This is Erik, an adorable 7-month-old dog who lives in the UK with his best friend, Flora Neilson.
When he’s sleeping, Erik is the picture of peace and tranquility — but don’t be fooled. This pup has a different side entirely.
“I think, perhaps, he’s been bred with a monkey,” Neilson told The Dodo. “He continuously seems to be sniffing, hunting out anything that he can put in his mouth on, just like a toddler would. I have to watch him like a hawk.”
Here’s an example of what Flora expects to find if she doesn’t:
But Erik’s rambunctiousness doesn’t only leave pure destruction in its wake.
Sometimes, it’s quite artful, too.
The other day, Erik was at home with Flora when, seizing upon an unsupervised moment, the pup picked out a new chew toy among her things — in this case, a brown permanent marker.
Erik took the pen to the couch and managed to get the cap off.
What resulted from all that fiddling with his impromptu plaything was a remarkably well-executed self-portrait of Erik:
At first glance, Flora just saw another mess, to which she responded with a muttered expletive. But viewing it from another angle, she saw how special it really was.
“I didn’t notice his accidental self portrait until some hours later,” Neilson said. “I wasn’t mad.”
It was just Erik being Erik.
Neilson said that she was in no rush to wash the couch cover, and she didn’t seem too bothered if the portrait remained forever. Little incidences like that are just part of being the best friend to a growing puppy. She gets it.
“If I was to be mad at the dog for doing stuff he shouldn’t, I’d be mad all day,” Neilson said.
