In a couple of days Doug will reach the ripe old age of 6 months. He’s nearly a full-grown pup! With our three home-moves over the past couple of months I haven’t noticed his growth week on week, it just suddenly crept up, and now he’s a giant! OK, he’s totally not a giant – But he’s definitely no tiny pup any more. He’s only a fraction smaller than Todd in height, but much leaner looking. He still has his puppy fur and his tail is yet to bush-out.. I think a full long-grown tail will be the reaching point of a fully grown pup! They grow too fast 🙁
With our three moves, I can’t say toilet training has been particularly easy. We were doing quite well in Grants parents house and then when we moved again, he had to yet again learn where the back door was and learn that this new garden was also where he must wee. I can’t say we’re fully there just yet, we still have the odd accident (mostly when the back door is shut) and he doesn’t yet understand how to tell us he needs to go out if we’re not close by. But for the most part, maybe 96% of the time, he toilets outside. Hurrah!
He’s also fully aware that he cannot bite. He used to accidentally nip during play, or bite when he wanted to be free from my grip. Neither happen at all any more. Big thumbs up to Doug! On the other hand, he’s still a chewer. He’ll destroy anything and everything. And I mean that. He chews his crate, he chews his bed, he tries to chew the carpet (yes, the carpet!), he’s destroyed at least 50% of his toys, paper.. chair legs.. you name it! Obviously I don’t just allow him to chew these things.. He gets a loud NO, and I distract him with his own toys.. but boy does he try. I don’t think it’s a boredom thing, I think it’s mostly teething and he just likes to chew!
The other annoying thing about little Doug is that he constantly barks at our neighbours. And I mean constantly. They can’t walk by without Doug there trying to chase them off. However, if Doug was to meet them in our actual garden without the fence barrier, I can guarantee you he would back-off in terror and run a mile. He’s a total coward. We still take him to training classes and even after weeks and weeks of going, he’s still a big scaredy cat and wont go anywhere near other dogs. If another human tries to pet him, he will also run away in fear. He’s a big coward EXCEPT for when he’s in the safety of his own garden where he will bark and bark and bark. Pain.
I guess we still have some way to go on the training front.. but he’s becoming a proper little lap dog who loves nothing more than getting some love back. And also licking Todd’s face. Here’s a few snaps from the last couple of months…
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