[NAGDU] 3 years

[Tracy Carcione]

Today marks 3 years of extreme Krokitude!  I wasn't sure we would make it
this far, but we have.  The schools always warn that becoming a smooth team
can take up to 18 months, but, for me and my last 2 dogs, it's taken much
longer.  I say this as a warning to others.

I read my school newsletter, and everyone talks about how fantastic their
dog is.  I guess that's why they're in the newsletter; they don't want to
hear from people whose dogs are just OK.  But it can be a bit discouraging.
Like I sometimes say, my dog never read any of those Seeing Eye dog books,
and he doesn't know how great he's supposed to be.

He still needs reminders about no sniffing.  He's still a big scavenger.  He
still needs reminders to keep moving along.  But he's not the poky puppy he
used to be, usually.  His house manners have vastly improved, now that he's
matured a bit.  He's great at lying quietly, then getting up and getting to
work, though it often requires the shake of preparation before he's ready to
go.  He does well maneuvering through crowds and dodging people who aren't
paying attention.  He's saved me more times then I like to think about from
some idiot driver turning right in front of us.  And, the other day, when we
took our usual exercise walk, a walk that has sometimes been very
frustrating because of his messing about, I realized suddenly that it was
fun, and had been so for a while.So, though our teamwork still needs work,
and probably will for years yet, it's fine to be going on with.

Tracy and joyful Krokus