You may be aware that Flame is everybody’s aunt.

She’s never had puppies, but she takes it upon herself to personally raise every young dog who joins our team.

She raised Matt Power.

She raised Leap.

She raised Wickson.

She raised chickens.

She’s not always a perfect aunt. But she’s a good aunt, and that’s what matters. https://twitter.com/blairbraverman/status/1011443312648126465

*ahem*

This includes her relationship with Lima, who, along with his sister Jelly, is one of our two young pups on the team this summer. https://twitter.com/blairbraverman/status/1290306711979356167

So when it came time to work with Lima more seriously off-leash, naturally we figured Flame should be his mentor.

We love having our older dogs teach our younger dogs. So we take our pups for group walks—they learn to stay close, and check in on us, because that’s what the older dogs around them are doing.

So yesterday I took Flame and Lima on a special trip in the woods. I knew Flame would stay close, and I wanted to see how Lima would feel about going solo a bit.

He was not interested in sticks.

He was not interested in mushrooms.

In fact, there were moments when he was a little bit uncertain.

He came back to check on me.

“You’re doing great!” I told him. “Go have fun!”

Then I asked him to give me his most handsome smile and he gave me this little dorky smile instead. But he was still handsome, because he can’t help it.

At that moment, Flame saw something and went running into the ferns.

And that was when I learned something about Lima.

Lima can fly.

The boy has wings. He just has to be in the right mood to use them.

And what’s the right mood?

when

he’s trying

to catch

his

aunt

Flame

He didn’t catch her. But he was pretty pleased with himself for trying.

It looks like the race is officially on.

The end.