In the last 2 months Vespa has gone from being the best behaved puppy to being a total and complete adolescent, hormonally challenged dog. Yes, my boy has gone from puppy to dog in the time I was away.
It also just so happens that Vespa has never completed a Guide Dog puppy class.
He came to us in late October last year and our first class was in November. The only problem was that Vespa was still on 4 feeds a day, so the class, which goes from 10.30 - 12.30, had to be left early so he could be fed.
December and January there was no class. February neither Mountain Man nor I could make it. March I was working so MM took Vespa, who was teething, to class, where Vespa promptly pooed on the floor and then played with dogs so violently that he lost several teeth and bled all over everyone and the Puppy Supervisor told MM to take him home. In April I was off to sunny climes so MM took him again. This time apparently he spent all his time on 2 legs in a state of complete hormonally challenged inattention and wouldn't do a thing MM asked him. The PS took over. Vespa still wouldn't do anything he was asked to do e.g. calm down. The PS told MM to take him home. I think he'd lasted about 30 minutes.
It was with extreme trepidation that MM and I decided to brave yesterday's puppy class together to face the music with our big bad boy.
We were totally amazed at how Vespa behaved. Not only did we stay for the whole class, but our gorgeous boy behaved impeccably and wagged his tale throughout the whole process. No-one could believe it, least of all the PS!
I'm not sure if this turn in behaviour is just growing up, or that Vespa has associated us being away being connected to his challenging adolescence, or if he overheard the phone call I had with the PS the day before the class when she told me to 'get him neutered and as soon as possible', followed by an immediate phone call with the vet to get Vespa booked in on Friday morning.
I don't really care, what is absolutely brilliant is that for the last 2 days my lovely doggy has behaved so well that I feel like a proud parent.
We were in Kelso today and Vespa was incredible. We were held up for about 20 minutes trying to send some money by Western Union and he just lay on the floor and never moved. Then we went for a walk along the old railway line and met up with one of our village neighbours and their dog, an elderly lady lab. Vespa just lay down on the pavement while we talked. I was so amazed and the neighbour was saying how incredible Vespa was and also how handsome. I couldn't have agreed more.
Phew!
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