My Mistress is under the delusion that she is going to train Aristotle to the point where he can go absolutely anywhere with her. She should know by now that whilst Aristotle adores her and most of the time wants nothing more than to please her, he’s also a thinking dog with very determined ideas of his own. It’s not that he won’t go along with the training but it’s on his terms. The settee has been earmarked as his equivalent of the ‘naughty step’ it’s not really that he is being told off, he wouldn’t be allowed on the settee if that were the case, it’s that he’s being given a time out to calm down when he gets excited. Frankly what dog wouldn’t agree to take time out in that degree of comfort? When he’s sent there, unless he knows he’s in the wrong he does refuse to lie down until he’s good and ready. He doesn’t incur our Mistress’s wrath by moving from the spot altogether he just stands on the settee until she gives up trying to make him lie down and goes back to her chair. Then he lies down. I have to say, in her favour, that the system seems to be working quite well so far.
There is also a major dog bed repairing operation going on. I’m not naming names, but Aristotle’s bed came back from kennels a little the worse for wear. In fact there seems to be a pile of five dog beds that have seen better days. My Mistress is quite convinced that she can make three perfectly good beds out of the remnants together with some bits of old sheet. As long as they are comfortable I don’t much mind. My bed that I have had since puppy hood is still in one piece so except for additional comfort in the kitchen and office the process doesn’t really affect me.
Alfie’s Diary – the Book is available at Amazon UK –https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00583ZGSA
You can find short stories to read at www.alfiedog.com