It seems like forever ago that we welcomed Ziggy into our lives. In fact it's ten weeks today. In that time he's learned so much, and so have we! He's changed from a raging crocopup who chewed everything he could get into his mouth, including us, into a much gentler, loving boy. I'm so pleased with how well he's doing with his training too! And last week he started puppy classes. Gradually we seem to have got our lives back and now it feels like he fits in around us rather than us fitting everything around him! So much progress in just ten weeks! So any new puppy owners out there - stick with it. I promise it'll get better and soon it'll feel like the really hard times are behind you! I know that we still have a long, long way to go - and I think we're heading into adolescence now, with all the fun that brings! But I can now see the lovely dog that Ziggy is going to become rather than just the whirling dervish that took over our lives completely! Here's a recent pic - he's grown so much!!
What a handsome dude! So glad to read your post - good luck with adolescence I thought Bailey was maturing nicely with his recall and then last week he absconded from my OH during a walk and it took him half an hour plus help to get him back. Luckily although he walked along the path at the side of a busy main road with lorries along it all the time, he just trotted along as far away as he could from the traffic and didn't bolt across the road. He got the scent of something and went off after it. Each time my OH whistled for him he looked back, waited until he got close then off he went again! To say the OH was by the time they got back to me is a bit of an understatement. That said, his frustration was taken out on me and not Bailey, who looked so damn cute and proud of himself I am sure he was trying to tell me about his fun adventure with Dad!
What a nightmare! My one fear is the really busy A road that we have to cross to get to the park. If Ziggy ever bolts from me in the park and tries to make his way home he'd have real problems! Glad Bailey was ok!
Thank you - must say a few more grey hairs were added to both mine and my OH's heads! As we live in a town centre we have been training Bailey from the beginning to sit at a kerb and wait until we say "go" to cross the road. This is the only thing we use this cue for - now when we reach the kerb we say "wait" and he sits then when we say "go" he trots across the road. He also recognises the beep beep beep noise from pedestrian crossings as it is ok to cross the road. Behind the clown there is a bit of sense I think, although I don't want it testing too often!
Flippin heck! How worrying and also maddening for your OH. That game of letting you get close before doing a runner - not big and not clever . Glad he is ok.
