Are good dogs born that way? Or… well, take a look.

And about my good dog —

I’ve been working hard to train my exuberant, happy puppy to tame her energy and greet people and dogs in a calm manner. It’s daily work for both of us, yet it’s beginning to pay off.

When people watch my dog sit when I say “sit” and lie down when I say, “lie down,” they look at me and say, “What a good dog you have, mine never listens.”

I thank them and take a moment to reflect on the work I do with my dog every day, reinforcing and rewarding her good behavior. My high energy puppy is getting it, slowly, and not always in linear fashion. Sometimes it’s two steps forward, one step back. Sometimes it’s three steps back. I press ahead knowing that one day my puppy will achieve therapy dog status. And I remember my father’s words whenever I was pursuing a goal:

“Keep going, keep going.”

Quiet, understated, meaningful.

A gift for my good dog and me.