Page 5 - LeMagFall2014

I cannot think of a single thing of value in the house she
destroyed. She took a few laces out of
sneakers, but left the shoes un-chewed. That’s about it.
Except dog beds – those she would tear up
with the efficiency of a wood chipper.
Oh, she had her own ideas about recycling too.
She never took paper off any counter or table, but the
recycling bins were fair game.
Then again, when she eyed the feather duster, she
asked for it. She poked me, gazed longingly, ran back and
forth, and then she sat, which is the acceptable way of
begging. By the time she smiled, she’d won. Yes, I let her
have it. She did say ‘Please’, after all.
Le Magazine
Dog class was no trouble at all… Decibel was a star
pupil by week two she heeled, sat, downed,
and stayed - awesome.
Four months later, well, here is the follow up story:
…Then we went to class. Decibel knew nothing. She want-
ed to bowl over the teacher; she jumped up, she didn’t
want to heel, and suddenly down was a mystery to her.
We had heeled through the kitchen, complete with auto-
matic sits, a few downs, even a stand stay, all perfect, all
without the leash, just hours earlier that day, but in class?
NOOOO “What is this down you speak of, woman? What
are you talking about? Oh, hey, there is Daddy!
Hi Daddy! I’m coming over to play with you. Hack-ack, ack,
that woman is pulling me, choking me. Down? I don’t do
Down. I don’t like… …Cookie! I LIKE cookie.”
She finally downs. We move on.
“Heel? What is this heel? Daddy! Let’s get Daddy! Long sit
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