"HAVING a dog can really transform how you think about the place where you live," writes Melissa Harrison in The Stubborn Light of Things.
FRESH PERSPECTIVE: on the Chiltern Way at Coleshill
I suppose that even back in those days when we were still only daydreaming about owning a dog, we were aware of the truth of that statement.
We would wander familiar paths across the Chilterns bumping into countless dog owners along the way, wondering quite what it might feel like to have one of our own to accompany us on our rambles.
But with no specific animal or even breed to actively visualise, such musings lacked shape and form.
FAMILIAR PATH: the Chiltern Way at Hodgemoor
When Teddy arrived, one of the most exciting prospects was being able to have a much more concrete idea of how it would feel to be able to embark on such adventures when he was old enough to take exploring.
Since then, it's been a delight to see his response to different walks – once we know he can be trusted not to overreact to the people, pets and wildlife he might meet along the way.
LONG LINE: Egypt Woods
Our own little nature reserve and adjoining Wooburn Park was a great starting point, of course, popular with local dog owners and on the doorstep for those first outings.
ON THE DOORSTEP: cygnets in the nature reserve
It's ideal for peaceful early morning and late-night wanders though, or in filthy weather when most people are indoors, but this is a place that's full of exciting distractions at peak times – perfect for some long-line training as he gets older, perhaps, but not somewhere he can yet be trusted off the lead during the day.
FIRM FAVOURITE: Wooburn Park
Exploring further afield has been fun, even it won't be genuinely relaxing until he is old enough to be fully trusted. But as the weather starts to improve, there are plenty of memorable new experiences to savour.
His first trip to the seaside, for example, takes us on a rain-soaked visit to Avon Beach at Christchurch before it closes to dogs in the summer months.
WET PAWS: on the beach at Christchurch
Nice to get those paws in the water, yes – but he'll need to calm down a lot before he can be trusted to potter about on the beach without jumping all over a stranger.
FUN IN THE RAIN: Avon Beach
Likewise in all our favourite spots, from the quietest corners of Hodgemoor, Penn and Burnham Beeches to the network of footpaths that criss-cross our corner of the Chilterns.
LOCAL HAUNT: wet weather in Hodgemoor Woods
It's wonderful to see him discovering new sniffs to explore, and for now the emphasis is on encouraging that recall that will allow more chilled-out loose-lead walking in the future.
It's a stop-start process as those hormones kick in. One day he'll leap cheerfully into the car, the next he'll pause to reconsider his options. Or flump like a dead weight in the grass refusing to budge.
SPRING IN THE AIR: among the flowers at Coleshill
But as the bluebells spring up around the woods and the weather improves, there's no shortage of old haunts to rediscover – and there have been some major triumphs too.
APRIL COLOUR: bluebells in Hodgemoor Woods
He's joined us on our first short holiday away from home, inquisitively snuffling around the unfamiliar Yorkshire landscape and cheerfully nestling down to sleep the night in a guest crate in front of the dying embers of a log fire.
CHANGE OF SCENE: holidaying in the Yorkshire Dales
If the sheep-dotted fields smell different from the ones at home, Ted's not giving anything away. But then our boisterous friend is not the most observant of puppies. When a curious sheep comes to look at him through a gap in the nearby wall, Teddy is oblivious.
OPEN OUTLOOK: the bleating of sheep fills the morning air
And it's no different back home. Squirrels and deer go unnoticed. Rabbits might as well stick their tongues out at him as they bounce around in his wake…
He's been introduced to pigs, horses and cows but reactions have varied. He's unsure what to make of those friendly snuffling pigs. He's managed to walk past horses quite closely without getting too excited but couldn't contain himself when some curious young calves wanted to chat through a gate.
LEARNING THE ROPES: en route to Winchmore Hill
For the most part, though, he's blissfully unaware of the wildlife criss-crossing his path while his head is stuck in the nearest bush. We wonder whether this mystery puzzles him. Those scent receptors are so sensitive and must tell stories of a hundred mystery animals he's never actually seen. But then perhaps it's a blessing that he's not shooting off into the undergrowth on the heels of every passing squirrel or bunny.
Sometimes it's hard to measure progress in a linear way. Two steps forward, one step back. But it's easy to overlook those little triumphs that reveal our rebellious teenager is genuinely making progress.
On a good day when that little face looks adoringly up at you as you approach the house, or when he actually does sit down at the kerb before crossing the road, there's cause for optimism.
FEED ME: cupboard love at the dining table
But then there's a suspicious looking pigeon crossing the path and he bolts like a greyhound, wrenching the lead and almost dislocating fingers or shoulder…frustrating.
And yet, for all the setbacks, we're not back at Square One. As the labrador forums remind us, persistence and consistency will pay off. Well, that's the theory anyway...
TIME FOR BED: an old friend meets an untimely end
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