I have a black Lab called Wilson. One thing I particularly love about him is how floppy he is. When he hasn’t seen me for a while, he likes to flop down in my lap (as much of him as possible, that is). He has a puppy-gait and demeanour that’s very endearing. He acts like a ragdoll in most situations unless he’s “hunting”.
Another thing I love is how he can enter a completely relaxed state absolutely anywhere. He lies on his back, ready to be petted, in the most unlikely places. Vet’s offices. On the sidewalk, upper half in the road. In crowds such as rallies (he has a sign he wears at Fridays for Future).
One thing I love only sometimes is how tenacious he can be. When he was a young dog, he managed to get his harness caught in the oven door once. He pulled down the entire oven, and it’s a miracle he wasn’t hurt. I thought he’d grown out of this stuff, but today he repeated the same thing, only with a dishwasher and an address “necklace”. All for a tiny treat that had rolled under the counter. Fortunately, the necklace had a safety ring with a predetermined breaking point. With an actual collar, he might have seriously hurt himself.
The tenacity reminds me that Labradors are working dogs. He gets plenty of exercise and mental stimulation, but I think he’s asking for a more official “job”. I’m looking into volunteering at a nursing home with him now, maybe that will at least soothe his endless need for being cuddled.