Toys have been important tools in the evolution both of Fate and Gus. Fate, a work-obsessed two-year old, and Gus, a 10-week old Boston Terrier puppy adjusting to life on a farm, were circling and avoiding each other for a couple of weeks.

Fate would snarl and growl at Gus when he came near, and Gus was trying to figure out how to live with two intense and serious border collies and adjust to being the smallest creature on a farm with sheep, donkeys, dogs, barn cats and chickens.

When I get a puppy, I strew toys all around the house. I want him chewing on his things, not my things. As he grows and develops, I remove the toys until there are only a few. Fate spends much of her day sitting by the pasture fence waiting to work.

But she got interested in Gus’s toys, she start flipping them around and taking his toys and hiding them. He began to go and try to retrieve them. They began playing tug-of-war, and then started chasing one another around. This relationship has developed, they play often and Gus can play with the big kids.

Fate has become more playful and relaxed, Gus is becoming more confident and assertive here. He is learning how to handle dogs and other animals. Fate is extraordinarily gentle with Gus, and she was not known for her gentleness. Gus seems more at home by the day.

Today, I took a video of a long tussle over a new Green Dragon given to Gus. Fate kept grabbing and running around the downstairs and trying to hide it, Gus kept pulling it right out of her mouth and dashed under tables and chairs and jumped into tug-of-war contests he seemed unlikely to win.

The struggle over the dragon is fun in its own right, but telling as well, it shows how older dogs teach younger dogs to play well, while at the same time taking great care not to hurt them. Dogs are good teachers of dogs, the best.

Come and see.