Gus was one of the big stories at the Mansion Story Reading on Friday, this was his second appearance as a therapy dog, and he is a natural. He is a little squirmy yet, but he is only nine weeks old. I’ve begun calming training with Gus – showing him how to do nothing and be still, the one thing even the smartest puppies are not taught by their mothers or siblings.

My calming training with Fate was intense, and took months. Gus will be easier. I will write about that and other training lessons in the coming days.

Calming training is essential for a therapy dog, they must learn to focus and be still, something nine week old puppies don’t really know how to do. Gus has the temperament for it, he loves everyone he meets, a characteristic of the Boston Terrier breed.

I did some calming training with Gus as I wrote this, he is sleeping quietly at my feet on a small dog bed we got for him. He was zipping around like a mad puppy fool, I brought him into my study on a leash, put my foot on the leash about two feet from the bed, and started writing.

He squirmed and jumped and whined a bit, then lay down and went to sleep at my feet. My dogs must be quiet in my office, even Fate, I must do my work. That is a basic part of the contract, and calming training makes so many things possible, from therapy work to being still while humans work.

At the Mansion, Gus was handed to one person after another. He made a lot of people smile.

Gus has everything he needs, the task is mine to train him clearly, lovingly and consistently.

(The Mansion Stories will be a book, Abrah Griggs will help make it so.)