Sunday, November 7, 2010

Creature of habit

Left out of the front door means we are either going to the lake or grandma and grandpa's house. Right out of the first door means we are walking around the neighborhood or going to the field, according to Bosco, apparently as you shall see.

The other evening we decided to turn right out the front door, not to go to the lake or grandma and grandpa's house, but rather to go around the block. We wanted to stop off at the mailbox on the way back. Turning left would have meant we would pass the mailbox first thing on our walk. Then we would have to carry the mail for the entire walk. A right turn would have us passing the mailbox at the end of the walk. Another option would have been to go out and get the mail after our return home, an additional twenty steps and a separate trip out the back door. That was too much walking. Instead, we decided to turn right out he door and get the mail on the way back home. That option drove Bosco crazy. He kept trying to cross the street and go in the direction he was accustomed to when turning right out the door. Getting through first block went like this: walk three steps, Bosco pulls left to cross the street; walk three steps, Bosco tries to cross the street; walk three steps, he tries again to cross the street. He kept this up every five feet for the entire first block.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks, but you can lead him in your direction when he's on a leash.

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