I Wish My Dog Would Listen Like That

Yesterday I had to go to my local hospital to get labs drawn.  The way it works there is that you go in the emergency room entrance, register at the same place you'd register to be seen in the ER, then go down the hall to the lab. 

I think the reason you register in the same place you'd register to be seen in the ER is just because it's a really small hospital.  It doesn't make sense for them to have separate registrars in different areas.  I mean, it's a really small hospital.  My high school was bigger than this hospital (and I did not go to a huge high school).

Anyway.  I sat down to register and Isaac was sniffing the chair next to mine with great interest.  So I said, "Isaac.  Quit sniffing that chair and lie down."  And he did.

And the registrar said to me, "I wish my dog would listen like that."

People say that sort of thing to me all the time.  And you know, I am very glad my dog does listen like that.  And I know not all dogs are cut out to be service dogs, many dogs would have a very hard time behaving well and staying calm and following directions in a busy public place.

But all dogs can learn to listen and lie down when you tell them to.  Most people just don't bother to train their dogs very much or very well.

So I said, "Well, it takes training." 

The registrar sighed and said, "I know."

I mean, Isaac wasn't just born listening.  It takes training.  A lot of training, sometimes.