Learning by Observation

Dear Grandpa...   I know it's been a while since I've written in my diary.  Mom's been awfully busy and she growls at me when I ask for her help.    It's 1:10AM and I'm sneaking this in while she's dozing on and off.

Today I managed to get my leash all wound around the desk in the reception area.  Mom was busy doing something in the inner office and said "Hang on...just a sec!", but you know how that goes.  I told her and told her I needed help, and the best she could do was make hand signals at me, and say "Go back around!".   She made her hand go in a circle and it hit me.  Do a pirouette like I do when our clients leave.   So I did.   Then she says "No no...the other way!", and made her hand do a reverse circle.  So I did.

Man, I tell you.  She got all excited.  "Good girl!", she said.  "That's right! Now go under the desk!".  I walked back under the desk like she said and got another part of my leash undone.   "Wow!", she said. "You are one smart puppy!".   I'm still stuck, though.   I can't quite get the leash out from under the desk where I've wedged it in pretty good.  Finally she gets off her duff and gives it one last yank.

"Free...free!  By God, I'm FREE at last!".   Still....I think she's pretty impressed with me.  I can see her wheels turning, wondering just how much I understand and what else she can teach me.  Meanwhile, I'm thinking "Uh oh.  What have I done?".

I'm just saying that people don't give us pups enough credit for being smart.  We do our best to live up to your expectations of us.   Sometimes, we even surprise you and ourselves at what we can accomplish.

Love and kisses....

Mary-Margaret O'Brien