She's Not Bad, She's Just Drawn That Way

She looks sweet doesn't she?

She looks like she wouldn't ever do anything wrong. Sweet, innocent, all adjectives you would think might apply to a delicate flower of a 50 pound, tiny black lab, 9 month old puppy in training.

You would be wrong. Unless you ate with the pre-k teachers. For the last several weeks I have been eating on the deck with the pre-k teachers and they are delightful. When I was out sick for a couple of days, they sang me the welcome back song. We went to pre-k to do the wrap-in for the holidays, so I have an idea of the environment they work in. But you really don't understand it until you have a bad day and plunk yourself down at the table next to two of the most optimistic ladies in the universe.

"How is Berkeley today?"

"Oh, Berkeley is being a very BAD girl!" Then, just as I was getting wound up for an extended rant, Janey put a calming hand on my arm.

"Berkeley isn't bad. Her actions are bad." Julie nodded. They both smiled at me. You might think this was patronizing, but they are pre-k teachers. All they know is genuine and sweet. And they love Berkeley.

So I have learned now that when I start to say what a bad girl I have, I amend it to what bad choices she has made. Which kind of falls in line with what Jennifer, our trainer at obedience, was saying about having a slack leash. Let the dog make the choice to do the command or not. It's all about free will.

Drawing from He Who Cannot Be Named's Blog

Berkeley isn't bad, she just has free will.