We had an interesting day yesterday. While getting ready to go Sunday services, we noticed that our dog Charlie had gotten out of the yard. The three of us went out and tried to get him back. That is a whole lot easier said than done. When Charlie gets out, it's time to play, and no matter what he's not interested in coming when we call.

My son Josh followed Charlie down the street and through neighbors' yards. I drove around in my truck and tried to find the dog. After a while I lost both of them. After two trips around the neighborhood (thankfully it's small), I returned home to find that Charlie had wandered off into the woods and Josh had come home. I thought, "Well. Having a dog was nice while it lasted."

We went on to church. When we returned, we saw Josh and Charlie coming up the street. It took a little while longer, but we finally had the dog back in the yard, none the worse for the experience. That night, I ordered a set of DVDs on dog training so we can hopefully spend the summer getting our relationship with Charlie at a level that will make our lives together enjoyable rather than a burden. He's a lovable dog, but still a puppy who is very headstrong and in need of some education. Kind of like me.