“Okay, Bee Jay, here’s the deal. I’m your boss so you have to do everything I say,” Steven announced in his room. Bee Jay looked at him and wagged her tail. Steven knew he had her attention.

“First of all, I gotta teach you some manners. If you’re gonna hang out with me, you gotta know where to go potty.” Steven turned to gather up some newspaper he had been saving for this very moment. “It’s okay to make poo-poo, pee-pee on the paper.”

He turned to place the paper on the floor, but it was too late. Bee Jay had already made a puddle right on the carpet next to his bed. She looked at him and wagged her tail even harder. And if Steven didn’t know better, he’d swear she was smiling.

That pretty much summed up Bee Jay’s ability to mind. Steven would say ‘sit.’ She’d stand. He’d say ‘down.’ She’d jump. He’d say ‘come.’ She’d go. He’d say ‘heel.’ She’d run. But he kept at it until one day Steven said, “Bee Jay, sit!” And Bee Jay sat. “You sat! Oh my gosh. You sat!” Steven hugged Bee Jay and she licked his face all over.

It was the end of October and time to teach Bee Jay something new. She wasn’t quite ready to go to public places yet, but why not take her trick-or-treating? What could go wrong?”

“Look at those two,” Mom said to Dad.

“They’re both wearing their capes,” Dad said.

“Steven, stay in this neighborhood. If you’re not back in an hour, I’ll come looking for you.”

So off they went, Dracula and his guide dog.

“Okay, Bee Jay,” Steven said as they started their rounds. “Remember, you gotta stay by my side.”

Steven walked up to a neighbor’s house and rang the door bell. A big lady answered. “Will you look at this, Vern?” she called over her shoulder. “He’s got his dog dressed up as one of those guide dog puppies.” She laughed and dropped two candy bars in his bag. “There’s an extra one for your cute dog.”

Steven smiled and said, “Thanks, but she really is a guide in training. She can’t have people food, but I’ll eat it!” As he walked away he said to Bee Jay, “We may be on to something, girl. If everybody gives you candy, too…” He stopped in mid-sentence. Oh no. I hope Bee Jay doesn’t see him, he thought.

But it was too late. Bee Jay saw Fred. What’s worse – Fred saw Bee Jay. He arched his back. His black fur stood straight up. “Ssssssss, sssssss,” hissed the cat. Bee Jay took after him like a flash of lightening.

“No, Bee Jay,” Dracula yelled, trying to hold her back. “Heel!” But Bee Jay kept chasing Fred, around the block and through the neighbor’s yard, until finally Fred scurried over a wooden fence.

Bee Jay stopped in her tracks. She barked, wagged her tail and looked at Steven as if to say, “Forget about the candy. I need help over the fence!”

Steven realized his job was far from done. For the next two months, he took Bee Jay for daily walks until they could finally walk past Fred without an uproar.

Finally, it was time for Bee Jay to go to public places. Steven made plans with Mom to take Bee Jay to the market. He felt excited and proud to have Bee Jay by his side. She was wearing her training cape. She knew her commands. What could go wrong?

Steven clutched Bee Jay’s leash as she forced him up and down the aisles. “Sorry, he said, stepping around the potato chip bags Bee Jay knocked off the rack. “No, no,” he said, putting back the loaf of bread Bee Jay snatched off a bottom shelf. “Cut that out!” he screamed as Bee Jay jumped up to get a better look into the meat counter. “Stop it,” he yelled, tripping over the doggie biscuits Bee Jay spilled from their shelf.

She was out of control!

“Being a puppy raiser isn’t as easy as it sounds, huh, Steve?” said Mom as she turned the corner leaving Steven to pick up the oranges Bee Jay knocked from their bin.