NINE months on from Teddy’s second birthday, has our lively, inquisitive bundle of fun matured into a respectable mellow adult yet?
True, many labrador owners insist that labs tend to display puppylike behaviour much longer than other breeds, which means 2¾ is not exactly ancient.
But puppy training manuals and websites blithely state that by the time a labrador is two or three years’ old, their physical and emotional journey to adulthood is complete. So how is that journey going for Teddy?
Checking over that blog entry for his second birthday, have things changed at all? Weightwise, he’s checking in a 42kg and although he’s big and powerful, the vets think he could comfortably drop a couple of kilos to be fully healthy.
He’s still sleeping though the night, though he now has a bigger more supportive bed and has not been confined to his den for weeks. He’s never chewed things and can be trusted around the house even if we’re out, which is a big plus.
Chemically castrated since the autumn, he’s still as sweet-natured as ever, eager to meet strangers and eternally curious about anything and anyone within sight.
Great so far, but there are still times when that adolescent streak results in a selective deafness when other distractions are particularly tempting.
Recall has become a LOT better, but although successful outings far outweigh negative experiences, there are still those moments when it’s hard to believe that we are not witnessing a deliberate act of disobedience.
Dangle a tasty morsel in front of him in the kitchen and he’s got pin-sharp hearing and responds to instructions with alacrity. Out in the park or woods and it can be a different story.
But we’ve always believed in the Susan Garrett mantra that dogs “do the best they can with the education you’ve given them in the environment you’ve asked him to perform in” – or in other words, it’s our fault as trainers if Ted’s behaviour falls short.
Undoubtedly there’s a direct correlation between bad behaviour and energy not being dissipated earlier. Get out for a race around the woods with your best friend, and the degree of obedience later is on a whole different level.
All of which means that the more chances there are for healthy exercise, the more likely it is that his behaviour will be good.
Consistency pays off, as does persistence. And in recent months he has shown an increasing willingness to drag himself away from intriguing distractions at the sound of a shout or whistle, even if at times the response has been a shade reluctant.
The switch from harness to slip lead has continued to bring benefits. His loose-lead walking is usually excellent, though he may still lack the road sense and composure that allows completely stress-free off-lead walking.
Yes, we’re not there yet. But there are more of those small victories that show we’re getting there: those moments where there’s a clear and obvious distraction in the shape of a runner, family or other dog in the park and he will make the “right” decision to come back to our side rather than disappear across the field to say hello.
Or out in the woods in the evening with a couple of other family members where there’s been no jumping up at all, no running off to greet passers-by and no reluctance to get back on the lead when we’re read to leave.
We’re only too conscious of the fact that random strangers don’t want a huge black beast careering towards them at high speed determined to make their acquaintance. But owners of bigger and bouncier dog breeds know just how difficult it can be to provide risk-free environments where you can train an excited puppy to adapt to all the exciting distractions to be found in the outside world.
And yet our first visit to the coast since he was a very young puppy gives us a warm glow of satisfaction – and relief. Encountering a couple of other soaking labs down on the foreshore, Ted is entranced.
There are a LOT of other families around, including small children, picnics and other irresistible temptations. And yet Teddy does manage to resist racing off to explore. Instead, he’s content to chase a ball up and down one small section of beach – and show off to his new friend Primrose that he’s not scared of the waves at all.
Sandy, salty and suitably exhausted on our journey back from the Dorset coast, we hope it’s been as memorable a day out for him as it has been for us. Gradually, incrementally, our sweet-natured young labrador is learning the ropes, and becoming a more reliable canine companion by the day.