Connecting dog parents through pawsome stories
Lupin – The Butterfly-Eared Sophistication 2/2
Puzzle Master Lupin
Lupin’s small frame hides a sharp mind. Toys became his world — tug ropes his favourite, a long snake toy his signature. Amy once wrapped it around him; soon Lupin figured out how to do it himself, wriggling and twisting into his own playful cocoon.
Andy added treasure hunts with scattered treats, and Lupin excelled. His keen nose found almost everything, often beating Floss to the prize. Interactive puzzles, lick mats, and treat balls kept him busy — proof that play for Lupin was never just physical, but mental too.
Recently at the beach, a breakthrough came. For years he never brought back any balls during the game of fetch. But that day on the beach with Floss, Andy and Amy, he fetched! Instead of simply playing with the thrown ball, for the first time he retrieved it. From then on, he had a new game to master.
People Are My Pack
For all his brains, Lupin has his quirks. His alertness is legendary — barking at every passerby, every sound outside the window. The behaviourist suggested it mirrored Amy’s protectiveness. And then there’s his taste for the revolting: on Sudbury Meadows, Lupin’s favourite “delicacy”, to Amy’s embarrassment is cow poo. Elegant Papillon on the outside, mischief-maker on the inside.
If Floss is “the Boss,” Lupin is the socialite. Other dogs don’t interest him much; people are his world. Walks are parades of potential admirers, and Lupin greets each one as though they’re old friends. Children especially adore him, and Lupin responds with patience, letting small hands stroke his butterfly ears.
A Home of Two Hearts
Lupin’s life is split between Amy’s and Andy’s homes. At first cautious with Andy, he soon warmed to him, now greeting him eagerly at the door. But Amy remains his centre. He rarely leaves her side, and at night guards her room from his spot on the carpet. Small in stature but mighty in presence, Lupin has become far more than Amy imagined when she reluctantly opened her heart again. He doesn’t destroy things, preferring toys and puzzles. He’s even been immortalised in an oil painting by his sitter — featured in the local paper.
Check it out here.
Lupin is a dog of contradictions: delicate yet robust, playful yet dignified, silly yet intelligent. A Papillon who is more than just a breed — a personality all his own.
Simply, Lupin.
