Maximus, Batman Wawili, Batman 2

For no reason, other than maybe others need a break from US reality this Friday evening.

Checheria, Zebra and Max

Checheria and Max

It was sometime in June when Batman left. You can read about "My First Dog", by clicking here. Robin and I mourned. Robin is our brown guard dog who remained. He had never really been an only dog and I knew he did not like it. However, I did not know how sad he was until he had a new friend and I saw how happy he was again.

I had asked many people to watch for a puppy that would be a good guard dog. One of the water team workers had a pregnant dog. About a month later I went to deworm her 2 puppies and I knew I wanted the black one, that already reminded me of Batman. Funny thing was he thought his name was Zebra (pronounced here as Zeh-bra). The family had named the other pup Zebra, in honor of the doggie daddy who had recently died and was black and white just like the black and white pup they planned to keep. All they had to do was yell "Zebra" and both pups came running.

First puppy selfie (after his bath). 

We were back in that area a month later and my pup was old enough to leave his mom and brother. I don't have any pictures of him in the crate, because it broke my heart, how car sick he was. The roads (or lack there of) are so bad and we go over and through many dry river beds. I get car sick also when I ride, so I felt awful for ripping him from his family and the only home he had known and making him travel all that way in a crate, but there was no way he could be loose in the vehicle. Luckily he calmed down, got quiet and went with the flow. I think the Kenyans riding with me thought I was crazy as I talked to him as I drove and tried to turn to look and make sure he was ok. He was a trooper and after we arrived at the compound and he had a quick bath at the outside faucet, he seemed like nothing had happened and he was happy to be there.  

Spending time together, just like with Batman

I introduced him to Robin, who was less than happy, growling and snarling and acting terrible. We walked around the compound and houses. He got his first taste of his new food, which he loved. The guard on duty that night was happy and even laughed when I called him Batman Wawili (Batman 2), but said I had decided his name was Maximus, or Max.

After a few nights inside the house, to bond with me, being out was the way to go (staying up playing all night and pooping everywhere was not good (I said he liked that food, but it was an adjustment for his system)). He soon learned the guards were his people also and this was his new home and he seems to like it more each day.

Max sat in Robin's hole, so Robin sat on him and Max scooted out from under him. Made me laugh, but in the end both enjoyed the hole and the shade. 

You have to be tough to survive in Turkana and he has to prove himself. So far he is doing just that, barking, acting tough and doing things that remind the guards of Batman. I knew it was all ok, when on his third day at the compound, he really wanted Robin to be his friend and Robin finally gave in. They started running together from one end of the compound to the other, something Batman and Robin did almost every afternoon as the sun went down and the temperatures cooled. I knew it was all good then and it has been so great to see Robin happy again. 

Chewing on pieces of hide, left over from the drums one of the guards makes. Perfect for a teething puppy. 

Rafiki (Friends)

He likes toys and carries around sticks and old water bottles also. 

I was so sad to leave them both last week (along with the cats, who hated having a dog in the house and choose to live in the rafters of the veranda for the 2 nights he was in). As I left, I told Max to be good and stay alive and that he had to get used to me coming and going. Of course he looked at me not understanding and proceeded to poop right in front of my porch. We still need to work on that a little, but so far he is showing himself to be such a good guard dog that I will put up with the poop a little closer than I would like.