Too late to learn?

Is it possible to teach an old dogs new tricks? I guess that depends on the dog. I know a dog who was trained to be a Seeing Eye dog. She guided a very active young lady, taking her on two trains to work every day. She did this for three years and then she could no longer keep the dog.
What to do with this very intelligent, highly driven dog? Thankfully she was retrained as an assistance dog. I'm glad to say she is doing very well in her new position.


This is my seventieth year here on earth, and clichés like 'you are never too old to learn' or use is or loose it' all come to mind. My friends say things like, "Why don't you just retire gracefully and relax and enjoy yourself?" I have made some concessions. I don't do any courses now that require examinations or assignments. Now the only competition is me, myself and I. My personal best is all I am reaching for.


With this in mind, I am signing up for piano and cello lessons. I am also going to do a Power Point computer course. I would love to be able to take the lovely photos of our holidays and Grandchildren and puppies and put music and captions to them and make a slide show. I plan to keep them short and interesting, so that no one is bored.


All the years I've been puppy raising I have never got the hang of correcting the dog when it was doing something I did not like. With the result I always felt insecure when out in public with the dog, especially as it got bigger and stronger. Two days ago I was shown the proper affective way to correct Thomas and now I have a new confidence in my dog handling skills.


Confidence, as I said yesterday, is the opposite of fear. Fear is something I'm told dogs can smell. This is now a whole new experience for me now and for Thomas. I don't hesitate to take him out on my own now.


This year has all the potential of being an absolutely wonderful year. Well, it will be if I am in charge. But I'm not in charge. God is. So I charge ahead into the new year, with hope, even excitement and whatever happens happens. I know that God has a plan for my life. That has not changed. I resolve to face each day as a gift and enjoy the big things and the little things. I will rely on God to guide me by opening and closing doors and giving me peace in my heart if I'm on track. If I veer off track I trust God to bring me back. He has a million ways of keeping me from doing the wrong thing.
Until my last breath I plan to keep learning.