Tag: puppies

THOSE big paws were a pretty good clue.

When we first saw Teddy as a cute puppy, they looked wholly out of proportion with his body, like huge clown shoes.

Now, at six months’ old, our black labrador is twice the size he was when he came into our home two months ago, and still fleshing out fast.

He’s almost grown out of his smart new harness and the broken remains of a 30kg extendable lead are an indication of his pulling power, which means getting to grips with his recall training as a matter of urgency. Having an exhuberant 26kg puppy jumping up at strangers is no laughing matter.

The weather hasn’t helped, though. Footpaths are flooded, the woods are awash with muddy puddles and, fun though that undoubtedly is for a young labrador, it makes every outing just a little more challenging.

On the plus side, Teddy is sleeping through the night and his needle-sharp puppy teeth have given way to slightly less painful adult ones. Although he does try to be gentle, like all puppies he loves to chew.

That means no slippers, shoes or socks are safe and a couple of old fluffy friends have met with an unfortunate early demise.

Mr Sloth was a constant early companion whose stuffing soon began to leak. Duck was very much loved but rapidly eviscerated, his squeaker rescued in time from being swallowed. Time to look out for some indestructible playmates, it would seem.

But what’s the secret of getting Teddy to become a model citizen? We’re surrounded by excellent puppy books, some first-class online resources and the advice of friends, experienced owners and breeders….but there are still plenty of contradictions.

How much exercise is just right? How much socialisation? How much training? A trio of popular puppy books contain plenty of useful tips and sound advice: Game On, Puppy!, East Peasy Puppy Squeezy and The Perfect Puppy.

But Teddy is already a little old for those early puppy classes and we need to see whether he can behave well enough to join an intermediate class.

Online, we love the straight talking and laidback approach of professional dog trainer Stonnie Dennis in Kentucky and the commonsense compassion of Canadian dog agility training and animal behaviour expert Susan Garrett.

Taken together, this pair of experienced podcasters don’t just have a huge following but also an immense amount of expertise to share, as well as absolute commitment to creating better lives for dogs and their owners.

Most importantly, they and other trainers committed to positively enriching dogs’ lives believe dogs will always do the best they can with the training we give them and the environment we expect them to perform in – which means that if they’re not doing what we want them to do, it’s our fault rather than theirs.

This can be a pretty important revelation to anyone convinced their beloved pet is being deliberately disobedient or who stumbles across trainers using old-fashioned methods based around correction and punishment.

These days we have the scientifiic evidence to show that positive reinforcement training not only works, but is much more beneficial to dogs’ health and wellbeing, as well as their bond with their owners.

Establishing that level of engagement doesn’t happen overnight, though. And for those of us new to the dog training game, there are bound to be setbacks as we battle to fully understand our canine companions.

For Susan Garrett, the answer lies in game-based training grounded in the science of animal behaviour. For Stonnie Daniels, it’s all about helping dogs reach their full potential through the use of physically and mentally demanding activities.

Whatever the precise formula, the goal is to raise happy, healthy and well socialised canine companions who can be much-loved family members.

Our new arrival has already won a place in our hearts. But we owe it to him to help him be that model citizen too, for everyone’s peace of mind.

IT’S 6am and the park, unsurprisingly, is deserted.

It’s bitterly cold, with frost on the grass and steam rising from the river. But a small black shadow beside me is snuffling along quite contentedly, eager to discover just who’s wandered this way before.

It’s a route we’ve already explored a lot, in all kinds of weather conditions and at all times of day and night, but it takes a crisp, sunny morning before we’re actually able to photograph the lively, excited ball at our feet.

Meet Teddy, a four-month-old black labrador who has already seen a lot of upheaval in his young life, but who arrived a few days ago to join our small family.

For us, it’s the culmination of two years of searching and researching, of considering different breeds, of watching training videos, speaking to breeders and reading puppy books. And now he’s actually here, our world’s been turned upside down overnight.

For Teddy, the change is probably just as dramatic. The fact he has already seen a couple of other households since leaving his mum and siblings is no fault of his own, but down to unfortunate changes in personal circumstances affecting the humans in his life.

As we research his birth, vaccinations and back story, we meet a succession of people who are full of praise for our four-legged arrival. The only black lab in a litter of 11, he’s learned some basic commands, is good with children and seems lively and intelligent.

He’s also teething, curious and boisterous in the way that black labs are. Already he’s won our hearts and he is trying SO hard to please – but we know it’s going to be a steep learning curve for us all.

The vet’s pronounced him fit and healthy and friends and family have been helpful with their top tips and sound advice.

But however many books you read, first-time owners are never fully equipped to know how to tackle every new challenge that arises – or how to cope with the sudden and overwhelming imposition on your daily routine (and interruptions to your sleep patterns!).

Not-so-tiny Teddy weighs more than 13kg and has big paws and a healthy appetite. He’s had three names and this is his fourth home in as many months, so it’s not surprising if he has found life a little confusing up to now. Mercifully, he seems relatively unfazed: biddable, eager and affectionate, he wins friends easily.

Best of all, everyone is happy to help. From neighbours and family members with multiple dogs to kindly shop assistants and strangers in the park, there’s a lot of expertise to draw on.

Everyone makes it look so easy, with their polite and respectful packs trotting so neatly around them and responding with alacrity to clickers, calls and whistles. But re-reading old friend and colleague Lucy Parks’ experiences with her rescue dog Yella has been useful too, and a timely reminder of the rollercoaster journey that lies ahead.

Back in the park on our 6am foray I belatedly remember that it’s my birthday. Now in my mid-60s, I’ve only owned cats in the past and despite all the videos still feel I know little about how to train Teddy to become the trusted, loving, loyal and obedient adult companion I know he can be.

But I also know just how many lessons dogs can teach to us humans too, not least about mindfulness, zest for life, grattitude and unconditional love.

“Dogs are our link to paradise,” said author Milan Kundera. Or as author Orhan Pamuk put it: “Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.”

It looks as if we all have a lot of learn. And as those affectionate eyes look up at me and we start heading homewards to the warmth and breakfast, I’m determined not to let the little fellow down. Here’s hoping he really can help to teach an old dog new tricks.