I am in control!

The best thing just happened. It's after 8 p.m., and my mom called to tell me she was going to stop on her way home to drop something off. I was reading blogs, so I just kept reading. Devon was on the daybed overlooking the driveway. She saw the headlights turn into the drive and gave an alert bark, which brought the boys awake (as usual Ian was barking and at the same time looking around to see what he was supposed to be barking at). I got up from the computer and walked to stairs, dogs jumping around me ... and Devon stopped at the top of the stairs and checked in with me. Good girl! The boys followed her lead. She didn't rush down the stairs, because they have been taught to sit on the top landing until released. If I want them to go ahead of me, I say "downstairs" as I approach the stairs. Devon knew I gave no command for her to go downstairs, so she stopped and sat. And as the garage door was going up, my three dogs sat at the top of the stairs, allowing me to walk down, and they didn't move until they were released. Of course as soon as I said, "OK," they rushed downstairs barking to greet my mom at the back door! Dogs will be dogs!