Baby dogs are fun. They’re adorable little sponges that you can mold and shape. They’re cute, cuddly and curious. I had an absolute blast raising Kolt and look forward to raising another pup in the future.

But Kolt is 2 1/2 now and entering my favorite stage. The confident, capable partner stage. The foundation of training is there, his brain has mostly matured past the young dog stage and he’s gaining an adult confidence.

I worked him at SAR camp last weekend and loved what I saw – a dog who understood his job and did it with gusto. He needs less direction and more opportunity to just work. He checks in with me when needed, but it’s not so much a “what do I do??” check in but rather touching base with me. We’re at the stage where I need to shut up, take yet another step back and let him work.

And it feels amazing.