Class clown

Anybody with an Airedale is going, "Well, duh; that's what we expect." We expect the little unexpected antic, the touch of creativity. In our monthly fun/training class, Miro has been taking his job of class clown to a new low. The class is an informal one where the trainer teaches a new topic each month. We've done nose work, agility, off-leash work and more. Different people and dogs come and go.

When we pause for the trainer to explain the next step, most dogs sit attentively beside their people or lie down in a relaxed, yet alert attitude. Miro is the only one--in this class or any other that I've seen--who does this:

He flops onto his back and grins, first at me, and then around the room because he knows everyone will chuckle. I swore to myself before class last night that I would not react, I would not so much as smile; in fact I would look down at him disapprovingly and then look away.

Didn't work. Note to self: do not attempt to bluff at poker.

"I never met a man half so true as a dog. Treat a dog right and he'll treat you right--he'll keep you company, be your friend, never ask you no questions. Cats is different, but I never held that against them."
From "An Animal Lover" in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

p.s. Problems with Blogger this week have prevented me from leaving comments on other blogs. I'll keep trying.