Ring The Bell

Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it.

Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it.

CALLIE WAS ECSTATIC. Finally, after twenty-eight long years of waiting, she had her very own puppy—a brown Lab mix named Hershey. She picked up the nine-week-old puppy and snuggled him next to her face.

“I’ve waited so long for you, little one,” she whispered. Before this moment, she had never felt her life was settled enough for such a responsibility, but now she felt fully prepared.

After finalizing the paperwork with the shelter, Callie secured Hershey in her car and took him home.

As soon as Hershey was old enough, Callie enrolled him in puppy school.

One evening, the instructor explained bell training—a method of potty training your dog by hanging a bell from the door knob and teaching the dog to ring the bell as a signal to go outside.

Callie was intrigued with the idea. She went home that night and hung a bell from a ribbon and attached it to the doorknob. At first Hershey was far more interested in playing with the bell. But Callie would ring it every time she opened the door to take him out. After a few days, she began using a treat to lure Hershey’s nose to the bell, having him nudge it before opening the door.

Several weeks later, Callie was in the kitchen and heard a merry tingling sound. Hershey was standing by the door, nosing the bell to go out. “You are a genius, Hershey! Let me get your leash.”

Hershey was rewarded with a trip outside and a handful of kibble treats.

From that day on, Hershey always rang his bell when he needed to go outside, and Callie always responded quickly to let him out.

When Hershey was two years old, Callie was upstairs working from home on a blustery day when she heard him ring his bell. She quickly got up and walked to the door, only to find Hershey with her slipper in his mouth.

“What are you doing, boy?” she asked, chuckling.

She opened the door, but Hershey didn’t move.

Callie took a step toward her dog when suddenly he turned and ran into the family room, Callie in pursuit.

“Hershey, what has gotten into you?” she said, removing her slipper from his mouth.

Callie went back upstairs.

A few minutes later, Hershey rang the bell again. This time when Callie got to the stair landing, she saw Hershey standing at the bottom of the stairs with a water bottle in his mouth.

“Hershey!” she scolded. “Drop it.”

When she took the first step down, Hershey took it as his cue to bolt. Hershey sprinted through the house, with Callie on his heels.

Three times around the sofa they went, and Callie had to stop.

She collapsed on the sofa and laughed.

“You little stinker! I guess you decided to train me on the bell too, huh? Ring the bell and make Mommy chase me! You really are a smart and silly dog.”

Hershey thumped his tail in agreement.

PAWS & PONDER . . .

How does listening to God’s instruction make a person wise? Have you been ignoring an instruction from the Lord? What is keeping you from obeying? Are you willing to take a step of obedience today?

Paws & Pray

Father, you are so wise. Forgive me for the times I choose not to listen to you. I love you and want to obey you. Keep giving me examples that I can learn from. Open my eyes and help me realize these are ways you show how much you care.