How in the World Do You Train a Most Mischievous Mutt?

Posted on Feb 28, 2017 Topic : Fiction

When violin teacher Misty Agnelli is hired on the set of over-the-hill screen star Lawrence Tucker's latest movie, she's reluctantly cast in the role of caretaker to his persnickety pooch. Misty soon realizes Jellybean the terrier isn't as sweet as his name would suggest and calls in a professional. In this charming scene from Paws for Love by Dana Mentink, Jellybean puts on the performance of a lifetime for his new trainer, Phyllis.

***

A white van with “Well-Heeled Hound” lettered on the side stopped behind the bus. A woman wearing neat trousers and a button-up canvas shirt with a tiny dog emblem on the pocket stepped out. Every inch of Phyllis Marshall said, “I can handle Jellybean. No sweat.”

Misty exhaled in relief and hastened to extend her hand and introduce herself.

With a firm grip, Phyllis shook Misty’s palm. “Where’s my little gentleman?”

It took Misty a beat to figure out she was referring to Jellybean. “Oh, um, he’s over there.”

Phyllis looked closely at Jellybean. “Wire-haired terrier with a touch of something else?” Phyllis inquired. “Cairn terrier, perhaps?”

Misty thought maybe it was a touch of mule, but she didn’t have the courage to say so.

Jellybean thrashed wildly in Lawrence’s arms in an effort to be set free. “So you’re a dog trainer?” Lawrence sniffed. “Thank you for your interest, but Jellybean doesn’t need training. He just needs supervision.”

Misty didn’t know if Lawrence was lying or if he actually believed his own lines.

Jellybean finally wriggled loose from Lawrence’s grip and hopped to the ground. Phyllis beamed, fished a teensy brown dog treat from her pocket, and held it toward Jellybean. The dog’s nose quivered.

“Sit, Jellybean.”

The dog sat. He was given the treat.

Misty gaped.

“See?” Lawrence said as if he’d been expecting such behavior. “He’s already trained.” The guy really must be a fine actor.

Phyllis took a blue lead from her seemingly bottomless pockets. “Time to put you on the leash, Jellybean. Sit.”

She held the treat in front of Jellybean’s nose. The enticing aroma brought him right to a textbook sit. Whatever these dog treats were made from, Misty figured it had to be like doggy catnip or something. She wondered if it would work on some of her wiggly students as well.

Smiling, Phyllis held the treat a bit away from Jellybean while she bent over to clip the leash to his collar. With a blur of motion, Jellybean snapped the treat from her hand and zoomed away a few paces out of reach.

A slight frown crossed Phyllis’s face. She cast a withering look at Lawrence. “He does need basic training.”

Lawrence sniffed. “He is merely pointing out that he can’t be bought with paltry dog treats.”

Phyllis ignored him, turning again to Jellybean, who was crouched low in the front and high in the rear, tail wagging. Phyllis bent again, keeping the treat tighter between her fingertips.

“Jellybean, come.”

This time the dog sprang forward so unexpectedly, Phyllis toppled over on her bottom. Jellybean scarfed the fallen treat and skittered a few paces away, tail whirling in happy circles.

“Bad dog,” Phyllis hissed.

To Misty’s horror, Lawrence started laughing.

“I believe he’s bested you, Dog Trainer Phyllis,” he chortled. Misty hurried to offer Phyllis a hand up, but the woman waved her off and got to her feet.

She fingered another treat. “Come, Jellybean.”

The dog came close, and Misty thought she saw a nasty gleam in the terrier’s eye.

“Uh…” Misty started.

Phyllis bent, leash in one palm and treat in the other.

“Maybe…” Misty tried.

“Come,” Phyllis repeated.

This time Jellybean came and sat as requested, allowing Phyllis to clip on the leash. Misty blinked in disbelief at Jellybean, suddenly an angel in a fur coat, as he came closer, ears cocked and button nose quivering. It was almost as if she could see him considering, gauging the optimal timing, waiting for the perfect cue. He turned his bright black eyes on Misty and smiled. No, she must have imagined that. Dogs didn’t really smile, did they?

And then the dog put his plan into action. Exploding into motion, he ran between Phyllis’s legs and circled back, tangling the leash around both ankles. When the leash pulled taut, she stumbled and lost her grip, dropping some doggy treats on the ground. Jellybean zoomed in, scarfed the treats, and rocketed away.

“Mr. Tucker, shall we discuss my fee?” Phyllis said.