Mildred Isabella and the trash can

by Viki Gentilman
(Bryceville, Florida)

Last week I had to go to the doctor's office...not a favorite thing to do. Mildred Isabella, as always, came along to be my helper.

She is an AWESOME service dog, even though she is still "in training". She is very smart, obeys well, and loves to learn new things. Lately we have been learning "take it" and "give it" as well as "drop it". The commands are pretty self explanatory...take it means to take it to somewhere you point to or use a laser light to show where you want it taken. Give it means to give whatever they have to the person you show them...and drop it means whatever is in the mouth is released to let fall. We have also been learning to pick up toys and put them in the toy box, as well as taking trash to the trash can.

While waiting my turn to be seen by the doctor, I was looking through a magazine...a postcard type advertisement fell out of the magazine and I asked Mildred Isabella to get it, mostly because the two of us were bored. She lunged at the card with gusto (she does EVERYTHING with gusto!)and would have been able to pick the card up a bit easier if her paw wasn't planted firmly on it. She figured out the problem pretty quick though and handed me the card. Since we were only three seats away from the trash can, I thought I would try to stump my girl...so I gave her back the card and asked her to throw it away.

Mildred Isabella cocked her head sideways as if to say, "say, What??" so I asked her again if she would throw the paper away for me. She looked a bit puzzled but glanced around the room...and spied the trash can -- which by the way looks NOTHING like the trash cans I have at home -- and walked to it, stopping once there as if to ask if that is where I wanted it put. I told her "Yes, good girl! Drop it" and she did it!

A man sitting in the waiting room was watching this entire scene and he proclaimed that she behaves better then his kids do.

Funny, we get that a lot!