Rules

I'm a law-abiding dog. At least for my own laws.

There are some rules in life that must be followed carefully. There are others that really don't matter. What's important is to know which is which.

When Mom or Dad say "sit" and they have a bowl of food in their hand, you sit. Then you get to eat. Otherwise, you're just going to wait.

On the other hand, if there's a big truck coming, and you want to jump in front of it, just do it. Don't worry if Mom or Dad say "No!". I've never gotten hurt by jumping in front of a truck. Admittedly, I've never actually succeeded in doing so. (Darned leash.) But I'll keep trying--there's really nothing wrong with it.

Don't rely on others for all your rules. Sometimes they are just clueless. Can you believe that Mom and Dad don't know about barrels of sand? They are very dangerous! When I see a barrel of sand sitting on a street corner in winter, I am very careful not to get close to it. Dad and Mom, ignorant as they are, would have me walk right past it.

Another rule that Mom and Dad ignore is the Pool Rule. Never get into the pool without permission from your parents. They must say "OK"--then you can get into the pool. If you get out of the pool and roll on the grass, you must get permission again to go back in. I had to teach Dad and Mom this rule. But they keep forgetting it. Sometimes they wander off and I have to wait for a long time before they remember to say "OK".

But I'm a rule-minding dog. Sometimes it's inconvenient. But it's worth it to do things right.