Force of Nature

You may be wondering what's been happening with Bella. If you are, I'm here to catch you up. The last time we spoke, I told you about her latest "episode" and I haven't given you an update since. I feel bad, you deserve more than that. So here we go, let's catch up on the last two weeks. It may be a slow, multi-post process but I'll get you there.

She graduated Intermediate class. I suppose it is an accomplishment, she (and we) have learned quite a bit because of the class, but I'm almost positive it's impossible to fail at this stage. The next stage, however, may prove to be more of a challenge. The last class of this Intermediate session consisted of Bella and Harley, Starbuck was absent which proved to be beneficial for us. Starbuck never fit in with the group, she just wasn't a social butterfly. Since she was absent, Bella and Harley finally got to play. And play they did.

The two of them went at it for a good fifteen minutes, running back and forth, jumping on each other, biting one another, sliding across the floor, banging into humans, they were having a great time. Harley was in control of the action, Bella ran at her with reckless abandon and was shoved aside or contact was absorbed harmlessly. Harley has to have a good fifteen to twenty pounds on Bella, not to mention almost a year and a half more experience. At one point I looked out the glass window that confines us and noticed that there were four people just watching them go at it. Eventually, they stopped the carnage and separated to their separate corners, almost like boxers in a title fight. At this point the trainer, Sarah, gets some water. As soon as she puts it down, both dogs are lapping it up. I've never seen Bella drink so much. Drinking so much at once had a price that had to be paid. I think you may know what happens next....

After the water break, round two began. It definitely did not last as long as the first one, but it was still pretty intense. I think it was cut short because Bella did what we all knew she would do and that was pee on the floor. Sarah went to get the mop, cleaned the floor and took the mop back. As she was doing that Harley turned her back on her owner and peed against the wall. The mop made a second appearance.

Round three commenced and was much tamer than before as both dogs were worn out. Harley seemed to have the edge as she was able to pin Bella to the ground on a number of occasions. I have to attribute that to a stronger strategy in the first round, as she allowed Bella to use her energy in attacking with a ferociousness that easily wore her out prematurely. However, the third round was again cut short, this time by Harley Quinn as she appeared to need another bathroom break. This time, she wanted to go outside. At first, she squatted in the corner and then looked around, took a couple steps and then squatted again. The owner's response, "Oh, no, Harley you don't have to do that, do you?"

Harley did. The way she went about it, truly is amazing. She then shuffled her way to the door where she thought about squatting again. She looked over her shoulder as if to say I have to go outside. The talk amongst humans continued as Bella sat down on the floor and watched us, giving Harley her much needed space. Harley again moved a couple steps and squatted again. I thought it was going to happen, right there. Everything is moving in slow motion and then Sarah says, "Why don't you take her outside?"

Brilliant!

"Can I?" the owner asks. The leash goes on and she's heading outside. Chassie says to me that I may as well take Bella out. I oblige. We walk outside, wait a few minutes, no action to report, so we head back inside. Harley and her owner join us. She made it outside. I'm still shocked that dog had enough control to poop where she was supposed to, even though she had to go.

There's a break in the fight that occurred after that. That break was actually the class. I think it was just a final refresher of what was taught during the six week course as nothing new was added. After "class" we head back into our glass classroom and we did a little sit with distraction and then it was graduation time. This is where we learned the devastating news: There was no hat. NO HAT!

If you don't know what the hat I speak of is, please take a look at... The Hat. I'm so shocked by the fact that there is no hat, I forget to ask why there is no hat. Did someone steal the hat? Did someone chew the hat? So we conclude the graduation class the same way we conclude every other class, she hands us a piece of paper as Bella sits and gets greeted. This time the paper says Bella has completed Intermediate training. It's completely anti-climatic. I wish I had more for you, I truly do.

On our way home, as Chassie and I are talking about what we are going to do to celebrate Bella's big achievement, Chassie turns to me and asks, "Did you fart?" I know I didn't so I turn around and look at Bella who is buckled into her seatbelt, but on the other side of the seat where I left her. She is fighting the seatbelt, trying to get away from the puddle of pee she has just left on Chassie's seat. Luckily, Chassie put down a seat cover which absorbed the majority of the accident.

Just before the celebration, the realization that more work is still needed. Stay tuned, it's still a work in progress.