“I thought, ‘She must really want to keep her focus on me'” ❤️
When Ashleigh Macpherson brought home a puppy named Kiko, she hoped the dog would be a good distraction during the lockdown. Kiko must have sensed that her mom really needed her, because now the 9-month-old Finnish spitz won’t let her out of her sight.
Kiko has taken the term “watchdog” to a whole new level, insisting on keeping an eye on her mom even when she’s facing the other direction.
At first, Kiko only craned her head back when she slept, and her mom didn’t think anything of it. “She has always done it since she was a small puppy,” Macpherson told The Dodo. “At the time, I just thought she was one of those dogs who liked to sleep ‘broken.’”
But as Kiko got older, she started rotating her head 180 degrees when she was awake, too.
Kiko would bend her neck back to look at her two dog siblings, but as she developed a deeper bond with Macpherson, she started using her flexibility to watch her mom when her body was facing the other direction.
“When I first saw her bend her head back to look at me, I was quite surprised but at the same time, I thought it was cute,” Macpherson said. “I thought, ‘She must really want to keep her focus on me.’ And that she must love me so much that she doesn’t want to take her eyes off me.”
Now Kiko can perform the Exorcist-like “trick” on command — all Macpherson has to say is “demon.”
Kiko has quickly become the perfect companion for her mom and two dog siblings, making their family complete.
“She is extremely sweet and loving,” Macpherson said. “She loves cuddles and always wants to be by my side.”
Kiko’s hilarious talent and sweet personality eased her mom’s anxiety during the COVID pandemic. And her mom couldn’t be more grateful for her.
“She took my mind off all the troubling news and information that was all over the media,” Macpherson said. “I feel that’s why our bond is so strong, as she was really there for me during those hard times.”
