CERTIFICATE AND ROSETTE

Today was a very special day. All the puppies in our pre-puppy class had a test to make sure we were very good puppies. We had to sit and lie down and come when we were called and stay when we were told to stay. Then we had to let our people look in our eyes and ears and at our teeth and paws. Ruth was very gentle but I coudn't help wriggling about a bit. But it was fine and now I have a lavendar rosette and a certificate that says I've achieved my Good Citizen award.

VISITING

Today we went to visit Ruth and Eric’s friends called Val and Chris. They have two little girls called Helen and Katie who I liked playing with very much. Di and Phil came to visit too and Di took this picture of me. Ruth said I was a very good girl because I played nicely with Helen and Katie all day and let them take me for a walk on my lead.

SOFAS

Ruth and Eric went somewhere called North to visit Eric’s relatives. We stayed with Eric's Aunt Myra. Her dog, Fin, is allowed to sit on the sofa whenever he likes. It’s not fair. I’m not allowed to sit on the sofa at home. I tried sitting on Aunt Myra’s sofa whenever she went out of the room but she kept making me get off the sofa when she came back. Her sofa was very comfortable. I think Eric and Ruth’s sofa will be even more comfortable. Maybe they’ll let me sit on it if I’m very very good.

PUPPY CLASS

This morning I went to puppy class. We had to practice walking on our leads nicely, waiting for our treats and not snatching them, coming when we were called and staying when we were asked to stay. Next week we are having our pre-puppy class test and if I pass it I’ll get a rosette and a certificate. Ruth’s going to stick them on the wall next to my new big puppy-girl’s bed.

WOODS

Today we went to some woods. Ruth and Eric kept wanting me to sit in the bluebells because they said it’d make a cute picture. Usually they don’t like me sitting in flowers because I quite like to eat them, but this time I did it without eating any - just to make them happy.

PRIORY PARK

I didn’t go to training class today. I went to Priory Park with Elmo and Eden and another dog called Barney. I’m much braver about going in the water now and had a splash about in the lake and got covered in mud. Elmo went splashing in the water too. But Eden’s the most brave of us three about going in the water and Barney just dived in.

I had to have a big sleep when I got home. Playing with Elmo and Eden is exhausting.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury’s
Today we had our Canine Partners training class in Sainsbury’s. We had to walk round the supermarket on loose leads and not pull our people or sniff at the food or jump up at the customers who came over to say hello. We were all very good. Then we had to wait while our people drank coffee in the café. They took ages. Luckily Ruth had brought some tasty treats for me and I was able to have a nap while I was waiting.


Elmo
My brother Elmo came to visit me this afternoon. He’s staying with Amelia and Ronnie for a few days. I showed him my new paddling pool. He was very impressed and even tried it out. Ronnie was most surprised as Elmo doesn’t usually like getting his feet wet – he even avoids walking in puddles!

Then we had a bit of an accident while we were playing and knocked over a pot of white paint that was in the garden. She didn’t say so, but I think Ruth was quite pleased with mine and Elmo's white paw prints because they made the patio look so pretty - perhaps she'll get some more colours and we can make it even more pretty – maybe she could have some of Eden’s paw prints too.

Paddling Pool

This morning I went out to play in the back garden and found a really
big drinking bowl, it's so big that I can fit inside it. Eric told me
that it's called a paddling pool and I can have lots of fun splashing
around in it when the weather is hot.

Puppy Class

Today I went to puppy class and saw my friend Eden. We had to sit still while our people walked backwards away from us saying ‘stay’ and then came back again and gave us a treat. Then they wanted us to come when they called us. I don’t think they could make up their minds whether they wanted us to stay or come. But we did it anyway. Eden and I had such a good time that we didn’t want to go home.

Training Class

It was great seeing all the other dogs at Canine Partners Class after there being no class last week. I had lots of catching up to with the other dogs and our people wanted to catch up too. They took ages drinking tea and talking about us. Luckily Ruth had filled my kong toy with interesting things for me to nibble on while I was waiting.

Then we had to practice not being distracted while we were working. We all had to sit in a circle with our people and then Lorraine tried to stop us concentrating. First she tried walking round and in between us with another dog to see if we’d take any notice. I kept on looking at Ruth. Then she went round eating a packet of biscuits but I still didn’t get distracted. Then she jogged round us but she still didn’t manage to distract me. But then she did something that was impossible to ignore. She started brushing the floor with a broom! I couldn’t resist I jumped up and wanted to run over to it but Ruth wouldn’t let me. I’m working at not being so interested in brushes and brooms but they’re so exciting it’s very hard not to want to play with them.

