A First

Yesterday Spark got to do something he hadn't done before but will be doing a LOT more of...he went into a store! My mom and I had to pick up a few things at Wal-Mart and since Spark has his cape now I thought it would be good to take him in and see how he does in public. We entered through the Garden Center because there are always fewer people there and it is pretty much like being outside. He had to go through automatic sliding doors-he didn't even blink an eye. I told him to heel and amazingly enough he did and he did the best I've ever seen. We decided that he was doing well so we went into the actual store part. We had to go through more automatic doors and then off of the cement floor and onto the tile-ish floor; we entered right next to the dog food aisle and he did well not going for it. We had to walk to the back of the store to get a basketball for a present for Grandpa, Spark heeled and 'left it' a lot better then I thought he would. He was very interested in the things that were on the bottom shelves but he listened and didn't try to swipe them. He loves/hates basketballs so he was a bit distracted when we were picking out a ball. Luckily he didn't grab any of the balls.
Spark was still dong great, so we went to the jewelery department to pick out a watch for my Mom. While Mom and I looked,Spark sat down and watched what was going on around him. After we picked out the watch we went back to the Garden Center to check-out.  We stopped to get a picture to prove that Spark really was in Wal-Mart. He even sat when I told him to (it took a few times because he was distracted).

While Mom waited in line Spark and I walked around a bit. We walked across the metal water drainage things and he didn't bat an eyelash about the weird surface. Then we walked through the aisles of plants; I never realized how much trash is in the plant aisles, but Spark left all of it alone.  He did want to investigate this one section of plants on the bottom shelf, but when I told him to 'leave it' and 'come', he did. After we left the store I had him walk across this manhole cover on the sidewalk, he did it
He was really amazing and I am very proud of him (No accidents at all in the store, not even a dribble!). I was surprised he did so well because he had been a brat at home all day long. I hope maybe he'll be like Hosta, great in public and a regular dog at home! : )
The guy who checked us out was really nice and asked about Spark, but I can't remember what he said. I just know it wasn't rude or mean.
Good Spark!!!