I can’t believe I’m even having this conversation with Mom and Dad’s trainer. Apparently he is of the opinion that eating random food found on the ground is a bad thing. Clearly this man has never enjoyed a fresh pile of deer poop while hiking, nor visited a local park the day after a country fair. Not to brag, but I can sniff out in seconds where the french fry booth was located. However, it has been brought to our attention that several dogs have become sick after eating something while enjoying a walk on Rye Beaches. So last week’s lesson on resisting temptations has taken on even greater importance than simply ignoring tennis balls. It may even save our lives!

Needless to say this class was purely for Asa and myself, and perhaps is the hardest lesson to learn. We know the “leave it” and “drop it” commands, but the key to this lesson is avoiding the need to use these commands altogether. We’ve always felt safe on beaches and hikes, but this is a sad reminder that not everyone has our best interest at heart. It also is a good reminder that the world isn’t our buffet, and we should be careful what we eat. After all, it’s all fun and games until someone gets an upset tummy and vomits on the rug. Therefore, it is important that Asa and I learn that even food is a temptation that we must resist, unless we get permission from Mom and Dad.

Mom and Dad’s trainer began by putting us in a sit / stay, and then placing treats on the floor just out of reach. We both, of course, leaped at the chance to eat them, and were promptly told to drop it. Easier said, than done. This training involved Dad letting out a loud yell if we so much as dared as lunge towards it. The lightening fast snake returned again too, tapping us on our hind ends and making us whip around to face Mom. It was all very confusing at first, because these are TREATS! But eventually Asa and I both accepted that we had to ignore the food tossed on the floor in front of us.

Then similar to last week with the tennis balls, we had to put our plan into motion. Walking at a heel, we had to guide Mom and Dad past those delectable treats. I’m not going to lie, there were a lot of leash pops and corrections, to get us to follow through with walking and ignoring the food. Through it all Mom and Dad praised us, because they knew this was really asking for a lot of self-control.

Finally, the ultimate test came when the trainer’s friend suddenly appeared and tried to offer us treats. So many skills to work on here – polite greeting of fans, resisting temptation, remembering our “dismissed” command. My mind was spinning, and I’m pretty sure I saw smoke coming out of Asa’s ears. However, when the person approached, we sat by Mom or Dad’s side. Then despite having the treat in the person’s hand right there within easy reach, we had to practice looking to Mom or Dad for permission. When we refused our new best friend’s treat, we got a treat from Mom or Dad instead. If we gave in to temptation, we got the annoying “leave it” and a correction.

Mom and Dad’s trainer had been planning on working on these skills with us, but it took on greater importance with the recent news about the incidents at Rye, NH. At Wallis Sands State Beach and Wallis Beach Extension, 14 dogs have become sick, and one died, after eating treats laced with caffeine that were left on the beach. Caffeine can be life-threatening to dogs, depending on the amount ingested and the size of the dog. We’ve never reviewed that beach because dogs aren’t allowed on New Hampshire state beaches during the summer. However, we have reviewed other beaches in Rye and the surrounding area. Who knows where more of these tainted treats could turn up? I never dreamed that last week’s resisting temptation training for Mom and Dad could have lifesaving results for us!