The first 12 months

Due to the lack of any medical records, it was left to the vets to determine an approximate age of 3 ½ years old, but none the less, we were now well and truly in the company of unbridled energy more befitting a puppy. As such, obedience classes were the next thing on our list.

My wife enquired with the class held at our local park and we were enrolled to start with the next intake of students.

The first bit of advice given was to use food rewards, which had remarkable results with each new task presented. Ultimately, we were convinced that with a little bit more encouraging, Buddy would have been able to drive himself to training as long as food was on offer.

As the class progressed and treats were limited, we found distractions were too enticing and heading into final assessments knowing a minimum score of 75 was necessary, my wife and I were already preparing ourselves for the likelihood of needing to repeat the course.

As the scores were read out starting at the bottom, my wife and I were gobsmacked to hear the lowest score in our class was 81. We held our breaths and our head high, but it was not us. Buddy didn’t get his name read out. At least not then. His name came out at 92. Our boy was an honour student.

Everything old was new again. Gardening was a task for two with a familiar head poking under your arm as you knelt while simple things like walking had some curious paws following closely behind and knocking footwear off in the process.

Late nights were never lonely with a golden shadow always willing to spend an extra hour or two in your company and you learned to appreciate the smell of wet dog as it meant you’d shared another fun filled day at the beach.

One trip interstate saw us come home and Buddy return from the boarding kennel with a cough and instructions to have him sleep indoors for extra warmth until he recovered. He slept inside every night from that day.