Just an average dog...

I know that sometimes I wax poetic about Nelson; about all of the cute and adorable things he does. But, I don’t think that I ever falsely misled you into believing that Nelson is a gifted and talented dog. Drop dead cute – absolutely. But a genius? I’m not kidding anyone. He’s just an average bear of a dog; he can sit, he knows the word “GO”, knows exactly where the package of Beggin’ Strips stays, and is quite aware that his very favorite treat – popcorn – comes from the microwave. When he hears that microwave ding – he’s like a Bloodhound on Danny’s trail, chasing him through the house and will eat half of a bowl of popcorn, one piece at a time.

But the fact of the matter is that Nelson falls just a little short in the smarts department.

Nelson will not come when called. You can beg, plead, command, demand, you name it and he just sits and looks at you through his cute little bandit mask and wags his screwed up tail. The only way Nelson will come is if you fake him out. You have to pull the ultimate big gun and say: “SHELLEY SIT”. And he comes running like a flash BECAUSE: he thinks Shelley is going to get a treat and heaven help us that he should miss out on a treat!

I can’t tell how stupid we all feel sticking out heads out of the door and yelling “SHELLEY SIT” to get Nelson to come into the house. It feels more than a little crazy. And can I tell you how much weirder it’s going to get? Shelley turned thirteen in September – and the sad reality is that she won’t be with us much longer, but Nelson will. Shelley is going to be long gone, in doggie heaven and we are still, say ten years from now, going to be standing in the yard yelling “SHELLEY SIT” to get Nelson to come!

I know that my neighbors probably already believe I’m a little odd – what do you think they are going to think ten years from now when I’m still telling a long dead dog to SIT?