Columbus’ one year birthday was yesterday. And he gave me a gift of being a very good dog this weekend. Perfect? No. But only a handful of minor transgressions.
In a year he’s learned to sit, wait, stay, lay down, settle (sit still for petting), relax (lay on his side), heel (sort-of, he’s very good at it in class), get “off” of things, “leave it” whatever “it” may be, come when called, mostly not go outside of the electric fence, and he’s starting to not steal everything in sight when he is in the house with us. He knows the words “inside” and “outside” and “cookie.” He also most of the time drops things out of his mouth if we say “thank you.” He prefers that polite term to “drop it.”
He probably knows more, that’s all I can think of for the moment.
He doesn’t always jump on people anymore (but still does a fair amount of the time). He still pulls on the leash way too much, we have a ways to go with that work….EVEN though I’ve been training him not to pull since he was 8 weeks old. Oh well, you can’t have everything. I also still think he’d kill a chicken, given the chance. Not for the kill, but because he doesn’t have a soft mouth. And I’m not convinced he really gets the concept of the electric fence, although he for sure has learned a few spots of it.
So, here’s to you, Columbus, you love-filled puppy of mine. It’s been a lot of work this year raising you up into a good canine citizen, but you are well on your way to being the perfect dog.
