This month isn't done with us yet! Whatever bug is circulating out there causing havoc and misery, has come knocking on my door. I woke up knowing I'm going to be its next victim.
Still, the day is beautiful and I don't feel like all the wind has been sucked out of me just yet. Henry politely waits for his 7:15 morning walk, and I forgive him for chewing my rosemary bush and my cacti plants. (I place the cacti and pelargonium out of reach. The rosemary has to suffer his assault. It's huge and unmovable.)
We don't walk very far. Just enough for him to do his stuff. He'll be going to doggie day care in the afternoon so I am not worried about exercise for him today.
(Henry, at the Edge)
At home, I fix myself breakfast, ignoring Henry who takes this opportunity to find his collar and chew it to shreds.
Oh well. He has a spare, and a harness, but I am taking note of his increased confidence and playfulness. We need to rack up the training sessions.
We go out again and I practice redirecting him from leash chewing -- his devilish "I am happy and playful" new habit that I am working to break.
Henry's behaviors lead me to study his various breeds' characteristics. If the shelter is correct, then my pup can be called a Goldador -- a Retriever Labrador mix that can indeed be black despite the name, and it can have the retriever short coat, like Henry's. On the other hand, he could be more retriever than labrador in which case the dominant characteristics would be that of a retriever. And here's a laugh -- when my granddaughter asked AI to identify him by photo, it suggested he sure looks like a Great Dane. Or, in another photo -- a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Or -- horror of horrors! -- a Rottweiler. I am soooo tempted to do a genetic test!
But does it matter? Aren't I just as able to figure out his temperament by observation? He is in his adolescent phase for sure, growing confident, liking occasionally to take things into his own paws just to see where that will get him. Knowing so little about his past adds mystery to the game. We'll see how this next year -- the most challenging one for black labs, for retriever labs and for lab retrievers (and therefore for me) for sure!
At 12:30 I drop Henry along with his BFF Goose off at the doggie day care for a half day of rambunctious play.
I use the time to grocery shop and to pick up the kids, one after the other.
(even Middle School has pajama days...)
And then we pick up both Henry and Goose and take them (and their humans) to their respective homes.
I'm trying hard not to overdo. May this bug that's landed here, fly away with the rest of the germy pesty viruses that are circulating out there. Henry still needs to go out every three hours (by my calculations), but as long as the weather holds, I'm good with that! Though I am grateful for the few hours Henry has with other dogs. I have to laugh at the dog training materials that all say that smart dogs need lots of mental stimulation. None of them explain how best to achieve it. You train for a few minutes, you give toy choices for a few minutes, you walk with them, they rest, repeat. You cant walk too long (not good for their young joints). They never like any toy for too long. Training as well cant go on past a handful of minutes. At least after playing with other dogs the pooch expects less of me. Like an adolescent that he is, my sweet Henry needs to recharge. He's doing that right now.
with love...
