This is my dog, Zeus. Cute, isn't he? While he is adorable, he is also a very rambunctious Labrador Retriever who is fully grown, 2-years-old, and still every bit a puppy. He loves to go on adventures, he absolutely LOVES toys, and he has this stupidly annoying but very endearing habit of wanting to be as close as he possibly can to you when you go to sleep.
Despite his many flaws, he is still my favourite dog I have ever owned (probably as he is the only one I've actually trained from when he was 8 weeks old and could remember it). Not to mention, he is extremely intelligent. He picks up tricks quickly. Besides the basic commands (sit, stay, down, come), he also knows how to heel, recognizes the names of various objects (ball vs bone vs rope, etc.), knows how to shake (with both paws based on the visual cue of which hand we use to shake with him), fetch, leave it, and bow. I loved training him. Training is an intense bonding experience from which both your dog and you benefit. I loved the challenge of it, figuring out which way he learned each trick best. Just because I taught him how to sit one way didn't mean he learned how to lie down with the same general technique.
This blog will serve as a guidebook, both to his and I's adventures together, and a collection of various tips to help you keep your dog happy and healthy - and you right along with it!
