My intention is to spend the next three months training Fate to do therapy work, and then take her to be certified in a grueling and very difficult testing process. In my hospice and elderly care work, the rule is zero mistakes. You can’t harm or frightened people who are frail or at the edge of life.

Fate must respond instantly to commands, refrain from jumping, stay when told for as long as is necessary, tolerate sudden encounters with dogs or cats.

Fate passed some important tests of mine today. First, she encountered Summer, the Mansion cat who was sunning herself right by the car. Fate growled and barked, and I corrected her and she was quiet and walked right past Summer without another glance.

We also worked on distant commands like “stay” when she was 30 feet away. I told her to “sit,” and “stay,” and she did, for four minutes, then turned to say hello to a Mansion aide walking behind her. I have to lengthen her stays, Fate is an intelligent, curious and she is, like well-bred border collies, sensitive to any kind of movement.

I liked that she sat down quickly at the other end of the hallway (photo). Our work with the sheep is paying off.

Fate is a very active dog, she has rarely been asked or expected to stay for long periods of time. But this is crucial, if she can’t do it, I wouldn’t even try to get her certified. She is very excited around other dogs, and I will have to do a lot of patient work to calm her down. She is never aggressive but can make a lot of noise.

A good therapy dog needs to be fully under control at all times, from her trainer and from within. Red was a master at that.

She half jumped up on a resident in a wheelchair, she caught herself even as I hissed at her, and didn’t do it again. Fate is four years old, and she is not the calmest dog.

What she brings to the process is a great affection for people, a willingness to be touched and handled roughly, and a profoundly sweet disposition. She really loves to great people and comfort them.

So I give her an A-minus today. She’s doing great, but I’m not ready to run up any victory flags just yet. We have real work to do together. I’m up for it, we’ll see if she is. I’m bringing her to the Bishop Maginn High School tomorrow on my weekly Wednesday visit.