hears often. With a huge smile on her lips, the pup softly replies, “And I love you too mommy.” The next words that Bellamy speaks have Haydée’s tail wagging, knowing that they are true. As her mother pulls away, the pup happily bobs her head in agreement while her tail continues to wag. At her mother’s question about families standing together, Hay happily barks, “Yeah!”

Then she talks about leaving again and Haydée tilts her head in curiosity but says, “Okay mommy. I’ll show them! Promise.” The smile never leaves her features as she looks up at her mother, waiting to see what she is going to teach her. Head nods as she watches as her mother adopt a defensive stance and she is quick to try and mirror it. Small paws shift outward until they are underneath her shoulders and hips. Toes splay as her claws are flexed to dig into the dirt. Looking to Bellamy, she asks, “Like this?” Her tail is still wagging as she looks at the woman, excited to be learning about defending herself. Was she supposed to keep her tail still?


"Haydée Kedieo"