puppy – The Beyonder

Taking a labrador’s-eye look at the landscape

Posted on June 29, 2024June 29, 2024 by andrew in Beyonder Blog

“HAVING a dog can really transform how you think about the place where you live,” writes Melissa Harrison in The Stubborn Light of Things.

**FRESH PERSPECTIVE:** on the Chiltern Way at Coleshill

I suppose that even back in those days when we were still only daydreaming about owning a dog, we were aware of the truth of that statement.

We would wander familiar paths across the Chilterns bumping into countless dog owners along the way, wondering quite what it might feel like to have one of our own to accompany us on our rambles.

But with no specific animal or even breed to actively visualise, such musings lacked shape and form.

**FAMILIAR PATH:** the Chiltern Way at Hodgemoor

When Teddy arrived, one of the most exciting prospects was being able to have a much more concrete idea of how it would feel to be able to embark on such adventures when he was old enough to take exploring.

Since then, it’s been a delight to see his response to different walks – once we know he can be trusted not to overreact to the people, pets and wildlife he might meet along the way.

Our own little nature reserve and adjoining Wooburn Park was a great starting point, of course, popular with local dog owners and on the doorstep for those first outings.

**ON THE DOORSTEP:** cygnets in the nature reserve

It’s ideal for peaceful early morning and late-night wanders though, or in filthy weather when most people are indoors, but this is a place that’s full of exciting distractions at peak times – perfect for some long-line training as he gets older, perhaps, but not somewhere he can yet be trusted off the lead during the day.

Exploring further afield has been fun, even it won’t be genuinely relaxing until he is old enough to be fully trusted. But as the weather starts to improve, there are plenty of memorable new experiences to savour.

His first trip to the seaside, for example, takes us on a rain-soaked visit to Avon Beach at Christchurch before it closes to dogs in the summer months.

**WET PAWS:** on the beach at Christchurch

Nice to get those paws in the water, yes – but he’ll need to calm down a lot before he can be trusted to potter about on the beach without jumping all over a stranger.

Likewise in all our favourite spots, from the quietest corners of Hodgemoor, Penn and Burnham Beeches to the network of footpaths that criss-cross our corner of the Chilterns.

**LOCAL HAUNT:** wet weather in Hodgemoor Woods

It’s wonderful to see him discovering new sniffs to explore, and for now the emphasis is on encouraging that recall that will allow more chilled-out loose-lead walking in the future.

It’s a stop-start process as those hormones kick in. One day he’ll leap cheerfully into the car, the next he’ll pause to reconsider his options. Or flump like a dead weight in the grass refusing to budge.

**SPRING IN THE AIR:** among the flowers at Coleshill

But as the bluebells spring up around the woods and the weather improves, there’s no shortage of old haunts to rediscover – and there have been some major triumphs too.

**APRIL COLOUR:** bluebells in Hodgemoor Woods

He’s joined us on our first short holiday away from home, inquisitively snuffling around the unfamiliar Yorkshire landscape and cheerfully nestling down to sleep the night in a guest crate in front of the dying embers of a log fire.

**CHANGE OF SCENE:** holidaying in the Yorkshire Dales

If the sheep-dotted fields smell different from the ones at home, Ted’s not giving anything away. But then our boisterous friend is not the most observant of puppies. When a curious sheep comes to look at him through a gap in the nearby wall, Teddy is oblivious.

**OPEN OUTLOOK:** the bleating of sheep fills the morning air

And it’s no different back home. Squirrels and deer go unnoticed. Rabbits might as well stick their tongues out at him as they bounce around in his wake…

He’s been introduced to pigs, horses and cows but reactions have varied. He’s unsure what to make of those friendly snuffling pigs. He’s managed to walk past horses quite closely without getting too excited but couldn’t contain himself when some curious young calves wanted to chat through a gate.

**LEARNING THE ROPES:** en route to Winchmore Hill

For the most part, though, he’s blissfully unaware of the wildlife criss-crossing his path while his head is stuck in the nearest bush. We wonder whether this mystery puzzles him. Those scent receptors are so sensitive and must tell stories of a hundred mystery animals he’s never actually seen. But then perhaps it’s a blessing that he’s not shooting off into the undergrowth on the heels of every passing squirrel or bunny.

Sometimes it’s hard to measure progress in a linear way. Two steps forward, one step back. But it’s easy to overlook those little triumphs that reveal our rebellious teenager is genuinely making progress.

