Orville

Lots of people have dogs. Some people have lap dogs...others have working farm dogs...others are the crazy dog people who have kid dogs (you know what I mean, I'm sure!) ...and then there's the good ol' family pet. Cue Orville.

 Orville is our shelter dog...who is supposedly a dachshund beagle mix....yeah right. Take one look at those legs. He loves chewing, sniffing, turning front flips, giving high fives, oh, and did I mention chewing?

He's getting a shout out because I've learned some lessons from him, so I thought I'd share.

1. Wag more.
What I mean is...be positive! Everyone loves to see other people who are happy. Simply put. And in dog terms, everyone loves doing something that the dog then wags his tail in response. We TRY to make his tail wag.

2. Bark less.
Now, it wouldn't be bad if he started being a little more of a guard dog, but typically the only bark you'll hear is the "I want to play" howl. No need to fuss if something isn't going your way. No need to complain or beg. No need to stir up trouble or make a fuss.
If only humans were like this...





3. Always say goodbye.
My mom always stands at the door and waves and watches until she can see you no more. Depending on the morning, Josh or I will leave the house first. Orville takes after Mom and stands at the door, paws propped up on the pump to the screen door. He watches and watches until you get in the car and leave the driveway...always sees you off safely. It's too cute.

4. Give a proper welcome.
Alright...we could do without the jumping...but it's nice to have the excitement nonetheless.

5. Get your tail outside.
Enough said! See the sunrise. Go for a walk. Meet your neighbors. See the sunset. Go for another walk. Take in that Chesapeake Bay air. It's good for your health in all sorts of ways.

6. Consistency is key.
Training is all about the consistency, and if our balance or emotions or instruction is off, the dog will likely show us with his behavior. Hoping this will pay off past the puppy stages, of course. We're just trying to give the right reinforcements, day in, day out.  
I'll have to keep you posted on this one...when we're past the "I want to eat every stick, piece of popcorn, sock, slipper, chicken breast with spinach, makeup brush, Kleenex, fire kindling, government I.d. card, puppy training guide, beer solo cup, pet bed, rope toy, squeaker toy, trash can, recycling bin item (we actually let him make toys out of bottles and boxes...rather it be that than everything else listed!), pine cone, driftwood, and of course, crab legs" stage.

7.  Lick your plate clean. 
Even if it's in the dishwasher?!

8. Treats are worth waiting for.

9.  Play games.
Hide and seek is his favorite.

aaaand 10.  Take naps and yawn like a dinosaur.  It's awesome.

 Here's to lessons learned from Orville! (like the Wright brother...not the popcorn, by the way!)