April 2003

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I've had some fun today, enjoying the lovely sunshine. I've also managed to get a lot of work done. And I've given a refresher lecture on manners to a Golden Retriever who should have remembered proper office procedure.

Every workday, Zoe has a midday rawhide chew treat. Usually, Wendy is called on to provide this particular treat, but I'm the backup in case Wendy gets busy. Apparently that happened today.

Zoe knows she's supposed to come to my office to get me if she needs something---it may take her staring at me or nudging me, but as I've told you any number of times, I'm well trained and generally do as Zoe pleases. Today, though, Zoe got impatient and decided to skip the go-get-Aunt-Becky step. Instead, she stood in the doorway to Wendy's office, facing the hallway, and started barking.

I got up to see what was going on, and realized I was being summoned for treat duty. I assumed my sternest demeanor and proceeded to tell the girl that there was to be no barking in the office and that henceforth she was to come get me as usual. She's a smart dog, and I think she got the point.

Eventually, since I hadn't told her she couldn't have one, I gave her the chew treat.

I'm hoping she remembers the lecture. I have no doubt she'll remember who can reach the treats if Wendy isn't available. But if it happens again, I may have to remember that lectures sometimes must be accompanied by lack of treat.

The real reason we need to keep Zoe's barking reserved for the non-work portion of the day is not that she might disturb someone. It's that she has lots of humans, including many clients, trained quite well. And the notion of some of our clients thinking the way to get attention in the law firm is to bark makes the prospect of answering the phone truly frightening.