I realized today that Fate is teaching Zinnia all of the time. Fate is a serious dog; she disdains too much playing or ruckus. But she tolerates Zinnia licking her, following her around, watching her.

One of the most critical requests we make of our dogs is that they can walk with us in the deep woods off-leash.  It is challenging to walk dogs on a leash out in the woods.

There are countless distractions – owls, mice, rabbits, raccoons, bears,  bees, hornets, coyote scat, deer, squirrels.

We need to know our dogs won’t run off or tangle with porcupines. So far, so good. Rose was like that, so was Lenore, Izzy (not Orson or Bud or Frieda), and Pearl.

Red could go anywhere, any time. For me, training is not about obedience, and it can’t be taught in four weeks. Training is a lifetime responsibility; it never ends.

The woods are where training matters, because it is wild, and can be dangerous. I wouldn’t walk out there with a dog who ran off. I have a friend whose dog runs off almost daily, and I think she admired her for that and enabled it.

But sooner or later, there is a reckoning, and she is having hers.

As a steward, it is my dog every opportunity to live freely and meaningfully. But it is also my job to keep my dogs safe from harm; the human world is not a natural world for them; it is full of obstacles and ignorance and emotionalizing.

Sometimes we have to say no. I am testing Zinnia all the time to see where she can and can’t go. She is fine at the Mansion, at Bishop Maginn, at the dentist, at the book store, in the pet store, on the street.

Today, I learned that she is fine to go into the woods with us without a leash. She stayed close, obeyed instantly, kept an eye on us. She saw several animals but didn’t give chase to any of them.

She ate some scat and sniffed a bit too long sometimes, but she is a Lab, and she will always be a Lab, not a child prodigy. I tested her recall a dozen times, she came quickly every time but one.

We’ll do this several more times before I pronounce it done, but so far, this dog can go anywhere. She has a good and balanced life any dog deserves, and that makes me happy.  But not cocky. Training never stops; it just changes shape and circumstance.