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DAYTON — It was time to pick Rosey up from "Camp Roger" in Englewood.

She had been there for a week now and Stephanie could barely wait. She missed her little girl, the whiskery nuzzles and kisses, the cuddle time on the couch.

I did my best at filling in. I mean, I'm overly affectionate and gassy, I frequently scratch myself and I'm a sucker for belly rubs. But there's just no substitute for a warm little doggie curled up in your lap, I guess.

I didn't mind the break from Rosey so much. And Rufus looked perfectly content (and relieved). He could take a nap without kamikaze Rosey plowing into him for a change.

Oh, the joy on Stephanie's face as we pulled up to Roger's Englewood home.

Roger told us to "play it down," to not get too excited when we greeted Rosey. So we sat there on the deck trying to look bored amid our great anticipation.

Rosey sauntered out the back door all prim and proper. Audrey Hepburn would have been proud. Then she saw us.

We're still washing the dog spit off.

Here's what a week with Roger did for Rosey (and our sanity):

• Rosey likes her crate. She eats and sleeps there now with little to no complaints.

• She responds to commands, such as "Sit," "Wait," "Come," "OK," "Off" and "Leave it!" But, sadly, not yet to "Get me a beer." (In time, in time.)

• She walks like a dog should — by your side and with little to no fight or pulling. (She still has her moments.)

• She can do logarithms. (I can see it in her eyes that she understands, I swear.)

Roger stressed that it was now up to us to keep working with Rosey, to get her to do for us what she did for him.

We thanked the old master and headed to our Dayton home, ready to embrace his methods and continue Rosey's brainwash ..., er, training.

"Probably the biggest thing about training a dog is consistency," Roger reminded us before we parted. "You have to be consistent and determined."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7408 or agottschlich@coxohio.com.