CertificateOh, what a night…little did I know when I entered the enclosure, I would be put to the test of passing 15 different commands without error, with the option of one more for extra credit. Well, now, we all know that extra credit is right up my alley, eh? Annabelle, the Pitbull and I were the only two that made it to the final class. I got to go first, and pick my favorite commands…being, sit, shake hands, down, stay, come when called, variations of being focused, etc. Annabelle did okay on most things, but, let me tell you, I shined! I was a regular little show off! Playing dead and rolling over aren’t part of the protocol, but since there was an audience gathered outside the enclosure, I decided to strut my stuff. Laughter ensued after each time I ‘entertained’, and even the instructor was amused. For extra credit, the instructor put a large peanut butter animal cracker treat on a little table and told me to ‘leave it’. I did…even though my body began to shake uncontrollably. Mom started to giggle, but I held my ground. After all, the reward was going to be a treat just like the one I was able to leave. Everyone applauded my success! I was AWESOME!!!! Annabelle didn’t do any extra credit. No surprise to me. All of a sudden, things got very quiet. The instructor turned around and gave my mom this piece of paper and said, ‘Congratulations, Miss Gracie has graduated’. I thought mom was going to faint! Annabelle’s owners got a piece of paper too! Everyone was happy. And then it happened! As the instructor turned her back, a peanut butter flavored animal cracker treat fell out of her pouch and hit the floor. Annabelle and I saw it at the same time. We both moved toward it at record speed, both with teeth bared, gums showing, spit flying, and neither one backing down. I was barking at a screaming pitch, and Annabelle was growling with a rumble that sounded like an elephant in heat. The crowd went wild! We were almost an inch apart when mom grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and swept me up into her arms. It took both owners to get control of Annabelle and get her out of the enclosure, screaming ‘LEAVE IT…LEAVE IT’. I’m telling you…it would have made an epic movie…GRACIE VERSUS GODZILLA. Thank goodness the graduation was over. I may not have received my certificate! Wake me when dinner is served!