Cliff Update the big yellow goofball

[Jeff]

Hey All sorry been silent, but been thinking about you all. I need to go post and then something comes up with work and then Cliff. Oh man puppies are so much work, so much work. So many things and so many firsts.

Cliff is 9 and a half months in the pic right below and 62 lbs. Since his surgery he is eating well, getting a huge variety of foods and it agrees with him. Not a meat nor a veggie he has met he doesn't like. He gets a lot of variety and healthy snacks something he has not done before. You could literally see him grow day to day. He needs a new harness too, this one is maxed out and getting tight. Then First snow, oh yes a typical lab he loves snow. So many snow zoomies. He is also an aggressive snow eater. I am trying to curb that though. Only cause we go places and not all snow is good snow.


Play is life for Cliff too, we play fetch, he can now play tug and that is a super fun game. He is discovering so many new toys and so many new textures.


Something as Simple as a squeaky ball that he can grab in his mouth and just chomp and make noises can be so exciting. Something I never even thought of until he got one in his Christmas Advent Calendar. This is just pure happy.

Speaking of Christmas, Late Merry Christmas to all Cliff got to go to the mall and meet Santa. This was late November to see growth.


A shot under his first Xmas tree. This was Mid December


He has had an awesome first Christmas. Zoomies picture with his Christmas Haul. For those that do not know, Hemi and I always did Xmas on the 24th. This way it was all his day and the real 25th was heading to family and spending time there not rushed and tired. Cliff and I did the same thing. He woke up on the 24th and there were these strange presents under the tree, he was like wait I get to tear the paper. Oh wow there are toys in there. He had no issue with breakfast being an hour and a half late. We had 2 big walks that day and burgers for lunch, steak for dinner and cheese and crackers for the evening. We then went to my sisters farm where he met Chickens and ducks. He got several bites of prime rib and played with the kids and other dogs. Just had a great day. We have discovered some behavior issues, more on that later though but nothing bad, separation anxiety from his dad.


We have now finally found an acceptable set up in the truck where Cliff will sit down and relax. He has his seatbelt on but I found a seat protector where the middle zips down. Hemi was the same way, this is exactly how Hemi used to like to ride as well. So he could put his head on the armrest next to me.


Then Travel. Cliff and I have joined a Dog Scout Troop. Unfortunately it is 2 hours away. But we go to every meeting once a month. It is a lot of fun and he has really grown from that. He is not a full dog scout yet, but he is officially a pup scout. 2 Things he needs to get. Leave it needs to be better and for me to go 20 ft away, he stay and I call him. He has earned a few badges though, he just can not actually get them until he is full dog scout. They can be all signed off, but not submitted. He got Tricks, All dog band playing his piano, and working on Rally and Rally free and all his trails and hiking badges. He also knows how to paint or at least the mechanics of it, I have not got real paint out yet until summer and he can get messy outside. Also he is doing nose work currently on birch, he does good and is learning the game. One of the other badges he is working on is Triball another dog sport. It is a very long and hard sport to teach, Hemi never got to the end but we are working on it now. Maybe Cliff will get it in a few years. Basically they have to push giant exercise balls into a soccer net. Cliff also graduated from his Advanced puppy class with Honors.

Hopefully next 2 vids work been having a lot of trouble with Videos.

Level one Triball the is he has to learn to push 3 various things the Video is too long of him doing all the things. But here he is pushing his Lego car around.

And of course if he is going to drive a car he needs goggles.

One of his issues we are working on is Separation anxiety. It is something that is just going to take time. If I crate him and I leave he is fine for a few hours but after that he is extremely stressed and panics and howls and pants and basically like a panic attack. So that's problem one, which is a hard one and only thing we can do is practice. Which I work entirely from home, except on the rare occasion I do not. So I arrange several times a week to leave him home alone and go do something. Which sucks cause I kind of like being home with him.

The other one is if we go somewhere strange and we are with strange but fun people, he is a fine as long as he can see me and knows I am there. The moment I am out of site. "Oh my god my dad is leaving me. I got to go, Let me go now!!!" We first noticed this on Thanksgiving when I went to fix a plate of food and my sister held his leash. I went around the corner and he about pulled her off the couch. Same at Xmas loading present up int he truck, or if I go to the bathroom my brother in law had to tie his leash up on couch arm to hold him back. We are working on it with some trainers. So far that's the only real major issue.

