I love how Josh's use of the word "mooks" is spreading across the forum. Bwahahahaha
On a less megalomaniacal note, I love how earnest my dog is. About a week ago she started being very keen on going into the street while on walks. As this is less than ideal, I started to train her to only go into the street on command. After a single walk (where we crossed the street about 4 times), she already understood the command to cross the street. And oh, her joy at being given the command! It used to be that she'd cross the street at a normal walking pace, sniffling the ground as she went, maybe looking around. But when the command is given! Her ear's (which are floppy for a corgi) perk up, her tongue comes out in a loll, and she darts off in a (mostly) straight line to the opposite sidewalk. And it doesn't end there, no, the joy of crossing the street on command lingers as she then prances along the sidewalk for some time, pleased with herself and feeling the world is right.
Not crossing the street until she has the command is still progressing, but she is picking up on the basic premise. That is, she'll start to cross the street (at her normal pace), I'll clear my throat, she'll stop, look at me, turn around, and come back to wait. And the look she gives me! She isn't much of a beggar: if she wants your food, she'll just lay down, maybe rest her head on your foot, and look at you longingly. The look she gives me when I don't let her randomly cross the street is the same. It feels like her eyes are saying, "please, daddy, please let me cross the street. It will be the best thing ever." Then, of course, the command usually comes (sometimes she tries to cross the street when we're heading a different direction) and she's off. There are few things as infectious as the joy a dog displays when its basking in the grandeur of life.
