Sit, Stay, Trust

Can anyone recommend a reputable dog obedience school?

Seven-month old Ellie couldn’t be any sweeter, smarter, or friendlier. She’s great with kids, goats, cows, other dogs, even cats, but she doesn’t follow directions. Oh, she doesn’t ignore us; she just weighs her options first.

For instance, if we tell Ellie to get in the truck, she pauses and then paces warily, just out of reach. Her eyes tell all: Hmm, is this a trick? Are we all going on some adventure together, or do they just want to imprison me so I won’t be in their way? What a dilemma! Should I submit to their wishes or to my own fun-at-all-costs philosophy? Which is worse, making them mad or losing my liberty? Can I really trust them? I can't decide....

In the meantime, Ellie’s humans are beginning to growl and bark.

Ellie doesn’t realize that if she did obey commands like Come, Go Home, and Stay, we could trust her more, thus allowing her to accompany us more. But if she disobeys orders which keep her safe from vehicles or tractors or protective mama cows, then we must leave her safely tied or penned up--when we finally convince her to do so. 

One day I was grumbling to Hubby, the cats, Jesus—anyone who would listen, really—about how disobedient Ellie is, how slow she is to trust us, and how many good times she’s missing out on because of that. Ahem. That's when it occurred to me that the Lord could readily say the same about Ellie’s mistress and, in fact, couldn’t be blamed if He enrolled me in obedience school.

Ellie gladly follows her big brother Zach on fun excursions.

Ellie expects her goats to go where she tells them. They usually do, eventually.

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"Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you....Don't think for a moment that you know it all.” ~Proverbs 3:5-6 TPT