A minor issue, kind of related, I have started to give him some more freedom. So I put a baby gate on the bedroom door and began leaving the crate door open. This has been a month long battle. The poor guy can not figure out what to do. Talking with some others, it might stem from since the day he was born. He didn't grow up snuggled with mom, or littermates he was basically isolated in a sterile environments and crates he never slept with a person or another creature before. He gets on the bed with me. Then gets down then gets up then gets down, then gets up by me but if I pet him at first it is like ok that comfy but oh man I can't handle it got to get down. Now his crate is right there but he will not go back in it by himself either. He usually ends up sleeping on the floor right beside my bed. But even then he gets super restless. If I get out of bed to to bathroom in the middle of the night he jumps up ok where we going. Of course I leave him behind and he gets stressed and barks. Eventually in order for me to get some sleep he has to be crated. Which then he is fine. So yeah slow baby steps. The odd thing if it is like the weekend or over holidays. I might wake up at 6:30 normal time I take him out to potty then we just go back to bed, he climbs right back into bed with me and goes to sleep like no big deal. At least until about 8 then he is wanting breakfast. So sleeping outside of the crate is an issue.

Then lastly along those line this week has been a very long and tiring week. So last Friday morning 4 am he woke my up needed out, which is unusual, first time ever. So out we went and well then there was blood in the snow from urine. Which yeah freaks you out. Turns out just a UTI, he got some meds. But would need to go frequently, that's ok. So the next evening I fell asleep in the chair watching TV, was tired. He woke me up at 1, we went out to potty and then to bed. He was due for a pill with food at 5 am keeping him on schedule. I had alarms set and we got up potty and then he got 1/2 his breakfast and meds and we went back to bed. I let him in bed with me figuring he would snuggle up and he did. Until 6 am he suddenly stands up and pukes on my chest. You can't fault the poor guy, but well I guess we are up now. I needed to wash all my bedding and a shower. So the meds gave him and upset tummy. He stayed on them to see, and only gave him them with a full meal. No issue until last night. I woke up to pee at around 4 am, and I have started letting him out of his crate then this week as he just climbs right in bed and goes back to sleep. After about 15 minutes he ran out of bed back to his crate where he puked. Ok it was in his crate good, not my bed, until I realize he aimed for the side of his crate, so it was on the wall, on the carpet under the crate. So yeah now I am disassembling the crate at 4 am and cleaning all that up. Of course now he is wide awake. I have not tried to let him go back to bed with me from being wide awake. At 5 am I figured might as well. So I go right back to sleep. Apparently I must have been snoring or something cause all of a sudden I get woke up as he puts his whole nose in my mouth to see what the heck is going on and making that noise. Now I am getting a little mad. I am like ok go to sleep and I roll over he snuggles up put his head on mine and i drift off to be suddenly awoke by a tongue in my ear. I am getting cranky now I tell him to knock it off and to get out of bed. Thinking he will go to the floor area. Being warm cause I am kind of mad now. I put a foot outside the cover and back to sleep. Only to have someone suddenly lick my feet. I am like dude. I end up crating him in his other crate in the living room and going back to bed for like an hour. When I do get up he is in there laying on his back feet in the air sound asleep. It's a good thing they are so cute. He couldn't understand why i was in a cranky mood though.

Oh well, we will get through that. He is a very good helper though too so I can forgive him. I am working on a new office in the basement area and got some new furniture. Cliff helped me put together one piece. The instruction said it takes about 30 minutes. Well those people never had Cliff's help.
Definitely the Helper. Inspecting every bit of the way. Helping me read the directions.


Right now we are arguing over if i did that part correctly.


He is a right tool for the right job kind of guy so you can't fault him for that.


Then 2 and 1/2 hours later inspecting his finished, work. He is pretty proud of the results. Ok to be fair we did have a potty break in the middle of assembly.



Cliff continues to do great though. We have some issues. He is learning. But he is super smart and learns well. I do have to remind myself he is only 9 and a half months old. Oh and I happily learned on new years eve he is not afraid of Fireworks. We even went out front and watched the neighbors shoot some off. At first he was like what the heck is that noise. Then I showed him the sparkle like and was like ooh and ahh but about the 5th one he hear the launch bang and watch for it, then when the sparkles went boom he would jump up on me and tail would wag like that's pretty cool dad.

