I try to watch all the working dogs shows on television. There is a Canadian series called "Dogs with Jobs" and there are shows on PBS and elsewhere. I learned that for dogs who do search and rescue, an important thing for them to be able to learn is to place their feet deliberately. I have seen dogs being trained to do this by walking on horizontal ladders and not letting their feet (or themselves) fall through. Apparently, knowing where each of its four feet are is not a natural thing for dogs. I write this to conclude that Rockwell may never get to do search and rescue, should he be unable to work as a guide dog. Every time we are sitting down and he wants to get close to us - which is to say, all the time - Rockwell steps on our two feet with every one of his four feet. He seems to have no idea that he is stepping on my bare toes with his callused and rough toes and claws and no matter how much I complain about it, he doesn't understand that he should try NOT to walk on my feet. And then of course, he gives me one of his sweet looks and I forgive all.

Speaking of working dogs, the Westminster Dog Show was replayed recently and even though Rockwell watched it when it first aired in February, he made sure to watch it again. It's too bad but a photograph simply does not show the intensity of how he watches other dogs on tv. We still think he thinks the tv is a magic window.