“Ruby is one year old today – it is amazing how fast the time has gone!

From being a delicate little fluffy black puppy, not certain whether to be brave and investigate or just quickly hide, she has developed into a strong, lean dog, full of confidence and keen to seek new experiences.

She spent the morning on a walk in the fields with our two other dogs, and returned to open the present and card that my Mother insisted on buying for her “adopted Grand-dog”. As always, Ruby liked the pull-toy present, but loved the wrapping paper most of all!!

As I write this, she is intrigued by the melting ice that keeps falling out of the freezer that I am defrosting, batting the blocks of ice across the kitchen floor with her paws in an imaginary game of ice hockey!

Last week I took Ruby to the local train station with our Puppy Co-ordinator, Claire Lush, to check if she was at ease in that busy and often noisy environment.

Ruby was an absolute star, quickly settling down on the platform as we talked with one of the many commuters about Dogs for Disabled’s work, and confidently stepping on and off a couple of trains which pulled up to the platform.

In fact, the only undesirable behaviour we experienced that morning was that of a driver who pulled straight out in front of Claire’s van, causing her to make an emergency stop! We were both shaken, and were concerned that the unplanned halt may have unnerved Ruby a little, so we both instinctively looked around into the cage in the back of the van.

Far from being unnerved, Ruby was actually curled up, fast asleep, completely oblivious to the drama we had just experienced! We had to laugh!!

Two days later, Claire took Ruby out again, this time without me, as she was visiting a potential new socialiser and wanted to take along a puppy that is currently being socialised.

Apparently the visit went very well, and Ruby behaved impeccably, heeding all Claire’s commands and quickly settling down quietly on the kitchen floor.

Ruby has come along way in her first 12 months. I wonder what the next 12 will bring?”