Oops. I kept thinking I should update and then I kept forgetting. Well, Nico has grown and is progressing with various milestones like big boy haircuts and not getting insanely excited when he meets new people. Just...mostly excited when he meets new people. As he gets bigger he can walk more and that is fun. He still has his limits as he has short legs and he will never be a 5 mile a day lab but still, it is fun. Having him is getting me to investigate all the nature that is on my door step that I never thought of before. There is an old quarry that has been dug out and turned into a heritage trail that runs down to the river and I love it there. Within minutes it feels like you're miles from the town and everything is green and lovely. Dogs run around off their leads and have fun, sniffing out rabbit holes and getting fascinated by wild rabbits darting to and fro.
I feel safe there, relaxed, and that is a big deal for me given my anxiety and how every time I leave my house it is a small victory. Nico's first walk around the top part of the trail left him knackered but every time we go back he manages to toddle a little further and having him down by the river is amazing. By that point you can't hear the cars at all and everything is so peaceful. We've had a big adventure there by losing the lead. Or shall I say, I let go and he waddles along investigating and checking I'm still there. I feared he would run off and I'd be chasing him down but he rewarded my trust and stayed close by. Given how much he's struggling to pick up recall that was a big moment for us. It is such a rush to feel like I've taught him something, that I'm developing this little pup into an adult and sometimes it feels like I've had him for five minutes and other times like forever.
I'm a lot more confident when we bump into other dogs now. I'm not scared and I don't fear being judged by others because I know Nico is well behaved and that I am doing the best that I can for him. I can now tell people I want them to call their dogs off and don't fear the consequences because I do it for Nico, because of Nico, and their opinion isn't really important to me any more. That is a big mental shift. We're at the point where Nico is ready to take on the sponsored walk for DiabetesUK with me next month and I'm very excited for that! Taking him on a sponsored walk is on my bucket list if you like~
