Eddie is the handsome brown-colored, brindle-marked, bob-tailed dog in the pictures. That’s ME! Just looking at Buster and me in our blog pictures you might assume we live care-free lives. You could conclude that we have no responsibilities and that we pretty much do what we want, when we want. Actually, we are burdened by strict rules and discipline in practically every aspect of our lives. From the moment we arise in the morning until it’s “lights out” at night there are rules, rules, rules.

It’s the same every morning. Mister Tom announces, “Eddie, outside.” I have to run and sit at the door. Once lead securely attached I sit patiently at the open door waiting for my release word. If I take just one step outside without the release word being spoken, I hear a loud “argh” sound from Mister Tom. If that happens I have to come back inside and wait some more. Once I am finished outside I will hear the command, “Eddie, house.” Dutifully I trot to the door and patiently wait in another sit-stay until door is opened and I hear the command “free” which means I can go inside.

There are rules to follow when it’s time for my morning exercises. Rules I have to follow when Buster does his morning exercises. We are tested to follow our meal-time routine every day. There are guidelines covering every aspect of our travels. Travel harnesses must be worn and connected to the seat belt buckle.

The edict “bug off” echoes through the house when people are eating. If we do not vacate the room we are subject to an arm pointing the way out and a sternly repeated command.

RULES (Copyright 2014 by Captain Eddie)

Discipline expected in the daily standard,
I await, never anticipate the spoken command.

Each trip outside listening for the decree,
No jaunt about until I hear “free.”

There’s the dictum I hear when I am caught,
On furniture I hear him exclaim, “Eddie, off.”

Meal time in nothing unusual,
I stick to the plan and follow the rule.

For this and for that there’s an orderly treatment,
Sometimes spontaneity takes a back seat.

And, if I dare to contradict,
Suffer I must rehearing his edict.

Plans and rules define my daily sphere,
Yet I know which laws to adhere.

White-colored, brown-spotted Buster here. Within a couple of weeks of me adopting Mister Tom I started learning obedience stuff. That was more than ten years ago. I still go to classes to learn stuff. Eddie goes to classes to learn stuff, too. My favorite thing about going to class is seeing all my pals and letting them give me pets and scratches and treats. When I adopted Mister Tom, he did not know anything about teaching dogs. Mister Tom loves dogs because we are smart and handsome critters. Since I am the first dog ever to adopt Mister Tom he was determined to help me become a well mannered dog. That is when I started taking Mister Tom to classes with Walter (see the poem I wrote about Walter on April 2, 2013: http://busterjbrown.wpengine.com/?p=19).

OBEDIENCE (Copyright 2014 by Buster J. Brown)

Who knew the training and work,
All the practice that it took.

To learn the things I needed to know,
Actually to compete in obedience shows.

Years I toiled on the simple things,
Before setting foot in the competition ring.

Long sits, long downs part of the repertoire,
Staying where told for what seemed like hours.

Precision heeling, about turns, recalls,
Repeated until I could do them all.

Jumps called “broad,” “bar,” and “high,”
Mastering all you would swear I could fly.

Dumbbells of metal, leather, and wood,
Retrieve as commanded as well as I could.

White cotton gloves, pick the right one,
Marked and commanded I was off at a run.

All of this done to please my companion,
Bonded we did in one way or fashion.

In the end my ultimate reward,
“Good boy” the only words needed heard.