Traffic Check - Total Trust

Howdy everyone,

I told you that I have lots of stories to tell. This one happened last week on June 5. You got to know that I call Richard my Dad now. He takes really good care of me.

Finally, Dad has chosen a different route to work! I was starting to get a little bored with always taking the same route to work. Now, this new route he has chosen takes us on the east side of D Street through trees and bushes and curves and winds its way to PV Street. There are hills and valleys and now on Thursdays, there are people mowing and edging the lawn.

I can tell that Dad really trusts me. He is not paying attention to anything other than directing me to the proper path. I pretty much know the way to work, so Dad can just walk and relax and enjoy the ride!

On this Thursday, we were making our way along this winding path and getting close to PV Street, when all of a sudden, there is this big white truck sitting in the sidewalk path. I turned quickly to the right in front of Dad to stop his progress. Dad seemed surprised and requested that I continue forward. Dad said, “Hop up, let’s go!” He then gave the leash a yank forward. I did not move.

Finally, Dad took off his sunglasses and saw the truck. Now, he laughed and said, “Good boy!” He then directed me to the left of the truck to go around it. We proceeded around the truck and unfortunately, since we were off the path, I ran Dad right into a low hanging tree branch. Dad did not get mad because we were dodging a hug obstacle, what my coach called a “traffic check.” We finally got to Peakview and made it to work just fine.

I recall the training back in San Rafael when we did an entire morning of training on cars pulling out in front of us, turning corners in front of us, backing up in front of us. Yes, all this training was done to prepare me for a day like today!

Moral to this story: “Be on your paws! Look here, look there, look everywhere!”