I’ve bragged about Toby the Puppy many times already on this blog.

There. Having stipulated my pride in our puppy, I now shall offer a brief additional boast.

He has learned the word “heel” when we walk with him through our Amarillo neighborhood.

The good news about walking a 10-pound pooch is that he doesn’t drag us around the neighborhood behind him. The bad news about Toby, though, is that he remains highly energetic when we go for walks. The first sight of his leash sends him into ecstasy. He cannot wait to get out the door.

But this “heel” business — the universal command for dogs to walk next to their “parents” — has been a bit of a challenge.

I’m happy to report, though, that Toby now seems to understand the meaning of the word. We say “heel!” as he starts to wrap his leash around our legs and, by golly, he takes his place between his mother and me.

He lays his ears back, which is a sign that he’s relaxed while he walks.

OK, now for the additional learning that’s required.

Toby’s attention span is limited. He often doesn’t stay in the “heel” position for very long. He sees another dog, a cat, hears a noise that startles him … he jumps and starts to pull on the leash again.

We’ll stay with it. The exercise provides plenty of benefit for all of us. We are about to celebrate the second anniversary of Toby joining our family. Thus, our puppy has learned a lot already and has demonstrated some remarkable intelligence.

We just need to get him to stay focused. Wish us luck.