March 20, 2003
10:30 a.m.
I have a Dumb Human story to share.
Last night, Dusty (who is eagerly testing boundaries with her new ability to jump up on the bed), jumped up on the bed. This was the third time in an hour and I was thoroughly exasperated with her.
"Get down from there!!!" I told her.
She looked me right in the eye and laid on the bed.
"Dusty! I told you to get down!!!"
Dusty continued looking at me, now with an expression that could only be interpreted as weary puzzlement. And that's when I got it - she was doing precisely what I had asked her to do.
"Dusty, Off!" I commanded, and she jumped off the bed, sat at my feet and looked up at me with a sweet expression as if to say: "Well, I did what you asked me to do, now do I get my treat?"
I'm sure I'm not the first human to mix up 'down' and 'off' in a moment of frustration, but I sure felt silly!
And kudos to my puppy for doing exactly what I told her to do, even when my body language was screaming mixed signals. Wow!