Emma and Bridie | Day 20 of the 29 Dog Days of Summer
Welcome Emma & Bridie
Bridie is a 4 year old Great Dane.
Use five words that best describe Bridie
Big! Gentle, Slobbery, Shy and Bouncy
What does Summer means to you both?
The creek! There's a small nature preserve at the end of my street, very rainforest-y and cool, with a small creek at the bottom of the valley - we go down there and I can sit and read a book while she splashes in the water. After about 5 minutes she ends up just laying in it and lounging about - a true lazy bones!
What are your favourite things to do with together?
Honestly, mostly we just lounge about! She's such a sleepy-head! More often than not i'm reading a book for research or for fun and she's very good at curling up next to/on top of me (she thinks she's tiny, it's hilarious) and having a good nap. Other than that, showing her off at the cafe is a guilty pleasure - I'm so proud of her when she sits quietly and lets strangers pat her, and I love explaining to people that she's a gentle giant and that big dogs aren't scary at all.
How would you describe your relationship with your dog?
She's a family dog but ever since we got Bridie as a tiny 8kg, 8wk old pup she and I have been particularly close. I used to spend a lot of time at home trying to overcome my social anxiety - so much so that I think my parents got Bridie just to keep me company! Having Bridie though gave me a very good excuse to get out of the house - first, with short walks around the block, then to the local cafe, and eventually to the dog park. She's helped me learn to interact with other people (she's a very easy talking point) and to stay calm even when I'm scared. Now I'm the most confident I've ever been and I owe a lot of that to Bridie - as she grew taller, I grew bolder! I feel as though we have an intuitive understanding of one another as we've both shaped each other a lot.
What do you most love about Bridie?
Her gentleness - she is bigger than me (I think at last weigh-in she was around 65- 70kg), and much stronger, and I have never once felt threatened by her. Even when taking food from my hand she uses her front teeth like tiny tweezers in an unbelievable dextrous way for something her size - it's wonderfully sweet!
Thank you for being part of the 29 Dog Days of Summer Emma & Bridie. It was great getting to know you both and learning about how particular Bridie is about her water bowl. Loved it!