James and Lauren had been “puppy raisers” in the past, doing the very important work of raising a young pup until he was old enough to begin service dog training. As much as they loved this rewarding experience, last spring they decided they were ready for a pup who would be a part of their family forever. When they met three-month-old Asher (formerly known as Coco), a beautiful silver-gray boy whose Lab mother had arrived at Safe Harbor just in time to give birth to a New Year’s Eve litter of gorgeous Lab mix puppies, they knew that this little boy would be going home with them.
Asher’s new parents sent us an update on their adorable young pup’s progress:
“Coco has been with us for about a month now, living under his alias, Asher. He was a timid puppy at first, and while he’s still hesitant about new things, he is getting braver and more curious every day. He is learning his commands — sit, stay, come — and is especially good at them when we have treats in hand. He loves to run circles in the yard, chase leaves, chew on sticks, and, unfortunately for us, dig holes! But after a good romp in the grass, he is perfectly content to sit inside and curl up next to his two favorite people. We can’t wait until he’s a bit older so we can take him to the dog park to play with other pups in the neighborhood (and run off all that puppy energy). We’re also looking forward to the day when he is strong enough for long hikes and backpacking trips through the Colorado mountains. That won’t be too long, though — Asher’s a big boy right now and growing, growing, growing. We’re intrigued as to how long it will be before he grows into his giant paws!”