Spring is in full bloom and so is Teddy. He is growing quickly and every inch a Lab puppy. Zoos use cages and fences to keep the lions and tigers from harming others. We use cages to protect the large house plants from Teddy attacks. When we aren’t frantically searching for the LPOSPL (Lab puppy owner’s suicide prevention line) number we are enjoying a beautiful funny loving Lab.
Teddy’s Day
Lucky for us, Teddy isn’t a real early riser, more along our own schedule. He has an early breakfast and then some in-house play time, while we drink our coffee and do our morning routine. After our breakfast Teddy gets the first of two walks for the day.
After the walk and more play time, usually out in the yard, it’s time for a big nap. Then is time for Teddy 2nd best treat of the day, lunch. After lunch is a mix of play and napping, with an occasional chore or training exercise. The chores have been limited since Teddy is still working on his fetch and release skills. Barry is hoping to train him to pick up sticks out of the yard and to load them in a wagon.
Late afternoon, after a couple of more naps, Teddy gets his second walk and more play/training time before it is time for DINNER! Like all Labs, Teddy is a good eater. He mostly rests after our dinner and before bedtime. He sleeps well during the night too.
Other big days
Easter was forecast to be stormy, but the rains held off and Teddy and Violet got to play with Violet’s, soon to be Teddy’s, new toy.
Teddy was a little kinder to Violet and they will best buds when Teddy is a little older. Teddy loved the day with Evan, Tammy, Maddie and Robbie. Between them we were given one tired puppy at the end of the day. That is a good thing.
Teddy has also had more big boy vaccinations and his monthly checkup. He now weighs 25 pounds and is a healthy specimen, He also has had introduction session with two trainers. While it is too early to start formal training, we need to begin some basic things now, like walking correctly on a lead.
The second trainer also runs a dog daycare and behavioral center. Nick has worked with Cesar Millan and is very good at what he does. Imagine walking into a building with over 120 dogs playing in the back, and not hearing a single bark. When we asked how that was possible, Nick said “Barking isn’t allowed here and they all know it.” In the hour session, people and dogs walk in and out and Teddy was perfectly behaved too.
Nick’s assessment was the Teddy was a very smart Lab and could mostly likely be a service animal. Who knows, maybe one day he will be a therapy dog if we don’t enter therapy first.
