The place is Proper Paws University and the class is actually called “Holiday Manners,” and it’s designed for dogs who, if left to their own devices, are likely to turn the house upside down during the holidays.  Our big worry with Bobbi is not so much broken dishes as it is broken bones;  she greets people with a ferocious sort of joy, as if the surest expression of affection is to send that object of one’s affection to the ER with bruises if not a full-blown broken leg.   When she was younger and smaller, it was cute-  but we left the cute phase quite a few months (and a few pounds) ago, and the time has come to curb this behavior once and for all. So she is enrolled in “holiday manners” class, with our fingers crossed that it will make a difference.

So far so good.  Kathy and I actually missed the first class period because of my dad’s birthday celebration, so the teacher graciously agreed to meet with us privately to bring us up to speed on what we missed.  Then the other three dogs / owners arrived for Class #2, in which the dogs were dealing with an actual door- complete with an actual doorbell . . . . and the first time that rang, it sent them into paroxysms of wild barking.  (Funny how a doorbell will do that.)  It was clear from the start that Bobbi is unlikely to be the Valedictorian of this little group, but she’ll be okay.  Much depends on how diligently we do our homework with her this week, which will be a bit tricky since the celebration of my father-in-law’s 75th birthday will be at our house next Sunday. But folding cloth napkins into the shape of swans will just have to wait. . . we have manners to teach!   And if all goes well,  we can enjoy visitors this holiday Christmas without issuing them shoulder pads and football helmets first!