Why Am I Surprised?

I am amazed that this 18-month old yellow lab can still surprise me in how smart she is. She has shown amazing ability to learn quickly, especially words. Any new toy that comes into the house she learns it's name by the second time we play with it. She enjoys working and looks so hard towards you when you are teaching her something new. She is a smart pup! Today, we were grooming after our daily walk. This has become our habit, since she was able to leave the yard at 15 weeks. We go for a walk/play and come home and get groomed. She knows what 'over' means (to flip her hip over), but she really doesn't like doing it. We have incorporated it into her play, so she knows how to do it. But on command, especially while grooming, not so much. So, I've gotten in the habit of having her, 'stand' and 'turn around' when I'm ready for the other side. Today, she was laying down and I did her whole left side. I commanded, 'stand', she looked at me, like hmmmmm should I? And I'm thinking, 'oh no, here we go on a backslide!" Then she did an 'over' and gave me a look of, that's really what you wanted, right? So SMART! And Stubborn! If she had no fear, I'd say a perfect Guide Dog in the making. But, we're pretty sure if she makes it IFT it will be service or social. But I digress and that's a long way off.......

Swimming in the back yard pond.