[SoapySophie]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah, puppies. Thank you for the update! This too shall pass.

[Macy]

Great update. Cliff is all puppy- no wonder you are tired. I am tired just from reading.
Love to learn of the experiences Cliff is having with you. The goggles pic reminded me of Hemi.

[Black Labbies]

Thanks for the update, Jeff! I loved reading about Cliff and your busy and fun-filled life! Great videos and pictures to add to the fun. Big hugs to cute and full-of-life Cliff!!

Loua has separation anxiety as well, not really from us, but from Ursa. When Ursa and I have an appointment, we plan that my sister works from home, or takes Loua to the office with her (Loua loves going to the office and is sooooo good). Have you thought of, and is it possible, to put Cliff in a doggy daycare once a week, as our neighbor's do with their dog? Part of Rally-O training is to be apart from your dog for at least 5 minutes, so with Ursa, we would ask our friends to meet us at the store and hold Ursa outside for me/us while I went into the store. I wouldn't trust a stranger with this, as they could steal Cliff, so make sure it's a friend you trust. And then our friend would give Ursa praise and treats outside to keep her occupied.

Yes, puppies are a lot of work. but I tell myself, the more I put into training and socializing, the better it will be in the long run. Last week I had to go the a big hardware store here that sells the dog treats the girls like and had to pick up a small item, so I took Loua in for the first time. She healed, stopped, sat and listened to all the commands and I was very proud of her for behaving better than most people's little kids . So now, when I can't walk Loua outside due to cold temps, we'll get in the car, drive to Canadian Tire, and go for a walk inside .

All the best with cutie Cliff. You're a patient man and Cliff loves you!!

[Snowshoe]

Cliff is such a lucky puppy boy to have you, we all know that. Any puppy would be lucky to have you. But you are lucky too, Cliff sounds like such a great personality. So much fun you are having, it comes through the mild puppy problems. And now Cliff's throat is healed all up (it is, isn't it?) he can have so much typical Lab mouth oriented fun.

[Berna]

What a handsome boy! Thanks for the update, Jeff. I hope his health and separation anxiety issues will be resolved in no time. Dog Scout Troop sounds like a lot of fun!

[Jollymolly]

Im sure with time and work cliff will grow out of the separation anxiety. I often recommend Karan overalls relaxation protocol to people, It is a helpful exercise to get your pup to relax. Just a thought. I hope cliff is feeling better and that the meds are done. He sure is cute.

[smartrock]

Wow oh wow! What a great note catching us up on your busy lives! Wouldn't it be nice if trips to the bathroom during the night were not necessary? My guys used to jump up, too, no matter what the time. They have both learned nothing is going to happen at 3 am, 4 am, 5 am, so they might as well just stay where they are (on their beds on the floor). Every once in a while, usually around 6:30, Joey will decide he needs to jump up on the bed and naturally Henry must follow. Henry does not want to lick my face, he lies right down and gets comfortable. Joey is relentless, standing over me trying to lick my face. One of these days I'm liable to get my eye poked out.

Isn't this the age they consider to be sort of adolescence for Cliff? When they stop hearing what you say, get bolder but may go through a second fear stage also? Hopefully things will seem more settled soon. I remember when we got our first lab and I was walking and training for what seemed like hours a day, someone, a seasoned lab owner I guess, told me if I could hang on until he was 3 years old, I'd have a great dog on my hands. He was probably about 9-10 months old at the time.

[Jeff]

Have you thought of, and is it possible, to put Cliff in a doggy daycare once a week, as our neighbor's do with their dog? Part of Rally-O training is to be apart from your dog for at least 5 minutes, so with Ursa, we would ask our friends to meet us at the store and hold Ursa outside for me/us while I went into the store. I wouldn't trust a stranger with this, as they could steal Cliff, so make sure it's a friend you trust. And then our friend would give Ursa praise and treats outside to keep her occupied.

