The other day, the Aronsky family added on a new member with the arrival of a new dog, Kitty, part Italian greyhound, part terrier. Direct from Alaska, she was not entirely happy about where she was. From two Alaska Airlines flights in the cargo hold in her carrier, to a car driving from the Burbank Airport to the Santa Clarita Valley. It’s scary for any dog.
But she knows her way around the house now, though at this point, it’s going to take just a little more time for her and our other dog, Tigger (part miniature pinscher, part Italian greyhound) to get used to each other. Around the house, though, she’s a speed demon, especially with her favorite activity, catching a thrown tennis ball and bringing it back to whomever threw it, dropping it right in front of their feet for another round. This dog could go 1,200 rounds in a day if it didn’t wear us out more than it does her.
That’s why, watching “Garpenfargle”, about a dog (Hobbes) getting into mischief while his master’s (Edward Kim) away, I wonder also what mischief Kitty would get into when we’re out. She hasn’t yet gotten into the habits of Tigger (and hopefully never), who will occasionally snuffle through the bathroom garbages if they’re not on top of the counter when we’re out. And not just snuffle. There’ll be some toilet paper debris spread across the floors, a habit unfortunately picked up by a previous dog we owned, Simon, all miniature pinscher who wasn’t the best kind of breed for our house, especially with a nasty nature derived from abusive experiences with previous owners.
Will Kitty be the same as the dog Bill Kersey happily photographs, even from a first-person perspective as the dog runs away from the shrill trill given off by a ringing phone? I also wonder if she’ll be able to walk around with Tigger while we’re out, without growling at him, as it had been those first nights in trying to get them to sleep on the same bed, big enough for both of them. More than that, “Garpenfargle” is a fun short which has Kersey and co-director Kim also wondering if dogs can actually understand what we’re saying. Kim commands Hobbes not to tip over the garbage while he’s gone, but all Hobbes hears is the strange word “garpenfargle”, meaning that he doesn’t understand one syllable. Perhaps dogs only hear what they want to hear, but either way, “Garpenfargle” demonstrates the true love we dog lovers have for our other fine family members. If ever given the chance, I’m sure some of us would document our dog’s movements just like this, if only for a full record for us to view when that wet nose is long gone. It’s real, lasting dedication.
