Prevention

Small Steps and Stairs

Zeke hit a fear period this week, I’d been expecting it to happen. It was more noticeable than the occasional brakes he puts on when out walking. If you don’t know what this is, Blue Cross website has an explanation of the puppy adolescent phase where you can read more.

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Training

Training School Graduate

We completed the final week of our course last weekend. I have really enjoyed our classes together, spending quality time dedicated to training. It is very different when you’re training in a class with your own dog. During the final session we completed Settle; Four paws on the floor (not

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Food

Food

Zeke loves his food. Yes, he is a Labrador, but he really does thrive on his four meals a day. I haven’t moved him to three meals yet. Mainly because there’s no rush for convenience as I’m with him all day, but also because the amount of food he has

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Sleep

Quiet Time

We’ve been practicing settling this week. Not only because I’ve had lots of virtual meetings, or that I need some peace myself from time to time, but because it’s part of our class homework. Zeke sees his crate as a safe place and he will often take himself off to

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Play

Teeth

Puppy teeth are sharp! Zeke has the double whammy of being a puppy, and a Labrador. All puppies explore the world through their mouths. They also grow a mouthful of adult teeth in one go (ouch). Chewing relieves the pain. I’ve been dodging the excited teeth, the tired teeth, and

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Training

Learning Together

We attended our first puppy training session last week. There were four dogs in the class, with screens in place to help the puppies concentrate. A mat to mark the place to put your dog’s settle bed, and a chair for the human. Zeke and I were next to a

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Training

Training Tools

Oh the joy to be back on my lovely laptop, the poor thing survived a coffee spill last year (half a mug all in the keyboard). And then last month I dropped it, it landed on the plug and shattered the screen. But… with the kind help from an IT

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Training

Rewarding Times

The sunshine brings back such happy memories of being on the beach with Jake, Leo and Truly. I still miss them enormously, and think of them daily. Little mundane activities trigger memories of picnics and holidays. I try to focus on the good times we had, rather than thinking about

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Uncategorised

Settling

I’ve been building up time when Zeke spends time alone. Every morning he goes into the garden, has breakfast, has a play, garden, then has a nap in his crate downstairs. This is when I leave him and take the opportunity to shower and dress. I don’t hear a peep

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Out and About

Zeke has been doing really well out and about. I’ve been introducing him to people we know as it’s easier to manage the situation than telling a stranger how you want them to interact with your dog. I ask friends and neighbours not to greet Zeke unless he has four

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