Turns out you CAN teach an old dog new tricks

This is Baeowulf, our German Shepard/? rescue pup, lounging on his couch.

That's right - when you're 90 pounds and full of allergen-filled fluff, you get your own couch in our house. He knows the difference; he does not get on the regular couch or the other furniture.

Since we're going to be visiting some relatives and friends at some point this summer (boy was that ever vague), I wanted to make a little cheat-sheet... and brag on our very good boy a little.

Commands/words Bae knows:

• Sit
• Down
• Stay
• Up (to jump up, up on to something, or up for a treat)
• Up-up (to go up and stay up for hugs or a treat)
• Come
• Cross the street
• Outside / Let's go / walk / potty
• Car / Get in the car / Ride
• Home / Go Home
• Mark, Emily, Bitty (a relative's nickname)
• Snuggle
• Ducky (his toy duck)
• Squeaky (his toy that squeaks)
• Treat / Cookie (also the TARDIS sound our 'cookie' jar makes)

He also knows not to take commands, food, etc. from others unless we give the OK, for safety reasons. He's a pretty good judge of character, and of sensing when we like or don't like somebody. He doesn't really enjoy children, but he tolerates them if we tell him to - as well as protecting them and 'herding' them if he thinks they need it (IE making them stay on the path or out of bushes at the state park).

I really need to get a video of his insane bouncing before our weekly walks, when we tell him, "Let's go for a ride in the car to go to the park for a walk with Mark!"