I thought about it but Hemi had so many bad experiences at Doggy day care here I just don't want to expose Cliff to that. Although those were mostly his doing, but it was early puppy age like Cliff. Reminder of them as you would have to dig way back. Worst one was puppy about 1 year old, him and another lab tore up a toy and the people took the toy and threw it in the poop bucket. He apparently decide it would be a good idea to eat his fill of poop. I basically spent all night with 2 crates wait for him to puke up poop in one, transfer him to the other, take it outside wash it, hose it off, repeat for almost 12 hours. Vet bills, deworming, just the suffering. Good thing though from that day on Hemi had an aversion to poop, all poop. Something pooped in a spot he stayed 2 ft away. The other 2 times he played and played and played and literally ran the pads off his feet. Which again was vet, downtime for over a week, boots. Hemi at 1-till about 4 had no off button. Cliff is much the same unless someone says ok that's enough. He will go and go.

Yes, puppies are a lot of work. but I tell myself, the more I put into training and socializing, the better it will be in the long run. Last week I had to go the a big hardware store here that sells the dog treats the girls like and had to pick up a small item, so I took Loua in for the first time. She healed, stopped, sat and listened to all the commands and I was very proud of her for behaving better than most people's little kids . So now, when I can't walk Loua outside due to cold temps, we'll get in the car, drive to Canadian Tire, and go for a walk inside .

Oh I long for those days. Cliff comes with me to the hardware store and pet store but it is a lot of curbing his attention and lots of leave it practice.

Cliff is such a lucky puppy boy to have you, we all know that. Any puppy would be lucky to have you. But you are lucky too, Cliff sounds like such a great personality. So much fun you are having, it comes through the mild puppy problems. And now Cliff's throat is healed all up (it is, isn't it?) he can have so much typical Lab mouth oriented fun.

So yeah he is mostly healed he still has that small hole but it is not bugging him but yes every thing is healed.

Im sure with time and work cliff will grow out of the separation anxiety. I often recommend Karan overalls relaxation protocol to people, It is a helpful exercise to get your pup to relax. Just a thought. I hope cliff is feeling better and that the meds are done. He sure is cute.

Thanks for that, I have not seen that relaxation protocol, quick read through looks really good and uses shaping which I am very familiar with. Yes he is feeling a lot better the vet

Wow oh wow! What a great note catching us up on your busy lives! Wouldn't it be nice if trips to the bathroom during the night were not necessary? My guys used to jump up, too, no matter what the time. They have both learned nothing is going to happen at 3 am, 4 am, 5 am, so they might as well just stay where they are (on their beds on the floor). Every once in a while, usually around 6:30, Joey will decide he needs to jump up on the bed and naturally Henry must follow. Henry does not want to lick my face, he lies right down and gets comfortable. Joey is relentless, standing over me trying to lick my face. One of these days I'm liable to get my eye poked out.

Yeah I certainly wish for the days when I didn't have to get up in the middle of the night. Although, cliff keeps me so busy I do sleep a lot harder and deeper than I have in a long time. And Yeah I am sure that phase will pass where he wants to get up with me in the middle of the night. Right now the fear of missing out on something exciting happening is just too strong. There may be treats, you never know.

Isn't this the age they consider to be sort of adolescence for Cliff? When they stop hearing what you say, get bolder but may go through a second fear stage also? Hopefully things will seem more settled soon. I remember when we got our first lab and I was walking and training for what seemed like hours a day, someone, a seasoned lab owner I guess, told me if I could hang on until he was 3 years old, I'd have a great dog on my hands. He was probably about 9-10 months old at the time.

Yes he is definitely adolescent LOL and yes 3 years. My sister got me a great Shirt for Xmas as a reminder.

[barry581]

Sounds like y'all are off to a good start, and he is a very handsome young man. I know fro experience dealing with a Lab puppy can test your patience in ways you never though possible. At least with the girls the tend to mature a bit faster than the boys. I tell people the boys get their big dog brain in the mail when they turn 3.

I've never had to deal with separation anxiety with any of my Labs until I got Song. He can be left alone for fairly long periods of time, but he does have Brooks and Rose to keep him company when we're gone. I'm retired and my wife works from home so they aren't left alone on a regular basis. If I leave the room of go outside, Song will whine and stress a bit, even if my wife is in the house. I attribute it to the fact that since he was a baby, he's always with me. I think if I worked and was gone on a regular basis he would have learned that it's ok when I'm not around.

A long time ago a friend of mine told me this. "You know why Lab puppies are so cute?? It's so you don't kill 'em when they are young." It takes a love of love and patience to raise a Lab pup, and there's no doubt in my mind you have more than enough of those things to raise Clif to be an awesome dog, and I'd say you're well on your way.