i’ve already shared these on flickr and facebook, but i thought i’d put them up on the blog for those who don’t follow scruffy dog on facebook or don’t follow six-year-old merrick – the newest member of the scruffy dog family, rescued from a puppy mill this past March – in his 52 Weeks project on flickr.

this was his weekly entry for week 42 … we call this a “drive-by licking”.  and if you only knew the kind of no-nonsense, uber-serious dog matea is, you’d be even more amazed at how this little man has charmed this hardcore girl.

and to combat the boredom of the rainy day we had yesterday, merrick learned a new trick.  now, you should know, i’m not into teaching dogs useless tricks.  i teach world-skills; the kinds of commands that will help them – and us, together – navigate the world around us.  i do teach my dogs an “over” command, where they are asked to lie on their side.  this is helpful in so many real-world situations i have no idea why obedience and training classes don’t incorporate it as a necessary command.  it’s useful for vet and daily exams, grooming, for behavioral issues and exercises, for calming your dog in situations (put the body in a relaxed position and the mind will follow), and so on.

so … “over” has always been one of the mainstay commands in my dogs’ repertoire.  merrick learned it faster than any dog i’ve had.  but today, merrick learned “rollover”.  why? because he was bored, but mostly because merrick is a fun-loving, fast moving dog, and for the promise of a ball he wants to perform.

so, i present to you, merrick’s roll-over …

happy sunday, everyone.  learn a new trick!  or an old one.