Baboon the Afghan hound loves to jump. His mom, Salla Kuikka, delights in watching her bouncy boy prance around on their daily walks. For a long time, Kuikka, a photographer, wondered if she’d be able to capture one of Baboon’s amazing midair leaps on camera.
“The ‘jump of joy,’ as we call it, has been his favorite trick for years,” Kuikka told The Dodo. “I had wanted to get photos of it for quite a while.”
Eventually, Kuikka trained Baboon to jump on command. Camera in hand, Kuikka began snapping photos, and the results were spectacular.
Frozen in midair, Baboon’s long fur took on fascinating new shapes, creating almost otherworldly images.
Unaware that he’d just become a dog model, affectionate Baboon was just happy to be included.
“He is very bouncy, always ready for action and likes to participate in nearly everything that happens around him,” Kuikka said.
The spirited pup’s leaps aren’t limited to photo shoots. In fact, he’s still jumping at every opportunity. But at the end of the day, after all that excitement, he’s ready to cuddle.
“His favorite activities are pretty much anything action-based, especially anything that includes jumping,” Kuikka said. “Apart from all the action, he loves cuddles and laying upside down next to (or on top of) … his favorite people, looking absolutely silly.”
Kuikka doesn’t know what she’d do without Baboon, who’s helped her cope with the passing of her other beloved dog, Saga. It seems when you’re in the company of a dog like Baboon, it’s hard to be sad for long.
“His bouncy, joyful attitude and [willingness] to always have some fun with me, no matter what we’re doing, has kept me going,” Kuikka said.
Keep up with Kuikka’s work by following her on Facebook.
