Back to School: First-Day Jitters

Happy September, friends! Now that we have FALLen into a rhythm of pumpkin spice season, it’s time for this old-ish dog to learn some new tricks. Yup, my hooman enrolled me in school!

I knew she was up to something when she bought the “good” treats (not that there’s any such thing as a “bad” treat). But when she scrubbed my collar, gave me a good brush-out, and invited me to “go for a ride,” my suspicions were confirmed. And I had a sudden flashback to the last time I fell for one of her “invitations.”

But this canine cannot resist going for a ride, so I threw caution to the wind and jumped in the car. As we drove down the road, she was using all kinds of exciting and kind words that zipped past my ears as the breeze whipped through my whiskers. I don’t know what she’s saying most of the time, and honestly don’t overly care where we go as long as we’re together. But there was one word that sounded familiar. Bellwether.

That’s the animal shelter where my hooman and I first met and where we became a family. The idea of seeing my friends at Bellwether Harbor Animal Shelter made me wiggle in my seat even more. I could barely contain my tongue from rolling out.

We pulled into the parking lot, and I lost all my manners. I jumped from the front seat to the back seat and back up to the front seat again. I knew this place! The hoomans here are some of the nicest, and I definitely knew the smells. But I didn’t recognize any of the other dogs.

My hooman let me trot around the yard, and I could feel my nerves starting to build. My whimpers increased. What were we doing here with all these stranger dogs?

As I sniffed along the bridge, another dog growled. Was he growling at me? His hooman pulled him back. My hackles went up. My whimpers got louder. Then I got a serious case of the pants.

Now, I may be a World Famous Explorer, but even explorers can get a little nervous when they venture into the unknown. I tried to play it cool as we walked into the training room, but my panting turned into drool and the drool into foam. I was a hot mess.

Everything was loud. The hoomans were yapping. Their leashed canines were barking. I was going into overload. I just couldn’t get my scents-ability under control. My hooman took a seat in one of the chairs set up around the room, and I began to whine. I was willing her with my eyes to retreat.

My hooman reassured me, telling me, “You’re okay.” She scratched my ears and patted my side. But I didn’t feel okay. Just when I was about to really lose it, a familiar hooman walked in. Ms. Wendy was here, and right by her side was my litter sister…WYNTER!

It had been a while since we’d had a family reunion, and it sure was a relief to see my familiar face! Wynter and I have the same black-and-white good looks. She’s a bit smaller than me and I have a longer tail, but other than that, we’re canine twins! Suddenly, I felt a little better.

But just when I began to relax, the trainer hooman lifted a flap on a kennel and out walked Olaf. I’d heard amazing tales about Olaf. He’s a local celebrity! A Great Pyrenees mix, a certified animal actor, and a fellow rescue dog like me. He was also teaching my class, and somehow he seemed to understand exactly what the hoomans wanted us to do.

Meeting Olaf didn’t exactly calm my nerves. My whining ramped up another notch. But Wynter was nearby, and Olaf was very patient with me.

The first thing I had to do was remember how to wait. Apparently, in school we have to practice how to wait, which seems like a rather inefficient system when there are treats involved. But I tried my best.

Then Olaf showed us how to ring a bell. Wynter already knew that one. Ms. Wendy told her to “check into the hotel” and…DING! Wynter rang the bell. She’s super smart like that.

Then it was my turn. I wasn’t quite sure what the hoomans were saying, and it felt like all canine eyes were on me. But by the end of class, I was starting to figure out what they wanted from me. Ring the bell. Get a treat. I can get behind this type of schooling. I might actually be able to do this!

On the ride home, I thought about my first day of school. I had been nervous. I whined. A lot. But I also had so many new experiences! The extra bonus was seeing my sis and making a new friend in Olaf. Good thing I didn’t let a case of the pants send me home. I would’ve missed out on so much!

And that’s when I realized I wasn’t the only dog in the family stepping over his fence line. I overheard my hoomans talking about how my best pal Disco was trying out a new doggy daycare. Disco didn’t have a litter brother or sister waiting there to help calm his whimpers. He had to be the new dog. But that didn’t stop him. I think that makes Disco pretty brave.

It can be hard going to new places and trying new things without anyone familiar in your corner. No surprise, the daycare hoomans reported that by the end of his first day, he’d already made a few new pals! Now he’s building a pack of his own.

Maybe that’s the thing about new adventures – you don’t always feel brave before you start. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to look across the room and find a familiar face. And sometimes you have to be the new dog.

Trying something new can be scary. Making new friends can be hard. But you’ll never know what adventures are waiting for you until you explore a new trail. And who knows? Maybe you’re the familiar face someone else was hoping to find.

So, friends, as the sun sets earlier and the young pups settle into a new school year, maybe it’s a good time to try something new. Take the class. Say hello. Ring the bell. You don’t have to know exactly where it will lead. You just have to be brave enough to start.

As for me, I’ve got another class coming up. And now that I understand how ringing a bell gets me a treat…I have a feeling my hooman may regret what she signed me up for.

Bark atcha in October! 

Your friend,