Lucy’s in training—I won’t see her for three weeks. I feel like a basketball player without a basketball. I’m guessing she is wondering, what the heck? For ten months, she has been the center of my schedule and the reason I greet mornings with the sunrise. But, she needs to stop, come, and heel so we can live in harmony and she doesn’t run off to get hit or lost.

She is no different from the rest of us—we all need to adapt and do our part to get along in whatever environment we find ourselves in. We could probably all benefit from a three-week training.

We’ve heard the lyrics, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” as well as, “Happiness is different things to different people.” Both relate to Lucy. I could strangle her and, at the same time, hug her and smile at her amusing antics.

Just his week, I opened the back door and firmly said, “Stay.” Of course, she was gone like a bullet, and I could not find her. To top it off, it was raining. Come to find out, she had jumped and jumped on my neighbor’s back door, and my neighbor, bless her heart, thought I was undoubtedly behind Lucy and opened the door. I hate to think how Lucy ripped, ran around, and jumped up on the furniture. My neighbor likely couldn’t get her outside fast enough, and she still isn’t speaking to me. Just kidding. But, proof, training was in order.

On Memorial Day, Lucy and I picked up my cousin and went to the cemetery to put flowers in our parent’s graves. I was telling her about Lucy’s three-week training. She said, “Oh, that’s way too long!” When I dropped her off at the end of the day, she said, “I changed my mind; she probably needs three weeks.” We laughed.

I took Lucy, her crate, food, and favorite toys to the trainer, who had three dogs of her own. I only saw one: a black big military bite dog. I asked the trainer, “He won’t eat Lucy, will he?” She said they would never be together. Whew. I left Lucy in the arms of the trainer, and a half mile down the road, I almost turned and went back to get her, but I didn’t. That evening, the sweet trainer sent me a photo: “Just wanted to let you know she had a great first day.”

As a positive affirmation, I rewrote the above lyrics: “A well-behaved Lucy makes her stronger and me happier.” Wish us luck.

Until the next time: Live while you live.

Jennifer Goble, Ph.D., LPC, is the author of “My Clients…My Teachers,” and the blogger and writer of Rural Women Stories: www.ruralwomenstories.com.

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