H&C

“My mum came to stay with us this week, and, on her arrival, the dogs were delighted to receive a bone-shaped chew each. Ruby proceeded to run around the garden with hers, only settling down to devour it once she had thrown it this way and that a few times. It had been a few weeks since my Mum had seen Ruby, and she was amazed how fast she had grown – previously a small puppy, now a long-legged, five-and-a-half-month dog. Over the next few days we took Ruby with us when we visited the town centre, and also made a trip to Sainsbury’s to help promote Dogs for the Disabled, which is their Charity of the Year. We walked around the store, Ruby keeping close to heel and responding really well amongst the shoppers and their trolleys. As well as the Dogs for the Disabled flash on her lead, she was also wearing her green training jacket, and I really appreciate that most people see this and do not distract her when she is training. On the Friday, I took Ruby to the monthly puppy class at the training centre where we continued on heel-work and down-stays – Ruby can now remain in this position for a full two minutes, having steadily built the time up week by week. It was also a great chance for Ruby to meet up with her brothers, Raffles and Reuben, and, after the class, we let the three of them spend a while playing together – and took the chance for an impromptu photo opportunity. It’s still surprising to see the size difference between Ruby and the boys – she looks so slight and delicate alongside them....Although she certainly managed to hold her own in puppy play! To finish the week we took a trip to the Greatworth Family Fete and Fun Dog Show where Ruby was able to mix with other dogs of all shapes and sizes. Being a puppy in training we are not able to enter her into a dog show, but it’s a great place to socialise and Ruby took a real shine to Ebony, a four-month-old black Labrador. So, whilst there was no rosette involved, it’s safe to say that Ruby definitely awarded Ebony first place in the category of New Best Friend.”

“Recently I was asked how difficult it is to fit in the puppy socialising for Ruby around my usual weekly activities. In reality, it’s always my intention to include Ruby in most everything that I do, which means she gets used to meeting new people or having new experiences just as much as seeing familiar faces and places. Fitting Ruby into my lifestyle, rather than the other way around. To illustrate the point - this week included a visit to the town centre, to the dry cleaners, the pet shop, as well as a trip to the vets. There is always an array of tempting treats at the Pet Shop, including containers of bones and toys at Ruby’s eye-level as we walk around the shop, so it is a great place to practice her “leave” command and ensure that she does not become distracted. The trip to the vets was for no other reason than to collect worming tablets for my own dogs, but I feel it is important to take Ruby so that she has a positive experience and has no reason to be concerned when we visit. The staff always makes a fuss of her and, on this occasion, she received lots of attention from Maggie, one of the friendly (and Labrador-loving) members of the team. There were also two new experiences of note in the week: meeting swans along the local canal, and a short demonstration at the monthly Dogs for the Disabled visitor’s day. I had taken Ruby for a number of walks along the canal, but this was the first time she had encountered a swan and cygnets. It was a brief meeting, with Ruby sitting down and staring at them, and the swans keeping their distance and hissing loudly back. Within 10 seconds or so Ruby had lost interest, so had the swans, and that was that! To end the week, I had the privilege of giving a short presentation at the Dogs for the Disabled visitor’s day, held at the Training Centre near Banbury. I took a few minutes to describe the role of a Puppy Socialiser to the 50 attendees, and finished with a demonstration by Ruby, where she did a wonderful “Sit”, “Down” and “Stand-stay”. During the event Ruby met clients with their active assistance dogs, along with retired dogs and a variety of children and adults. I am delighted to say that she behaved impeccably, remaining calm and focused throughout.”

“Ruby’s week began with a visit to the village’s annual Arts and History Festival held in the ancient church, where she gained valuable socialising experience (as well as a passing appreciation for the fine paintings on display). Ruby behaved well in the church and also in the church room where tea was being served afterwards. On the way back from the exhibition, I dropped in to a neighbour’s house to give Ruby the chance to play with their black Labrador, Murphy. Now, Murphy would happily retrieve a ball all day, so the game tends to start with Ruby chasing Murphy, who is himself chasing and then retrieving the ball. In-between, Ruby takes the chance to have a break, which generally consists of sitting to observe a statuesque cat or following one of the free-roaming chickens around for a while. The first time Ruby discovered one of the chickens, her naturally inquisitive nature (unsure if it was a new playmate or lunchtime), resulted in a light peck on the nose, so she quickly learned to keep a safe distance and simply trail her new feathered friend around. On occasions, Ruby is then followed by the other chickens, so it can look like an unusual version of follow-my-leader! During the week, I visited the town centre again with Ruby, specifically taking her near pigeons to help ensure that she does not lunge towards them. Each time she ignored the bird, I rewarded her with a treat. She definitely improved, but I’ll need to keep working on this with her over the next few months. We did have a bit of a surprise at home this week – suddenly finding three or four teeth in Ruby’s bed and on the kitchen floor. Of course, at nearly five months old, it’s a time for her to be teething and her baby teeth will be rapidly replaced by her second set. In the meantime, she’s a very ‘gummy’ puppy!”

“After the hectic last few weeks of celebrations and events, life returned to relative normality this week, which enabled me to continue to work with Ruby on training skills, including more heel-work, exposure to busy streets and some grooming work. For the monthly one-to-one with Claire Lush, our Dogs for the Disabled Puppy Co-ordinator, we headed into Banbury town centre to work amongst the hustle and bustle of daily shoppers. I practised walking up and down the streets with Ruby, using simple, positive corrections as needed. The timing of the command is key, so learning to anticipate a potential distraction, such as litter or a bird, and always being able to keep Ruby’s focus and attention is a skill in itself! We also practised visiting different shops, ensuring that Ruby gets used to the experience of the stop-start nature of shopping. Later in the week, I took Ruby with me to Warwick, practising the same exercises. I also took the opportunity to sit in a coffee bar where a singer was playing live. Ruby settled down on the floor almost immediately. Either she was enthralled by the music or it wasn’t to her taste, but her calm reaction to a new experience or everyday occurrence is exactly what will be needed in the future when she’s been partnered with a client. Here at home, I have spent a short time each day on heel-work with Ruby, just walking along the lane where we live. Ruby had a tendency to ‘wander’ in-front as we walked, but she is definitely improving and is getting used to the idea that she receives positive reinforcement for walking steadily to heel. One other exercise I am also spending time on is the ‘stand’ command, which is very useful in many situations and absolutely invaluable for a client who may be in a wheelchair – requiring their dog to remain still while being groomed or having a health check, for example. Ruby is a fast learner, and keen to please. She appears to enjoy learning new tasks, and is developing her skills each week. She is also very playful, always ready for a retrieve game and definitely able to hold her own in chase-games with our two other dogs!” Editor's note: Leave your comments for Julie and Ruby by using the 'Comments' tab below.