A look back after 6 months

From left by row, Shadow at two, three, four and five months old

Shadow officially turns six months old today, and it's hard not to let my mind wander back to the first day he came into my life. Emotionally wrecked at the hands of another, less responsible breeder (Don't let that happen to you), Chris and I made the trip up to Blue Diamond with a pesky glimmer of hope that neither of us would allow to shine through.

After weeks of torture, we had resigned ourselves to the fact that the bed we had bought, the toys we had gleefully picked out, the ID tag we had engraved ... none of these things would be used for at least another three months. After coming to love and watch this other puppy grow (at least until the breeder stopped showing us pictures), we were devastated at the thought of now waiting for another breeder to approve us, another dog to get pregnant, another mother to nurse her pups for 8 weeks, etc.

We meet Shadow at 7 weeks old

Finding a lovable silver Lab puppy on the same schedule at that point would have been like planning a 200-person wedding the week before. I made phone calls, and everyone was sorry but I was too late.. too late... too late. Then Janet from Blue Diamond picked up the phone.

She had not one but two silver males and several charcoal puppies ready to go home in a week. They hadn't even been advertised. And we could have the pick of the litter. Still, we were hesitant. (As the now-butchered saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.")

Shadow comes home with us at 8 weeks

Then we arrived, met two wonderful people and spent a half hour sitting on the floor playing with a room full of bounding, healthy, happy 7-week-old puppies. We didn't even have to deliberate over which was to be ours; he picked us. It was one of those moments I'll never forget: When Chris and I looked at each other, then at the cuddly, shoestring-gnawing bundle of fur that had chosen to sit in my lap for a good 10 minutes (enamored by my jeans and my shoes while his brothers came up to inspect and then to bound away) and smiled at each other. Our eyes said it all. This little guy was a sweetheart with a little spunk, and he was ours.

Shadow at 10 weeks and 6 months. It’s amazing how fast the time goes.

Now a member of our family for 4 months, there are times I wonder where that sweet little guy has gone. But those feelings never last long. Shadow is a character, that's for sure. He can be stubborn, he can be disobedient, and he can get a little too excited sometimes. But he still rests his head in my lap (after trying unsuccessfully to put his entire body there), he still follows me around like he is my shadow, he's still soft as silk, and he still does something funny or adorable every day.

He is the puppy I always wanted and almost didn't get. And his existence in my life is proof that things do indeed happen for a reason, and every so often where you are is where you were always meant to be.

Video: Shadow Masters the Stairs

In the beginning of June, Shadow finally conquered his fear (the only one we've met so far) and made his way down the front stairs. Here is the long lost video detailing that treacherous journey. (Double-click to see it larger on YouTube)

Stubborn

Something tells me that even when Shadow weighs 75 pounds (as the vet predicts he'll reach before his first birthday), he'll still insist on sitting in my lap and cuddling up under the ottoman with the 7-inch-high opening.

I just took this picture with my phone. He reminds me of a hermit crab in need of a bigger shell.

Remember When?

Remember this little guy? The above photo was taken just a couple hours after Chris and I brought our adorable, sweet, shy, laptop-sized puppy home. He took an immediate liking to the space under the living room coffee table, and settled down for a long April's nap in his unfamiliar home.

He was only eight weeks old at the time, and weighed 13 pounds. Double that age, ramp up that weight by about 150 percent, exponentially increase his confidence to explore the house, and we come to today.

He's still adorable and sweet, but he's added a dash of rebellion, a whole quart of independence and maturity (now he only cries when he wants attention, the way toddlers throw tantrums in the grocery store, not as an innate automatic response to being alone), and a sprinkling of adventure.

"Those are nothing," he told me yesterday while pummeling down the staircase that used to stop him cold.

And yet, after all that growing up, he still finds comfort under tables and chairs (those he can still fit under).

As I first-time dog owner, I was quite surprised at how much Labrador retrievers grow from eight to 16 weeks, and how many of their adult facial features come in. Suddenly, he's a puppy in a little dog's body.

To provide some context, here is a new photo of Shadow under the same table this week. (Yes, the rug is now gone. And yes, that's because of him...)

To New Heights

Shadow may be getting too big for the space under the coffee table, but our little genius has found a way around that. 

When we brought him home four weeks ago, the first place Shadow gravitated was the space under the living room coffee table. I suspect it felt cozy and safe. (See photo at right, taken before he made me remove the rug.)

He weighed less than 13 pounds and was small enough to fit under that table and all the kitchen chairs at the time.

Now almost double the size, he hasn't quite figured out why it's so much harder to crawl under these things. But as you can see above, last weekend (to my shock and guilty amusement) he discovered that there are also some advantages to his new height! (Though with a glass pane on top of the table, he won't be doing that again!)

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Need more Shadow?

Video: Shadow the Silver Lab Comes Home 

Video: Silver Lab Puppy Meets Kong

Video: Singin' in Shadow's Room

Video: Hit and Run (don't worry - he's fine, just clumsy)

Video: Round and Round

Growing Up

         

Shadow's gained almost 10 pounds since coming home to us as an eight-week-old baby. I wonder if he understands why it's getting harder for him to fit under the kitchen chairs and coffee table...