On a good day when that little face looks adoringly up at you as you approach the house, or when he actually does sit down at the kerb before crossing the road, there’s cause for optimism.

**FEED ME:** cupboard love at the dining table

But then there’s a suspicious looking pigeon crossing the path and he bolts like a greyhound, wrenching the lead and almost dislocating fingers or shoulder…frustrating.

And yet, for all the setbacks, we’re not back at Square One. As the labrador forums remind us, persistence and consistency will pay off. Well, that’s the theory anyway…

**TIME FOR BED:** an old friend meets an untimely end

Frustrating setbacks can hamper progress

Posted on April 26, 2024May 3, 2026 by andrew in Beyonder Blog

LIKE many teenagers, Teddy finds the world can be a pretty confusing place.

All that testosterone, for example, and other dramatic hormonal changes.

No more of that delicate squatting for a neat and orderly pee. Suddenly, there’s obsessive free-form leg-cocking on every bush and tree trunk in the park.

But just when you want to test the boundaries, get more independence and explore the world, everyone seems determined to cramp your style.

Mum and Dad seem determined to get you to walk to heel, older dogs are looking distinctly unimpressed at the idea of playing games and many of the male dogs you bump into appear suspicious, grumpy or actively aggressive.

For owners too this can be a confusing time, we’re told. After making it through all the toilet training and puppy biting, suddenly that cute little bundle of fluff has turned into a rebel.

The vets and dog trainers are great at warning what to expect, but it’s still a difficult time for owners when it seems as if their pride and joy has forgotten a lot of their training and developed an insolent streak.

Typically, it’s a time of increased independence, curiosity and social desires. Thankfully, Teddy is a super-sociable soul with no hint of aggression, even when those pesky other dogs start to bark and yap at him.

**LOST IN THOUGHT:** chewing a stick at Burnham Beeches

Sleek, glossy and big for his age, on a quiet day he’ll potter about in the undergrowth like a contented manatee, those sensitive scent receptors working overtime.

But he’s definitely keen to explore and a little too excited about meeting everyone. His recall can be great when he’s off the lead in remote places with few distractions. But he can’t be trusted in a busy park, especially with an interesting female around.

**TASTE OF FREEDOM:** off the lead in the woods

The experts say it’s all completely normal, a result of those dramatic hormonal changes and a reorganization of the brain, when all the early lessons seem to have been forgotten and the lead pulling, jumping and other anti-social acts seem to reflect a general lack of obedience and selective deafness when it comes to once-familiar commands.

**SELECTIVE HEARING:** recall can be unpredictable

Teddy knows how to sit, stay, settle down and search, but suddenly seems reluctant to do anything so compliant when required.

And as long as there’s a risk of him jumping up on a stranger, small child or vulnerable older dog, he needs to be under strict control whenever such hazards are around.

At 34kg, he’s just too big and boisterous: and these are situations he needs to become comfortable with, without using harsh training techniques or exposing him to bad experiences that could stay with him for life.

Gwen Bailey and other authors and trainers are reassuring: “Feelings of failure are normal, but remember that this phase will pass and you will both emerge on the other side older and wiser.”

Here’s hoping. In the meantime, using a long line has been one useful technique for practising recall, though using it without getting tangled in it is a feat in itself, and sometimes he’s more interested in chewing the line than focusing on the task in hand.

**USEFUL LESSONS:** on the training line

Like most owners we’ve had our fair share of embarrassing encounters and anxiety-inducing moments, when our pride and joy has wanted to jump all over a stranger or has suddenly chased off into the distance, distracted by a passing spaniel or friendly looking cockapoo.

**LEARNING THE ROPES:** practising recall

But if there are times we despair about him ever becoming that well-mannered model citizen who sticks to your side like glue whatever happens around them, there are plenty of small daily victories to remind us this is very much a journey, and that success doesn’t come overnight.

When things do go well, it can be easy to forget them, even on those occasion when they feel momentous, like the first perfect loose-lead saunter round the park or the times when Teddy makes the “right” choice to lie down and snuffle in the grass rather than jumping all over our neighbours.

**TEMPTING TREAT:** even teenagers need to eat

Just lately there have been more of those moments when we’ve had that warm glow that we might finally be making progress: like his first visit to an indoor cafe where he lay down contentedly despite the presence of other dogs at the table.

Of course there are those other times too, when Teddy flumps on the grass with a stick and refuses to move or where a moment’s inattention means you fail to realise he’s just taken off at 70mph in the direction of an unwary pigeon.

