There she is.

Her Royal Highness, The Princess Bunny-Blaze.

Daughter of the beloved, much-titled (and sometimes entitled) Brielle ‘The Bunny’ Vom Traumhoff, and granddaughter of the incredible, 2X V1 BSZS-HGH Sieger (2006-2007) Sherry Vom Kirschental.

I don’t really know what all the letters mean, but I do know that the biggest deal German ShepHerd Dog show in Germany is the BSZS national show, and Sherry knocked it out of the park in working (herding) and conformation, being a champion two years in a row. Perhaps more importantly though, is that Gabe Dingle became the official President of the Sherry Vom Kirschental fan club when he was about twelve, so there’s that.

However, Blaze’s impressive ancestry her is not the point of this post.

You know that saying/meme/graphic/quote that goes something like, ‘I want to be the person my dog thinks I am’?

It’s such a cool idea, right?

In our dogs’ eyes, we humans get to be awesome.

We can make every mistake in the book and still be the best, most exciting person in the history of the world when we walk through the door. Same thing when we ask them if they want to go for a ride… or take even one step toward the leash hanging on the hook… or just take the time to snuggle them… or tell them they are loved.

To be worthy of a dog’s adulation and adoration is no small thing. If enough of us aspired to be, I think we could change the world.

But…

While I want to be the person my dog thinks I am… I also want to be the type of person my dog thinks she is.

In all my days and months and decades with dogs, I believe they feel they are pretty much the same as we are… just shorter and with less access to snacks.

HRH The Princess Bunny Blaze lives up to her title nearly every second of every day. Her responsibilities are many, and she rarely drops the proverbial ball.

So she is dependable and responsible.

She is devoted to her family above all else, and – though she feigns indifference daily – will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a less-certain hownd when it comes to crazy red squirrels and the very scary (to Belle) small yappy dogs.

So she is loyal.

Blaze will not beat around the bush when it comes to what she doesn’t like. If you put your bare feet up on the sofa, and she is on said sofa, she is leaving with a humph… and quickly.

So she is clear and honest in both words and actions.

These are good traits to have.

Blaze is a stand-up, no-nonsense, it’s-all-about-the-crown-and-duty Royal which – if you know me well – you know doesn’t quite fit me in that it lacks aspects of ‘light’ and ‘silly’ that I crave (and often am).

But here is a thing that you may not know about Blaze… something she hides from public view (and the tabloids)… something I find endearing.

Every once-in-a-while… and we’re talking a few times a year here… Blaze gives into her inner puppy, and plays in her water bowl.

Oh, we know it’s her.

We’ve caught her from time to time, if we happen to be walking by the doorway to the back room. You can hear the clinks of her nails against the bowl, and the water sloshing and splashing everywhere.

If you catch her at it, she’s mortified… ears go back and she slinks away even without being chastised. So we don’t interrupt anymore if we hear it.

I envision joy. Just… pure crazy wet-faced puppy abandon.

So, this morning, I walked into the back room to get something and noticed the joy and abandon, of a nearly twelve-year-old German ShepHerd, all over my floor.

I called JoHn in so he could see (and feel) it too.

So.

She is dependable.

She is responsible.

She is loyal.

She is clear.

She is honest.

And she is silly and joyful and puppy childlike.

How lucky am I?

I do want to be the person my dog(s) thinks I am.

I also want to be the person this dog thinks she is.

Thanks for readin’.

FYI: This photo was taken right after I discovered the water all over the brick floor. I did not chastise Blaze at all for it. Though, being a German ShepHerd, she knew what she did. She was just hoping her ‘smile’ hid the guilt that her ears couldn’t hide!

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