Hard to ignore new dog’s antics

A number of you have asked about the new friend who has moved in on this corner. Yes, Prissy, a beautiful black lab has taken up residence here and has been training me for several months. She is three years old and weighs only 110 pounds, thus being active and very noticeable when she lands on one of my feet.

She certainly keeps me guessing as to what she will do next. Although she is reasonably well trained and fairly well behaved, she is lively and very mischievous. Because she was emptying waste baskets in both the kitchen and bathroom, I was trying to figure ways to break that habit. Some friends suggested the use of mouse traps. Well, I noticed some coyote traps that intrigued me, but I thought they might be a little too dangerous for me to set and for her to become ensnared in. Another friend gave me a couple of the little clip-type mouse traps.

The first time I set those traps, I came home to find one in the living room and after much searching found the other on my bed. At least, she hadn't emptied that trash! Thus far, the traps have worked well, causing me more trouble than I need when I accidentally set them off. That seems to entertain her as much as did the playing with the trash.

If you are familiar with Marmaduke, you have a good idea of Prissy's looks and what a clown she is. As she walks through the house, her very large tail is a lethal weapon for any items in her vicinity. She likes to beat me to the recliner and dares me to remove her. She also thinks she is a lap dog and climbs gently into my lap when I am in that chair. Once she is situated, I am stranded until she is ready to go elsewhere. That scene is much like the one you see in the COPD commercial with the elephant seated on the person on the sofa.

She is learning to enjoy our Sunday walks in the country and is even beginning to read the news as we amble along. I sometimes have to dig my heels into the dirt to try to stop her as she decides to go a bit too fast. Having been dragged around by calves in my youth really was good training for this late chapter in life.

If Prissy were not such a comic, I'd be able to discipline her a bit more severely, but she puts on such shows that I can't keep from laughing, thus losing the ability to gain major control. I used to have that same problem in class when some student would grin just about the time I was ready to become violent.

Yes, this new friend is training me to do her bidding and is certainly giving me a reason to want to see what she will do next. If you see her driving the car, just know that I am the passenger in the back seat!