But at puppy class there are smiles all round when Teddy demonstrates he can be calm and contented rather than straining at the leash, even when fun small dogs are quite close by.

And when he’s snoozing at your feet or gazing at your with those wonderfully expressive gorilla-like brown eyes, there’s no hiding the fact of just how dramatically he’s wormed his way into our hearts in four short months.

Other labrador owners are perhaps the most reassuring, even if their messages are mixed. “Oh, he’s gorgeous,” they coo. “Such a handsome boy!”

And as Teddy leaps and jumps with excitement at the attention, that slight pause when they reflect back over the years. “And so lively too,” they add. “Don’t worry, he’ll be calmer when he’s two.”

Teenager Teddy loves life in the fast lane

Posted on March 27, 2024March 27, 2024 by andrew in Beyonder Blog

ADOLESCENCE. At seven months and 30kg, our little black shadow has doubled in size and become something of a force of nature.

**GROWING UP FAST:** Teddy at seven months

Big, boisterous and overly friendly, there’s nothing subtle about our Ted.

As curious as he is clumsy, his furry snoot is quick to nose into everyone’s business, intrigued to find out what’s happening.

A sweet-natured soul, like most puppies he’s very excited about life. But he’s also at the age where leaping up on an unfamiliar child or older person could do serious damage, so training has been a top priority for several weeks now.

The trouble is, now that he’s a fully fledged leg-cocking teenager, he’s too old and over-exuberant for basic puppy socialisation classes and hasn’t completed the foundation course fundamentals that would normally secure him a place on “bronze”-level courses.

There’s no shortage of training courses, it seems, but finding the right one in the right place at the right time has been harder.

Thankfully, Teddy’s been a quick learner and has been picking up a lot of the basic skills that would prepare him for a more formal training environment.

**SITTING PRETTY:** mastering the basics

The great news is that he’s sleeping through the night and seems to relish the comfort and peace of his crate.

Those early whimperings that were such a worry in the first few days have become a distant memory, and he seems properly settled in now, an intrinsic part of the family after the disruption of those early days before we found him.

**SETTLING IN:** Teddy feels more at home

He’s been out and about exploring the local woods too, though until we can be 100% sure of his immediate recall, it’s hard to find spots sufficiently remote to be confident about letting him off the lead.

**STANDING PROUD:** scaling the heights at Black Park

Being a labrador, he loves the water (the muckier the better, of course) and he’s predictably hungry, though perhaps not as singlemindedly food-motivated as some of his breed.

Which all means our sleek, shiny, bouncy boy is great company but needs to learn a few lessons about manners, over-excitement and how to cope with overwhelming distractions like squirrels, strangers and any other dogs he encounters.

He can sit, stay, lie down and walk to heel in short bursts when there are no such distractions: especially early in the day or later at night when other dogs are not around.

**OFF THE LEAD:** practising recall at Littleworth Common

But a favourite pastime when off the leash is to race at high speed past you while carrying leg-smashingly huge sticks, so he can’t be trusted if anyone vulnerable is around.

**BIG IS BEAUTIFUL:** stick carrying is a favourite pastime

A double-ended smart new training lead and harness has been partially effective in curbing the worst of the pulling, and scatter-feeding can be a helpful distraction on occasions too, but there’s no doubting that Ted can be high-octane company.

**MUDDY FUN:** getting messy at Penn Wood

There are times, too, when it’s easy to believe from the look in those expressive brown eyes that he’s quite deliberately setting out to wind you up. That insolent side-glance when he slips onto the sofa and stubbornly refuses to get off, for example.

But I rather like Susan Garrett’s belief in the mantra that our dogs are doing the best they can with the education we have given them, in the environment we’ve asked them to perform in.

**THE EYES HAVE IT:** testing boundaries

In other words, if they’re not doing what we want them to do, it’s probably not because they are being deliberately fickle but because we haven’t trained them properly, or are expecting too much of them in the situation we’ve put them in.

Time to get that training programme sorted, then. Watch this space. It’s a steep learning curve for us as much as him….

Top tips for a contented canine

Posted on December 2, 2020October 30, 2024 by andrew in Beyonder Blog

Guest writer Lucy Parks continues her occasional blog about how Cypriot rescue dog Yella has adjusted to life in the Chilterns

YELLA will be three at the end of this year, which means I’ve had her in my life for 2.5 years. And what a learning curve it’s been!

