Just like parents armed with a few Dobson books, and maybe "What to Expect in the First Year" quickly find that NOTHING can adequately prepare them for parenthood, we came into dog ownership scantily clad in a summer's worth of "It's Me or the Dog" episodes, a copy of "Training in 10 minutes a Day" and the weighty looking tome "The Dog Listener."  Filled with notions of being the "pack leader" we took home our darling bundle of joy (and a basketfull of PetsMart goodies) and began our journey.  Suffice it to say, a few sleepless nights later I realized that it wasn't going to be a walk in the park!


Despite the energy, effort and discipline involved in being a good doggie parent, the little rascal has completely stolen my heart.  I am trying as Cesar Milan says to be a leader first and dog lover second.  We have tried to set boundaries for Murphy and teach him what they call the basic obedience skills (sit, stay, come, watch me...).  Right now Murphy knows all the commands, but will check first to see if I have a treat in my hand before he makes the choice to obey one.  He is learning and doing well, and we are learning quite a bit ourselves (and also loving being greeted with puppy kisses and more enthusiasm than a kid in a Disney store).

And so....all of this training, discipline, follow the leader obedience thing sort of begs (no pun intended) the question of just how much I have mastered my own course of obedience.  I believe that God is worthy of obeying, that His word is true, and yet I have to admit that sometimes I am checking for the big old treat before I step out and obey.  Unfortunately my own issues cannot be resolved in an 8 week course like we have had Murphy in.  But I can imagine now that God is using my life as His classroom.  Maybe the absolutely infuriating things I encounter (like slowly passing trains, or driver's who don't signal) are part of the program.  Maybe the enticing temptations (shopping, icecream, Nutella, home improvements, putting the children in school) are the equivalent of the juicy treat that a puppy learns to avoid and instead keep their eyes on the leader to wait until He says it's okay.  Maybe God is trying to teach me to stay....stay and bloom where I am planted, continue in an endeavor that I would rather give up on, etc. And, maybe those glorious answers to pray and wonderful feelings of His presence are better rewards than any temporary "treat" or re-treat could offer.  A bit of a crude analogy I know, comparing us to dogs, but I have to admit there are some interesting parallels!!

I hope that Murphy learns to love and respect me so that I don't need the enticement of a treat to motivate him to obedience.  Today he graduates from puppy obedience class.  Will I ever? :)