A learning list now we have a 2 year old dog.

Posted by Rosie

We have had Harry, our new rescue Lab, for 6 days now.  His previous owner had obviously trained him well and he is fast learning his commands in English but it will be a while before we let him off the lead either around our animals or out on a walk.  Saari is gradually getting used to him and they are beginning to play more as this picture shows, which I took through the window when Saari thought I wasn't looking!

Harry and Saari playing when Saari thought we weren't looking

We are also having to learn and remember various things now that we have:

a) a 2 year old dog
b) a newly rescued dog
c) a boy dog

Things we need to learn/remember now we have Harry:

1.  Harry loves is underside being rubbed but being a boy we need to remember that chest rubs are a better option then tummy rubs ;)
2.  Boy dogs wee up everything - car tyres, trees, shrubs, fence posts, large clumps of grass - you name it,
they wee up it even when they have long run out of wee!
3.  2 year old dogs are really just big puppies and have boundless energy - that does mean some we've had some fast and long walks which certainly are certainly welcome after the excesses of Christmas.
4.  It is advisable to check for cats and errant ducks before letting Harry out. In fairness when he does chase them and you shout "No!" he stops but I'd rather he didn't chase them at all.  This lesson may take some time to sink in.
5. Harry is smaller than Poppy and a touch more nimble and thus able to get under the fence into the sheep field. I yelled and as mentioned in Pt 4 he stopped chasing and came back but I have had to put some temporary blockages to stop him getting in again.
6.  Ditto the hole in the pig pen.
7.  We can't now say "Come on girls!" when calling the dogs (or Harry will get a complex) - so now it's either "Come on girls ... errrrmmm .. and boy!" or "Come on dogs!"
8.  No pumpkin is safe if left in the porch,  Harry seems to think they make great play things along with my watering can, where-as the ball a friend gave us gets totally ignored.

Oh and Saari needs to learn to share.  She may play with him, especially when out on a walk, which is fun bearing in mind he is on a flexi-lead but any bed-sharing has so far only reached the stage of each of them sleeping at the very far end of the large duvet they currently have as a bed!  Without doubt she still misses Poppy but I do think Harry will eventually win her round and she will soon learn to happily share her bed with him.

Sort of bed sharing.