I don’t tend to notice Zeke’s size because I see him every day. It’s only when I look back at photos I’ve taken in the garden, and when other people see him less often comment, I realise he’s not a baby any longer.
Zeke is officially an adolescent, rather than a puppy. The adolescent stage being between 6-12 months. He has an increasing fascination with other dogs, male or female, I can see his muscle definition and he’s so much stronger. Especially when there are squirrels ?
His body is in the middle of a second surge in testosterone, the first smaller dose was when he was in the womb. The changes have been gradual in that I’ve noticed he now mostly lifts his leg to wee, and some on walks he’s still doing it even though he’s clearly emptied his bladder!
Weather permitting, I often sit in the garden in the morning, watching the sun rise while Zeke sniffs every blade of grass and checking all the animals that have probably visited overnight.
On the fantastic COAPE diploma I’m studying, I’m learning about hormones and the effect they have on behaviour, I know neutering isn’t the ‘cure’ it was once considered to be. Jake was neutered before he was one years old, but times have changed. There’s no longer this mad rush to neuter without clinical need. I don’t intend him to create any puppies, so I will wait and see what happens. Overall health comes first, and if it means being careful about where I exercise him off lead, then so be it.
Until next time
Jen
