This is Rave — a sweet poodle who’ll never pass up the chance to say hello to a friend. Even one she hasn’t seen for months. Last year, Rave’s owner, Kim Carino, decided to get training for her pup.

A friend of Carino’s late brother, who has dog training experience, offered his help in showing the pup how to be her very best self. But in time, the friend became more than just a teacher to Rave!

“We met with him weekly,” Carino told . “Rave adored him.” The training sessions lasted all summer in a local park, until Rave finally “graduated” — though the man teaching her clearly never left her heart.

A few weeks ago, 10 months after training, Carino and his friends decided to meet again in the park as a special surprise for Rave.
To make the meeting more memorable, the friend agreed to sit quietly on the bench and see if Raf could choose him. But after so long, will he really remember it?

This video of their “chance” encounter lays any doubts to rest:“I wanted to see if she would know it was him. I suspected she would ‘cause she is a smart poodle,” Carino said. “When I saw the reaction she had to my brother’s friend, I had no doubt how very special she is. It warmed my heart so.” Rave couldn’t have been happier.

Seeing how much joy Rave felt encountering her old teacher that day, Carino and the man have decided to make a routine out of meeting going forward. “He’s a forever friend of mine and Rave’s,” she said. For Carino, Rave deserves nothing less. “She’s the biggest gift in my life,” Carino said.