I thought I was prepared: I’d done a lot of research before I got her, I’d asked my dog-owning Facebook friends to give me their best advice, I’d booked her in for training, I’d bought what I understood I needed… but reality is often a surprise.

What I offer here, based purely on my own experiences, through trial and error, are my top tips for happy dogs and happy owners.

Training: as a first-time dog owner, I had both a one-to-one session with a dog trainer and took Yella to puppy classes. They gave me huge confidence and helped me to understand how best to train her, but two commands have proved invaluable: “wait” and “this way”.

“Wait” works in so many situations, whether it’s stopping her from running to the front door when someone rings the bell, to crossing the road safely or keeping her out of danger when it’s time to go back on the lead after a good run.

“This way” is a great alternative to saying “no” when encouraging her to go in a certain direction. It’s a simple distraction in a positive way rather than shouting “no!” to stop her running off – and I’m convinced Yella even knows her left from right because of this.

Visibility: as regular blog readers will know, Yella loves to go exploring in the woods. Because of her colour, it can be tricky to spot her, especially among autumn leaves, but I invested in some dog bells, which fit on her harness and it means I can always hear her, even if I can’t actually see her. They’re a cheap lifesaver from constant worry about where she’s gone.

In the winter, I add a dog light to her harness for extra visibility. One early evening last year we managed to startle some walkers in the woods when they saw just a jangling red light belting towards them. It took them a moment to realise it was only a friendly little dog, rushing up in the dark to say hello.

Toys and beds: It’s easy to spend a fortune on dog toys. One friend gave me a great piece of advice: buy children’s toys from a charity shop, wash them, remove any choke hazards, and you’ve got a new toy at a snip of the price. Yella doesn’t really much care for playing with toys, but she loves to play tug and, for that, her “toy” of choice is the leg of an old pair of tracksuit trousers…

Dog beds can be equally expensive. I bought a cheap child’s bean bag chair from Amazon (cost about a tenner), covered it with a £2 washable fleece from Ikea and she was sorted. In fact, Yella and Nancy the cat have a bean bag chair bed each and Yella likes to spend her time between both of them.

Winter extras: I’ve found winter to be a more accessory-heavy time as a dog owner, a constant battle against the mud and wet. Early on I discovered Equafleece coats (above). They’re not cheap but they keep Yella warm, wick away moisture from her body and keep off the worse of the mud – plus she looks darn cute in it! She also has a stash of microfibre towels, which are great for towelling her down because they dry really quickly so there aren’t wet dog towels hanging around the house. A pack of (cheap) wet wipes by the front door also help to get muck off her paws when we’re back from a walk.

For me, Acai thermal, waterproof skinny trousers are a top find. They look good, dry fast, mud wipes off and they keep me toasty on winter walks. I could wear them all day, they’re so comfortable. Again, not cheap but worth every penny. The same goes for good walking boots and wellies. It’s worth spending a bit more (I know – I’ve tried the cheap ones and it’s a false economy). I favour Merrell walking boots and Hunter Balmoral wellies.

Practical tips: Yella is a shit-roller. Fox poo, badger doo-doo, bird mess, cow pats, even human excrement (I know: vile)… Yella has rolled in it all. I don’t like to bathe her too often but sometimes there’s no option and Animology dog shampoos do the trick for me. They get rid of the stink and she smells like biscuits afterwards. She hasn’t yet worked out the correlation between rolling in poo and having a bath, but she accepts her fate and quite enjoys having a good rub down.

Arden Grange liver paste is the answer when giving Yella meds. Simply wrap any tablet in a bit of paste and she’s mad for it. Nancy the cat has it, too, with her meds – it’s a winner in our house.

And, finally, if you allow your dog on the bed (Yella’s allowed only by invitation and usually only at weekends for a lie-in), a handheld vacuum cleaner is perfect to get rid of the dog hairs. It takes only a moment for a quick whizz over the duvet and saves finding dog hairs in your mouth at bedtime. And no-one wants that, right?

Next time: Some of our other favourite walks in the Chilterns.

Lucy Parks lives in Amersham, in the glorious Chiltern Hills. She adopted Cypriot rescue Yella in July 2018, her first dog. A journalist by trade, Lucy left corporate life in 2018 and set up her business, Parkslife, as a freelance journalist and artist. She’s also a veterinary receptionist, allowing her to indulge in her love of animals. Click on these links to see her earlier posts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 and Part 6.