A Good Boy

 Last night my daughter came for supper.  We could not find any fireworks nearby listed anywhere.  So she went to a friend's house for about an hour.  It was dark when she returned here to my apartment.  

While she was gone, two members of the community stopped by saying they had heard there would be a fireworks display at the D-Day Memorial.  We can see the D-Day grounds from our hillside, though trees on the road below us have grown tall and do block the lower displays.  By the time Terry returned, it was very dark and people were moving outside, some with chairs, towards the areas with less buildings, street lights and trees.  Terry wanted me to go out with her.  I was hesitant as I was not certain about leaving Edgar alone.

Ginger, the feral community cat, was feeling very lonely.  She was clinging to my door, not only allowing Terry to pet her, but begging to have her neck scratched.  So there was that concern also--bringing Edgar out with Ginger right there.

Well I put the shock collar on him and went to the door.  Edgar was following his training, staying behind the wheelchair as we approached the door.  Ginger tried to come in.  "Ginger, dog!  dog!" I said, in an attempt to alert her to harassment.  But Ginger only stepped back a foot or two.  Fully expecting to have to hit the button on the collar remote, I exited the door with Edgar right behind.  He spotted the cat.  His tail went up, he whined one short little whimper, and followed me down the sidewalk, never once tugging on the leash or making any effort to attack the cat.  Ginger ran on ahead to the corner where Terry was standing.  The show had begun and the sky was filled with bursting beauty.  I parked the wheelchair.  Ginger stayed at a short distance.  Edgar never made a move toward her, though he kept track of her where-abouts.  He was not the least disturbed by the fireworks since he did not hear them at all.  He did see them, looked up a few times, but found them rather boring.  He paid no attention to the people who were standing around.  Instead he spent his time happily sniffing all around the rosebushes  on the island and checked the neighbor's  lawn.  He watered the bushes a bit too.  When the show was over--it was very good--we headed back to my apartment.  Ginger beat us back.  Edgar paid little attention to her, walking along beside my chair.  

What a good boy!  I do hope this means an end to putting the shock collar on every time we exit the apartment.  Of course we still have to deal with other dogs.  I have the feeling we will have to repeat the training for their presence--that he may be thinking it is only the cat who has those "powers".  

Anyway, we went out today with no shock collar.  It was very hot so Ginger was not around--off to the cooler woods no doubt.  Pat was not walking her dogs either in the heat.  Time will tell whether Edgar has learned that  charging and barking at ANYTHING brings pain.

I do so hope--I love this little boy  and really hate having to use that collar.

Today Edgar is my very good boy.