After that we did something else tricky. Three of us lined up on one side of the room and three on the other and then our people called us and we had to run to them right past all the other dogs that we’d really have liked to stop and have said hello to. Everyone did it right. Lorraine was very pleased with us and kept telling us how good we were.

BABY

Today we had a funny thing come to see us. It was called a baby and had to be carried about all the time and kept making squeaky sound like my toys but I wasn’t allowed to play with her or the rattling toys she brought with her. Baby Jasmine also got to drink lots of milk from a bottle but I wasn't allowed to have any. Luckily her mum and dad, Robin and Eunice, played with me a lot so I got to have some fun.

I was pleased when all our visitors had gone and I could have Ruth and Eric back to giving me all their attention once again.

VISITING DAY x 2

I like to get as close to Nicole as I can. So close that when she wags her tail my face gets hit with it. Ruth tells me not to stand so close but I don’t listen. Nicole wags her tail a lot.

Nicole is a picky eater, unlike me. She wouldn’t eat the food her person, Clare, left for her so Ruth and Eric kept trying her with lots of other tasty things like bits of ham and chicken and cheese and bread – Nicole loves bread. I love ham and cheese and bread too. I ate up all the bits Nicole didn’t eat. Nicole likes tripe sticks too – just the same as me. They’re so crunchy! At first she ate them slowly so I got to finish hers
off but then she got fast at eating them. Even faster than me.

A VISITOR

Very good news! Nicole came to visit me today instead of me going to visit her. She’s never been to my house before. I got to show her all my toys. I even let her play with Spikey.
Even when it got dark Nicole didn’t go home. She slept at our house. But she didn’t have to sleep in a crate like me. She brought along her own bed. I wanted to sleep in it but Ruth and Eric wouldn’t let me because Nicole kept getting out of it whenever I tried to get in.

Nicole wants to go in the water all the time. She likes it even more than Eden does. As soon as she saw the river she was in it. I’m not quite so keen on the river – it’s all cold and wet and when Nicole shakes herself after going in the water I get covered in splashes.


When we went for a walk by the river Nicole found a big stick. I took hold of one end because I like sticks too. So Nicole had one and I had the other end and we ended up going round and round in circles. Ruth and Eric kept laughing. I don’t know why. Finding sticks is a serious business.

PRIORY PARK

There were no classes this week so me, Elmo and Eden, decided to meet up in the park. Because they seem to enjoy meeting up too, we let our people come.
We played and played and then Eden ran into the lake and I tried to follow him but only up to my shoulders because I got a bit scared. After going in the water I rolled over and over in the long grass. Ruth said it made me a bit smelly but I didn’t care. Elmo and I found a little tunnel, just the perfect size for puppies, and pretended it was our house until Ruth called me. I always run to her when she calls me - to see what she’s got nice for me to eat or play with.

NICOLE'S HOUSE

Today I went to stay with my Labrador friend, Nicole. Nicole’s nine and a half years old. Sometimes she tells me off with a gruff bark if I keep trying to get her to play with me when she doesn’t really want to. But I keep trying anyway.

Picture Framing

Today we went to somewhere called a factory where people work at putting pictures into frames. They made a big fuss of me. I felt like chewing some of the waste paper – there was lots on the floor but Ruth said it was bad for me.
Tomorrow I’m going to visit Clare because Ruth has to go out. I don’t know what Ruth does when I go to see Clare but it can’t be as much fun as looking after me. Clare’s dog Nicole used to be able to run much faster than me but I’ve been practising and now I can almost catch the ball first.

Lead

Now Ruth’s even getting me to find my lead and bring it to her! Luckily I can usually find it. I can’t wait till Thursday when I’m going to the park with Elmo and Eden. Ruth says we can have a really big play.

Shopping

Today Eric got all excited because we were going shopping. I got all excited too because Ruth and Eric usually let me pick a toy when we go out. I had to put on my special Canine Partners assistance dog jacket but we didn’t go to a nice pet shop we went to some shops with computers and electronic stuff in them. Eric was very happy but I was very bored.

River Walking

Some people didn’t want to say hello to me today. They said no, no when I tried to greet them. Maybe Ruth’s right and I shouldn’t jump up. Maybe I should wait to see if the person wants to speak to me first.
I met a nice little tiny boy, though, and his dog and grandparents, who did want to say hello. I chased his dog and the little tiny boy chased me. He kept making squeaky laughing sounds like my toys do. He tried to throw a stick for me but it landed on me instead. I didn’t mind.