Old dog, new tricks

I’ve written about my bestest boy before, who turned 10 this past May. It’s a lovely thing that even after all this time, that dog can still surprise me.

On vacation at Glen Highland Farm, my sister and I worked with Molly, Josey and Lucas on agility equipment. Josey and Lucas were new to the fun and after a lot of encouragement and tasty tidbits, we soon had Josey jumping hoops and hurdles and working the dogwalk. She was a natural! Lucas found other dogs more interesting, so often he was running the fence line with the rescue dogs. I re-introduced Molly to the tunnels and hurdles. On a water break, I looked at Ben who was very interested in the jerky bits that Josey and Molly had been receiving. Hmmm, I wondered if Ben would give agility a whirl. I led him to the dogwalk and he enthusiastically followed the trail of treats I set out for him. Up and across and down. Whoa! I was so thrilled and proud of my boy. “Never mind the praise,” he seemed to say to me, “Gimme jerky.” So he got jerky and we repeated the exercise a few more times.


Not a big deal you think? Oh it was a big deal! Not a toy dog, Not a ball dog. Not athletic like the others. Ben is my laid-back boy. He is my I’ll-take-my-good-ol-time-smell-the-flowers-hangin-out-I’ll-get-back-to-you dog. He moves slow and deliberately – not because he’s older – but because he takes time to observe and consider things, like the feathery green grass beneath him as he makes his way back to me after I call him. I could swear he looks at the tufts of grass, so soft underfoot, sighing, content and then looking off to the right to smell the patch of flowers as he passes them. He’s like that. He’s on his own time and schedule. Like an islander on islander time. And you gotta love it. I just never thought he would be interested in trying agility.


Ben did the hurdles too, I even got him over the A-frame a couple times. But he just loved the dogwalk. Over and over. He smiled every time he went across. We practiced every day during that week. I didn’t have to lay out treats for him anymore, I just praised him and met him at the end with a piece o' jerky. Once he was making his way across, halfway there, I got distracted by Lucas. When I turned back to Ben he was still on the dogwalk, in the same place, looking at me. If he could have tapped his foot at me, I’m sure he would have done so. It was only then when he saw that I was paying attention again and watching him, he continued on happily, pleased, meandering the rest of the way to meet me at the end. Tons of praise. Pride for my boy.

Maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised. Does mean that I underestimate him? I suppose he does often get overshadowed by the more outgoing, active and spontaneous Molly. Add to that for the week, the California pups, young Lucas and cuddly Josey. But oh do I love Ben’s quiet unassuming demeanor. And Ben on the dogwalk? He wanted me to see him again. To show me “Hey! I can do that too! Look at me!"


Thanks little buddy for reminding me that you can teach an old dog, new tricks. But I have to laugh because I’m not sure who taught who.