The Bells Prove A Dog Can Learn A New Trick, Even If They Teach Themselves.

 I'll admit it, I'm procrastinating.

It's been wet.  I guess the rainy season has made an uneven appearance here in Sometimes Sunny South Florida.  Looking out the front window though, there is not a cloud in the sky.  Right now at any point. 

Every "real" workout I do, I do outside.  Long walks, Bike, Skate.  Even Gardening.  I have to have an ability to look at what the weather is doing within feet/meters of where I am and where I will be.

Good time to sit down and listen to the clocks tick and watch the windsocks flick in the breezes, there's a light green blob leftover from the thunderstorms from last night just off shore and it is moving North towards the Pompano Airpark.

It's not just the clocks.  I am hearing ringing.  Bells.  Not just my normal "Pulsar Tinnitus" from whatever hearing damage I have. 

No, the bells are on the back door.  I put them there shortly after we moved into this house to let us know if someone opened it.  I was told they are Indian Wedding Bells and they make a joyful noise whenever the door is slid open.

In this case someone has taught himself that ringing bells brings someone to the door and gets their attention.

Yes, Rack, I'll let you out.

See, you really can teach an old dog new tricks.  Or rather, he taught himself this one.

He has taught himself a lot of "Useful Behaviors" over the years.  The Leg Game where he weaves himself between your legs and has a happy time of it.  The Foot Behavior where he raises his Left Foot Only so that he can put it through his harness before a walk.  Where the harness is so that we can take him out. 

That sort of thing.  I don't think I have ever tried to teach him that Bell Means Door, but I'm not sure that it matters all that much, it is a "Useful Behavior" and I am happy about it.  It means that at 12 years old he is still thinking.

At this point though, after having had him outside, having done some gardening, having inspected the pots and noticing that there are some hibiscus cuttings starting up, it's time to start to motivate.

Red Hibiscus?  It is South Florida, there should be flowers in a state named after flowers and these are "Iguana Resistant".  I get about a 50% survival rate on these cuttings.

Need some Hibiscus?  Nearby and willing to wait and pick them up?  We'll talk.