I once told Red to stay in the pasture and went into the house to get something, answered a phone call, put up a photo, blogged and moved some books around. Then I made lunch. Sitting down with Maria I noticed Red was not lying near me. Where is he?, Maria asked. Lord, I said, I forget him out in the pasture. It was about three  hours and I ran out and he right where I had told him to stay. I think three minutes is the proper length of time for a real stay, few dogs will do that especially when alone (Lenore will not, nor will Frieda.) Red hadn’t budged. I’m careful about asking him to stay and if I do, I don’t go anywhere.

We are working on our lie-down stays for the therapy dog test tomorrow morning. All Izzy needed was an evaluation from the vet, but I’m not comfortable seeking patients myself so I think I found a good group to help us, but they have stringent policies and a strong lie-down stay is one of them. Red will lie down and stay in a flash in the pasture but he doesn’t  understand that’s what I want if I ask him to do it on a leash (which he has been on once in his life) or alongside of me, which is what I am sure they want.

I want to get the process started tomorrow, it takes a long time and tests are infrequently given. We were working on it this afternoon and we both are having fun, elemental in training. Couple of times here or there, he doesn’t expect a treat, just the work. I am modulating my voice, using my body, he is really getting it and doing it. I called for him to lie down above, and he just dropped to the ground. Good dog.

He loves to work.