I Monkey Did It!!

I Monkey here.

Guess WHAT??? I did it!!

I successfully completed Puppy School!

Sadly, I didn’t get to keep the cute hat.

Remember how I told you I had two classmates, a Cocker Spaniel-mix and a cattle dog?

Both attended only the first two sessions before dropping out.

Mama asked Teacher if they were okay, but Teacher said she hadn’t heard from their moms.

Does it make sense to pay good money for school, then quit attending and lose all that money?

I think not.

Anyway, I Monkey won because I got private lessons for the price of class lessons! Mama loved that.

And school was great!

I got introduced to Wait (supposed to stop at crosswalks), Heel (supposed to walk right alongside Mama’s leg when I’m on the leash), Leave It (supposed to sniff only — or ignore — stuff that’s on the ground), Come (supposed to rush to Mama when she calls me), and Paw (supposed to shake hands).

I also got to do something called Puppy Push-ups, where they put me in a Sit, then had me lie down, then go back into a Sit before I could get my treat. You don’t think that’s hard? Just try it!

And Teacher and Mama picked out a special word just for me. It’s supposed to be used only in emergencies, like if I ever slipped out of my harness and ran off toward danger. When Mama says it, I’m supposed to know a major cookie explosion is on the way, so I’m to come running right back to her. Immediately.

I won’t tell you my word ‘cos it’s supposed to be a secret between me and Mama. She’s hoping she’ll never have to use it!

When my last class met, I thought Teacher was going to cry. She said she’s going to miss me bunches and urged Mama to sign me up for the next level class.

I think she should, too. I’m eager to learn (and make up for all the time I missed out on when I was so sick). And a structured class gives an anxious pup like me some stabilizing (which Mama says I need).

Besides, Puppy School means lots of treats and good things. Like at my last class, when Teacher gave me a diploma with my name on it. How cool is that?

She also gave me a puzzle toy as a present. She said brainiac pups like me need things to challenge us. This toy has a squeaky narwhal, starfish, and mermaid in a seashell-thing, and you have to work to get them out of their holes.

And I can do it! The first time Mama tried me at home, it took awhile for me to get the hang of it, but by the time my brofer (AKA Domer) came home, I was becoming a pro.

Here I am, checking it out:

Signing off now and heading for a snoozle. Love, Monkey the Glad Grad.

P.S. I wrote this before Gramma passed. I like to think of her in Heaven, cheering on my successes!