Things My Dog has Taught Me...

Lucy is pretty smart when it comes to learning tricks, in a short period of time she has mastered the paw shake, high five, roll over and tossing a treat off her nose and catching it, well nine times out of ten!

A few months ago, while shopping for a birthday gift, I came across an item called "Poochie Bells". How cute! Several bells are attached to what almost looks like a dog leash, you loop it over a door knob and when puppy wants to go out he/she rings the bells. Sounds simple enough...Lucy is a fast learner...piece of cake! I made the purchase and headed for home all the while telling Lucy, who was riding in the back seat, how much fun we were going to have. Please don't let me be the only person that carries on a conversation with their dog while driving!

Once home, I opened the package, shook the bells and read the directions...out loud of course for Lucy's benefit, I then proceeded to hang the bells on a hook by the back door.

Diligently, each time it was 'that time' before going through the doorway, I would ring the bells and encourage Lucy to do the same while I said the magic words, "Ring the bells to go out, ring the bells to go out."

I continued this exercise for days and not once would Miss Smart Doodle touch the bells! Then one day, out of the blue, with her leash hooked and ready for a walk, Lucy sits and refuses to move through the door.

Hang on! This is a dog that loves going for a walk, loves going for a ride, loves going anywhere...so why are we not going?

"Come on Lucy, let's go!, let's go, go, goooooo!" I'm totally ignored! Lucy continues to sit, she looks at me and then looks at the bells. I look at her and then I look at the bells. Next I jingle the bells and lo and behold, out the door she trots...

...and I swear she was smirking!

More to come...