By Jinny Wilson



Pam Taylor is the K9 Professor. She poses with these four canine students. The photo op captures the fun of an obedience training class in Wellborn. It happened at Andrews Square on the first Saturday after Blueberry Festival weekend in our hometown. Six easy lessons with homework, and if you and your dog pass the test, you both graduate, becoming a socially acceptable pair! The Huffman and Gilmore saleslady congratulated me for signing up. All creatures great and small need parameters, said she, and I agree.

Ray Varnackas holds the leash for a six-month-old black and white dalmatian named Cassie. Smiles of pride were shared all around the dog owners’ circle when Cassie surprised her people with perfect performance after they had said, “Cassie is stubborn.”

Barbara Smith stands between Ray and his wife, Margaret Varnackas. The towel over Margaret’s shoulder was sometimes atop her head, and occasionally it was used to mop her brow. The obedience lesson practice session moved about according to the hot sun’s journey across summer skies. Dogs and their people went from shady spot to shady spot.

Barbara Smith’s dog is Daisy. She was the only black and white puppy amongst 10 puppies born in January. She is a look-alike to Freckles, the older dog at Smith’s house. Daisy climbs all the way into her water dish when she is home because the Smiths have improvised a watering hole out of a retired mobile home bathtub that was available for this recycled use. The portable drinking dish Barbara brought for Daisy was too small for bathing but Daisy tried anyway.

The golden retriever is Barbara Clark’s Willow, a perfect name. She is beautiful and willowy, a quick learner, and may be a service dog one day.

The black Labrador is Patience Wilson, of whom the K9 Professor says, “This dog understands more than she lets on.” Like my Spanish speaking friend, Carmen, I added. The “pawsitive results” that Jinny Wilson and Carmen Hernandez want for Patience Dog are appropriate behavior on a leash and also less enthusiastic welcoming of guests into our home (no jumping). Daisy Smith loaned Patience Wilson a training collar for the day. It did help get the message across from Jinny to Patience. The owner “pops” (short tug) when the slack in the leash disappears. We did some work with “sit” and “stay” too, but the command I’m challenged to enforce is “leave it.” This is where the dog learns to choose to turn away from an activity she wants to do, like eat a treat. Is that fair? Pam Taylor says dogs need to learn to make choices! Didn’t I just finish teaching four offspring and then their nine offspring (our grandchildren) about choices? I still pray that their choices will be prudent and Godly!

This octogenarian rejoiced just last week at Cousins Camp ‘09 where our family, which has grown to number 25 good people, were touching hearts on a summer vacation weekend. I believe a Great Granny is no longer involved with their choices. Time to coast, I thought. Have I just been demoted back to “START” on account of a dog named Patience? Just the same, God brought Patience into our lives during husband Jack’s time with hospice and it was “just right.” Jack always coveted local folks who had a big dog riding in their pickup, either in the truck bed or along side the driver, up front. It happened for him in the truck and also in the golf cart. The two of them rode around Wellborn and around our acreage just as happy as if they had good sense.

Pastor Jim Messer’s (Wellborn Methodist) advice to me is, “Go forward.” Life does keep on being a wonder to appreciate. Betsy Billups’ wisdom to share with you was put to good use when my beloved family of adults with widely differing political stances convened in June. Betsy said, “Find what you have in common.” It was love. The two-way street of God’s love, given and received, and flowing around the family circle covered everything else. Glory be!

“Dog Days of Summer” is the name of a day set aside to celebrate dogs. It is July 18 at Stephen Foster Folk Cultural Center State Park in nearby White Springs. Pam Taylor, the K9 Professor, will be there and promises a parade of orphan doggies whose T-shirts say, “Please adopt me.” The foreshadowing inspires me and my dog to do our homework and get ready to enjoy the day together.