Obedience Boot Camp

I don’t know about you (well, I do have a pretty good idea), but I kind of let myself go during the long Independence Day weekend. I probably ate a few too many treats (admit it, you ate some things you shouldn’t have eaten, too) and I allowed my schedule to fly out the window (I’ll bet you slept a little late and snuck in a nap or two). That might explain why, on my first post-holiday walk Monday morning, my mommy reached this conclusion: I lacked discipline and focus, and it was time for a little obedience boot camp. Uh oh.

Boot camp started the minute we returned from our walk. I normally eat my breakfast just as soon as I wake up (after I come back inside from my first morning patrol of the backyard perimeter). During the long weekend, however, I decided that I far preferred brunch to breakfast. Well, when Mommy and I returned from my Monday morning walk, she gently guided me to my breakfast, kissed my head, and whispered these sweet words to me: “If you don’t eat your breakfast right now, Miss Harper Lee, I’m going to pick this bowl up and you won’t have anything to eat until dinner.” That’s when it was very clear to me that the drill sergeant had invaded my mommy’s body and we were in full boot camp mode.

I ate all of my breakfast immediately . . . every last drop . . . see?

Fortunately for me, my mommy had a few things to do during the day, so I managed to work in some nap time. It’s a good thing I did, because the drill sergeant my mommy had plans for my afternoon.

We went outside and did Sit Stay with Distance, Distractions, and Duration. My mommy tried her very, very best to get me on this one, but somehow I managed to resist Pink Pig, Frisbee, Gator, Hedgehog, and a Boudreaux’s Bonz Chicken Gumbo treat . . . not to mention all of the interesting things that were happening in and around my yard.

Next we did Down Stay with Distance, Distractions, and Duration. Did you notice that my mommy somehow snuck in a little banana-flavored treat? Banana is one of my favorite things. My mommy is tricky, but I did it.

Then it was time for the big test: Come. Not just any Come, but Come Right to Me Right Now without Stopping to Look at or Pick Up Pink Pig, Frisbee, Gator, Hedgehog, the Chicken Gumbo treat, or the banana-flavored treat. Well, obviously I struggled a bit with this one . . .

. . . but I did it. Do you see that? It’s all still back there. As you might be able to tell from my tongue, it was very hot and very humid outside, and then it started to sprinkle just a bit, and that’s when my mommy stopped being a drill sergeant and said to me, “Miss Lee, it’s really miserable out here, and you’ve done very well. Let’s go inside where it’s cool and get some rest.” I cannot begin to tell you the relief I felt when I realized the drill sergeant was gone and Mommy was back . . . but I have a feeling that obedience boot camp will continue through this week.

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