1,000 years ago (or so it seems some days), I taught school. One time I was having a discussion with a parent about her child's behavior (never a good thing), and she said, "Well, what am I supposed to do? At dinner, the kids throw food at each other." Believe me, I could very well see this child throwing food at his sister and smiling with glee over it. He was out of control.

Well, I've turned into that parent. Believe me, I'm not proud of that. My newest child (a 4 month old labradoodle) is out of control. I did finally learn what will stop her (sometimes). I put coins in a container and shake it when is misbehaving. It works. Most of the time. But yesterday, nothing seemed to work. She was in one of those wild, crazy modes. And it was too cold and damp to take her for a walk. She was running circles through the house. I was sitting at my desk (which looks across the foyer and into the dining room) when she launched herself at the dining room table. And yes, in less time than it takes to blink, she was standing on my dining room table.

Now, this isn't my first puppy. She's my 4th to raise. Two of my puppies were small, but I've also raised a lab. But I've never seen a dog able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. It must be those long poodle legs.

So, there you have it. My confession for the week. It isn't pretty. I'm trying to corral this beast, but if you have any suggestions ... I'm listening!