Eyewear Canine Companions

Lapin – The Bilingual Pooch

27th August 2015 Eyestylist’s continuing series on Eyewear Canine Companions visits with Lapin – who is bilingual, but reportedly all paws when it comes to computer keyboards. So Lapin had a little assistance from her owners Jason and Karen Kirk, of Kirk & Kirk Eyewear.

Have you had Lapin since she was a puppy? “Lapin joined the Kirk family when she was eight weeks old. She is now twelve. Her parents were working dogs, and we met her at a farm in the Pyrenees, France. She is a Pyreneen Shepherd. As a puppy, she would herd Eden and Ezra (her parents) as if they were sheep, and nip their ankles.”

Is Lapin an “office dog?” “Lapin spends her day in our design studio making sure we are not barking up the wrong tree.”

Lapin The Pyreneen Shepherd
Lapin The Pyreneen Shepherd

What are some of her special characteristics? “Lapin has a fear of flies. She has lived in Brighton for three years now, so she is completely bilingual. Her favourite artist is Celine Dion, which really annoys the rest of the family, as nobody else in the house enjoys listening.”

Has walking with Lapin ever triggered a design idea? “Taking Lapin for a walk offers a brief moment of calm…often the moment when ideas are formed.”

Does Lapin travel with you? “Lapin rarely travels with us although she did make the move from Bordeaux to Brighton. When we go on holiday she often prefers to stay with friends rather than come with us. As a mature lady, we allow her to make her own decisions. Lapin was nine when she moved to England, the perfect age for learning a new language. She took the cultural change in her stride, but developed a nervous twitch. And now whenever she meets a French person she whistles “She” by Charles Aznavour. It was alright the first few times…” www.kirkandkirk.com JG