A return to Buffleopia

On February 13^th, 2005 we opened the gates to Buffleopia, home to the Bucolic Buffledog, a.k.a. Buffledog, a.k.a. Taylor and chronicled here at the Damp Dog. Over the course of time, most of you knew him as the Buffledog and for many of the readers here the name Buffledog has become synonymous with the Bernese Mountain Dog breed. After losing Taylor over 2 years ago I think my mind just retired the name as teams retire player’s numbers. To be quite frank, I didn’t think there would ever be another Buffledog. I stand corrected.

Gryphon is a very different dog than Taylor, but there are some very similar characteristics (aside from the obvious breed ones) that have given both of us pause. Perhaps it is because he is Taylor’s nephew - sired by Taylor's brother Sam. One of the most obvious and endearing common characteristics is the ability to look you in the eye with rapt attention; engaging in a silent and steady conversation – there is more going on in between those fluffy ears than we give them credit for having. There is the quick acceptance of new people that is so very similar, as those of you that got to meet Taylor will know exactly what I’m talking about. Sometimes it is very hard not to call Gryphon “Taylor”, as we have done more often than we probably should admit.

Gryphon does bring both exuberance and energy to Buffleopia that we sorely missed with Taylor because of his multiple orthopedic issues. Some days Gryphon is like an F-18 with its afterburners engaged and it remains an unexpected event when he bursts into this kind of speed play! There is also a steady calm that Gryphon can display and it is that calm that makes him an excellent candidate to train for a Delta certification. I had such good experiences taking Taylor to the retirement community that my dad lives in that we want to carry this kind of engagement to a more involved level locally. There is always a need for Delta dogs in the hospitals and elder care facilities. Gryphon has already enriched our lives in so many ways that it seems a shame not to share this with those who could benefit so greatly from such wonderful interaction.

The boy is also a master thief, a regular klepto-dog! A very stealthy klepto-dog! More than once we have been engaged with a movie or show and he busies himself by gathering up all our shoes, all his toys and all the cats' toys. Then he's emptying the laundry hamper and grabbing the towels from both the downstairs bathrooms as well as from the kitchen. All of these items will then be piled on his bed and at some point one of us will look up and there he will be, right in the middle of his feathered nest with a grin of satisfaction on his face. It is hard not to laugh at this Buffle-wuzzle. What a funny boy!

I was concerned about our wildlife population here at Vulpine Acres and how they would all react to Gryphon’s presence. Giving chase has not been an issue and he merely talks to them as only dogs can talk – deer, fox and, of course, cats. I was afraid that his scent or his spoor would scare some of them away, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact, several of the fox and deer are becoming bolder and staying closer even when we are outside. He’s stood within 6 feet of Simon (the alpha male fox) and dropped into the play pose when he saw Buckwheat (the little male deer from last year – who is growing a pretty impressive rack this year) and Buckwheat just looked at him. All three cats have come to a place of acceptance with him with varying degrees of contact. The Vulpine Café remains open and busy and we are much relieved.

So the gates to Buffleopia have once again been opened and Buffleopia is certainly more populated. Though there may only be one Bucolic Buffledog, Gryphon is certainly a Buffledog of the first order. The connection between Gryphon and us was the right call by the breeder and we cannot thank her enough for both her gift and her insight. Let the social lubricity begin!