So much for 'dumb animals'
Milo.  It was time to teach him to sit to get a treat.  I decided several dogs ago that the way to teach them anything was to wait until they did it all on their own, say the command and give them a treat.  On Wednesday the dogs followed me in the kitchen.  Milo was going nuts because he wanted a treat.  He jumped around and put his paws on my leg and jumped around some more.  I think Meggie decided there wasn't going to be a treat but she was watching Milo because he was the only show in town.  After several minutes, he sat down.  I said "Sit!  Good boy!" and gave him a treat.  Meggie (who had been through this) sat when I looked at her and got a treat as well.  I did the a couple of more times on Wednesday and yesterday as well.  This morning we all went in the kitchen and Milo sat as soon as I looked at him.  Now he's ready for me to take it to the next level and say "Sit!" before instead of after the fact.  

Meggie.  We all got up at 5:30 this morning.  Pretty typical for me because I wake up early.  It was cool and beautiful outside.  I'd been worried about some beets I'd transplanted yesterday.  While my cup of coffee was heating in the microwave, I went through the back gate to check on them.  Meggie immediately spotted a deer and happily chased it across the creek.  Milo ran after the deer and Meggie.  The three of them crashed around in the undergrowth and tall grass over there for a while.  When the dogs came back they had grins from ear to ear and were covered in tiny green burrs.  I sat Milo on top of the dryer and ran the dog comb over him.  It took two minutes.  Maybe three.  Once over with the comb, the burrs rained down on the mat he was standing on and he was done.  Then I called Meggie into the laundry room and lifted her up on top of the dryer.  She didn't like it up there but couldn't easily get down.  I began combing her long sheltie fur.  She didn't like that either.  She grumbled and complained for the whole hour it took me to get all the burrs off her.  When she was all done, I rewarded both of them with some of Neil's cheese (sorry, Neil) and that was that.  Until, I went outside after breakfast to get my kitchen garden work done.  The dogs romped off to play in the north meadow.  When I was finished in the garden, I called them in and they both had burrs again.  Just a few this time but I know they were uncomfortable.  Milo cried and tried to pull them off.  I ran the comb over every inch of  him again and sat him down.  I thought Meggie would hide, but no.  When I finished with Milo she walked into the laundry room and looked up at me.  I lifted her up on top of the dryer.  ("Rephetibel, how do you keep your weight down?  Do you go to a spa?"  "No.  I bench press a sheltie several times a day.")  It only took ten minutes to deburr her this time and she didn't complain or turn in circles even once.  I gave them both Neil's cheese again (sorry again, Neil).  I am hoping that Meggie's busy little brain hasn't thought about all this and come up with the equation; burrs=cheese.