Sit…Stay…Down…Come

Buddy and I ventured forth this morning to Misty Meadows Kennel for an interview and screening to determine if we will be accepted into the Beginning Obedience Class starting in January. Buddy, for reasons I cannot comprehend, behaved beautifully and did not exhibit any of the annoying behaviors that sent me there in the first place. Hmmm.

The drive down was extraordinary. Winding roads through the eastern reaches of Clackamas County past enormous country houses interspersed with small cottages and hundred-year-old farmhouses. Breath-taking views of Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens. Tiny roadside businesses all closed for the winter. Signs for hay and straw just like in Missouri. And everywhere…green…green…green.

The dog trainer comes highly recommended and working with him should be fun. He has a great sense of humor and seems to really enjoy his job. Buddy seemed to recognize the authority in his voice and just responded. He didn’t do his Dead Dog Thing where he just falls over and goes limp and closes his eyes and turns off his hearing aid.

Later this Spring, Princess will go back to school herself to qualify as an Animal Assisted Therapy Dog. She makes so many friends on our walks, I think she will be very good at visiting old folks and sick kids. But first things first. Buddy needs to learn Sit… Stay… Down…Come. Life will be much simpler then.