The day after

For those of you that don't know Gideon, you really need to meet him in person. He is just about the best dog you could ever hope to hang out with. I have had the privilege of living with him, so of course I am a bit biased, but speaking as a former professional dogsitter (yeah, that's right) I can maintain my objectivity.

There are a few basic things I think every dog parent should have an understanding with their canine on before they leave them in my care. This can be distilled down to some basic vocabulary and phrases used: go potty, leave it, wait, crate/kennel, outside, sit, down, off, up, quiet and high five. Okay, the last one is just a bonus mostly because Gideon looks SO CUTE when he does it. I get that no dog is perfect, but if you leave them with someone else - please make sure they have some home training.

Gideon shared examples of his excellent home training while demonstrating some of the lessons he lives by, when he visited all day today.

Approach new things with caution, but don't be afraid to look down sometimes because...

...even if you feel like you're on solid turf, you should check how far you really are from the ground.

Smile for pictures, but if you have to yawn...

Go ahead - it makes for a funny picture.

If you have the opportunity to step outside and look around - do it.

Have a sense of humor about yourself.

Take time to admire the tennis ball before you demolish it.

Better yet - chew on a Frisbee instead of a tennis ball.

Nap frequently in between play time.

Comfort someone with your presence and a gentle touch.

And every once in a while it's okay to let someone invade your personal space to hug you.