I Can Heel and Look Backwards at the Same Time

I am a very smart dog.  After you read this story, I know you will agree with me.  Mommy and I were taking a nice long walk.  It was a beautiful day and we were not going anywhere special.  We were just enjoying our time together.  That is until I spotted a dog across the street.  I am friendly so I called out in Dog Language, "Hey you!  Hi!  I never saw you before.  Do you live nearby.  I do.  My name is Ethel Frances.  What's yours?"

He answered me, but I couldn't hear him because a big, noisy truck went by when he started talking.  "I can't hear you," I hollered.  Even though I couldn't hear him, Mommy could hear both of us.  It just sounded like a bunch of barking to her because she doesn't know Dog Language.  So Mommy gave me a command that she knew I wouldn't ignore.  "Ethel Frances," she said sternly, "Heel."  Why did she give me that command?  I wish she had just told me to sit.  Then I could have talked to my new "almost" friend.

But she said Heel and so I started walking right next to Mommy's left leg.  That is what Heel means. The dog across the street was getting farther away.  I turned around so I could see where he was, while Mommy was still walking.  "Ethel Frances.  Heel."  Oh man!  I forgot that I was supposed to be heeling.  I decided that I had to figure out how to Heel and watch that dog -- who was now way behind us -- at the same time.

I kept walking and heeling and suddenly the answer popped into my head.  Can you picture this in your mind?  My side was next to Mommy's left leg.  I turned my body and looked backwards while I was walking.  I was shaped like the letter "U," with my head almost next to my butt.  I held that position while I walked.

Mommy looked at me and burst out laughing.  "Ethel Frances!  How smart  you are!  And coordinated, too.  I can't walk and chew bubblegum at the same time, but you can Heel and look backwards at the same time.  Good for you.  You figured out how to  do what you wanted to do while obeying my command.  I am proud of you and I sure do love you a lot!"

Do you agree that I am smart?