Lou Yellow Labrador Retriever Male 5 Months Old ID #3369

July 1, 2023

Legendary Lou continues to amaze!  He is the Will Rogers of dogs as he never met a man (or dog) he didn’t like.  Lou has recently shown me that he can stay in his crate when I am out and that he can share without limit.  Pushing my luck, I decided to take Lou to Home Depot.  He waltzed right in without hesitation and took pets from everyone he met along the way.  Lou really liked the “good boy” comments and “you’re so handsome” compliments from all the employees and customers.  He handily helped us pick out the items we needed and was not afraid of the cart at all. Lou has recently discovered pinecones and that he likes them, but when told to “leave it” he complies. He still drinks like a camel and will need a slow feeder bowl since he eats like a typical lab.  He remains calm toward other dogs although he is becoming more inquisitive when he meets them.  Still haven’t met a cat, so that is an unknown.  He likes a good game of fetch but we are working on bringing the ball all the way back to me.  Oh, and Lou loves the lawnmower—he follows me around as I push it!  He is mostly a Velcro dog but is starting to show his independence (pun intended).  Hoping that fireworks are not an issue this weekend!

June 28, 2023

Oh, the many faces of Lou!  It has been a few days, so let me fill you in on this not-so-little guy.

Let-me-go-first Lou is working on his manners.  He wants to be first out the door, first to eat, etc.  He is learning that patience is required and so he now sits before eating, before putting on his leash and before we go on walks. We continue to work on this.

Speaking of leashes, he walks over to his when he wants to go for a walk and even knows the word “walk.”   He still doesn’t pull but does like to crisscross, earning him the title, Pick-a-lane Lou.  He does walk well with the pack and I am able to walk all 3 dogs at the same time.  Phew.  We have met neighbors and dogs on our walks and he is ever-willing to take pets and is good with the other dogs.

Wildlife doesn’t seem to phase him, either.  He ignores rabbits and deer; He does seem to enjoy running after birds.  Tonight, a young buck walked in front of us during our walk and Oblivious Lou didn’t even raise an eyebrow.

When a package of goodies arrived from Brookline, Let-me-share Lou was quick to let his fur sibs in on the fun. He played tug with the furry squeaky and brought me every toy in the box. When they were done playing, Lou brought most of the toys onto his bed.  Look-at-me Lou even put on his newly-acquired ascot!  Lou will keep himself amused and play with his toys when I am working.  He bops from one to the other, having so much fun.

Let-me-love-you Lou likes to show his affection.  He likes to lick faces and hands and at times can get a little mouthy when excited.  He stops as soon as I cross my arms and turn my head.  In fact, he will sit when I do this to show he is ready to behave.  He is learning the words  “calm” and “gentle” since we don’t ever want this to be an issue, especially with kids.

So, let’s talk about kids.  Lou met my young nephew & niece (7 & 9).  He was not only a hit, but he was great with them.  He still doesn’t realize his size, but he is learning to be careful with kids.  Eager-to-please Lou is thrilled when he gets a “Good boy!”

Lou has mastered the stairs!  In fact, when he taught himself, he clopped up and down several times in a row to make sure he had the hang of it.  Curious Lou happily explored the rooms upstairs and found the dog beds.  Makes me super happy since I now get to sleep in my own bed instead of on the couch!

For a few hours this weekend, Lou got to spend some time at Miss Dee’s in her big yard.  Look-me-show-you learned a few things there:  1. screen doors are easy to open; 2. toads are fun to catch but don’t taste great; 3. puddles make zoomies more fun!  He even let her take a great pic!

Happy, goofy, warm, and fuzzy — there are so many faces of Lou and I just love them all!

June 24, 2023

Learning Lou had a pretty good day for a rainy Friday and picked up on things quickly.  First, he slept until 7:00 AM which was MUCH appreciated.  Next, he mastered “sit” within minutes.

In between raindrops, he walked with fur sibs on the leash without really pulling much at all.  Considering he had never been leash walked before, I’d say he was pretty darn good at it.  He continues to come when called and is just such a love.  He also learned that he can get all his 60lb. caboose onto the couch, which means both stretching and snuggling whenever the time is right.

He was calm most of the day and when Miss Dee came for a short visit, he was such a good boy!  At the end of the day, he likes to watch TV and chill with the rest of us. He still needs to learn his size but he is making great strides!

June 23, 2023

Lumbering Lou had a pretty good day despite the weather.  He was restless last night, so we only got about 3 hours of sleep.  Lucky for him, he got to take a few naps.  Most of them were under the table as I worked.

Even though he has only had his name for one day, he knows it and even comes when called.  Lou didn’t try to eat any of his fur sib’s food, which is unusual in my house.  His fur bro ate Lou’s kibble, which worked out well for Lou since he then got chicken & rice.  He figured out that the bell means “go outside” and of course, he made full use of that.  He did most of his business outside today, except for the time I couldn’t get out of a meeting, and even that was done by the door. He wants to be in the middle of all the fun.  As you can see, he dove right in to get the ball.  He lost that round but won some too.  He has figured out that chasing a ball is fun, but hasn’t grasped that bringing it back is part of the deal.  His has the typical puppy tendency to want to pick up things he shouldn’t (like the remote) but is quickly redirected without issue.  Thank goodness for soup bones (which by the way, he shares, too)!  Hopefully, we sleep tonight so that tomorrow we have some new adventures!

June 21, 2023

Lucky Lou took his rescue ride from the farm with his brothers today and after meeting the very nice vet, took the trip home with us.  He sat on Foster Sis’s lap the whole way home (all 60 lbs. of him) and dozed away.

When we got home, he met his fur sibs and immediately set off to play.  He went from training wheels to “Look Mom, no hands” in less than half an hour.  Even though he is smaller than his littermates, he is still a big boy and is working on learning how big he is.  He has a super sweet, curious personality.  Lou loves the yard and just exploring everything.  He made it into the house on his own without hesitation.  The stairs are a bit of a mystery and he whines when his fur sis runs up them to have some quiet time.  He’ll get the hang of it soon enough.  He has already learned that 2 doors lead to the yard and that sometimes if one is closed, the other is open…..He just loves to be with people and his tail hasn’t stopped wagging yet.  He finally sat still for 2 minutes for me to take his pic and then was back up and wagging again.  Fingers crossed for an easy first night!