Alys has been doing a good job monitoring the conversations and writing about my recent surgery. My request, that I speak directly about this and other matters, has been heard, loud and clear.

First, the surgery. I knew something was up last week when I didn’t get any breakfast and the water bowls were emptied. Ryder was fed and watered, I asked her what was up, and all she said was that it was going to be a long day. She was right.

I enjoyed meeting up with Ember, my mother; although, she was a little off-putting. I think this is because she is going to have another litter of puppies and was feeling overwhelmed. And then I, her mirror image, appears in the yard. It confused her, for sure.

I like Zach’s mobile unit. I also like how he sits with me on the bench on the side of the inside. This day was different. He was all business, as was Sarah, the Mobile Moose Tech. I was sedated and then put in a cage. I don’t remember much except coming to. It was so painful. And I thought I was being ripped to shreds by wolves, who were tearing into my belly.

Shadow

I began to get my wits about me on the drive home. I had been given a number of painkillers, this including what Alys called a Tramadol Cocktail. This helped some, but my belly felt really achy.

In the days following, Alys and Pete attempted to get me to lie low. No runs in the woods. No playing with Ryder. No agility in what Alys calls the Playground of Higher Learning. NO fun at all around here. Until today.

I heard the words agility, Claudia, and treats this morning. I suspected that this was a ruse, that my incision hadn’t healed up enough yet, so we would not be going to class. Fortunately, I was wrong. We did go to agility.

Pete was my handler. Claudia told him that she’d keep the jumps low, and she added that Pete should keep me from running too fast. This is what he did. We first practiced front and rear crosses, going over multiple jumps. I’ve learned that if I watch Pete, that he will tell me what to do. He’s actually pretty consistent. We then did jumps and the teeter. Pete, Claudia said, needs to pace me, otherwise I go too fast, and then get confused and jump off.

Claudia also had us do jumps and the dog walk. Tucker, Alys’s friend Jessica’s dog, crept across it. I have little patience for such behavior. Like Alys said her mother once said, shit or get off the pot.

Claudia repeatedly said, “good job Shadow, good job Pete.” Once or twice she told him how he might do things differently, and the next time, he made the right corrections.

On the way out the door I heard Jessica say to Alys that I was meant to do agility. Alys was beaming when she got in the car. She then told me, “I always wanted an agility dog.”

Well Alys, you got one. Now it’s up to you and Pete to keep up with my training.

Next: 179. 6/29/21: What Animals Teach Us