Puppy play

Puppy Class

We had puppy class yesterday, Twiglet got 1-1 attention from our trainer as she was the only pup in her age group.  Never mind, several more will be coming up in the next couple of weeks, so she won't be the only one for long :)

We learned 'sit', 'down', 'upsit' from the down, 'look at me' and chin kisses ;)

Bell

I have hung a bell by the door as I am hoping to train Twiglet to ring it when she needs the toilet.  Guide dogs have a 'spending area' as their owners won't be able to see where they have 'been' to pick up after them, so we train them to use a small area.

Time to play

In the garden :)

Feet!

Twiglet loves sitting on feet, so does my pet Lab Tatze.  Here they are sitting on my son's feet at different times today.

With Tatze

Posing with Tatze, I am so pleased they get on really well.  Puppy walking is a much easier occupation with an older dog to take on baby sitting duties!  Tatze is two years old now and seems to really enjoy her role in life.

When I first started puppy walking my supervisor let me know the rules and one is 'no balls'.  I told her I had never been able to get Tatze interested in playing with a ball.  My supervisor said 'she knew her destiny' :)

Barnaby

Here is Barnaby, Twiglet's brother, he is also a Text Santa puppy.  He's being puppy walked in Sheffield so I'm hoping we can meet half way once they are allowed paws down.

Mummy?

Twiglet thinks Tatze would make a good mummy - Tatze is not so sure!

Tea party

We went to a Guide Dogs tea party yesterday, Twiglet was the star of the show, of course!

Little Poppet

Is it possible to be any cuter?

Filled bone

A filled bone is a great way to keep Twiglet calm after meals - otherwise she's a pocket rocket!

First puppy class

Twiglet had her first puppy class today, only three pups in the class so she got plenty of 1-1 attention from our trainer. She was good as gold in the car going and coming back - she just slept (It's an hour's journey) I really enjoyed the class, and so did Twiglet. We were doing 'sit' and 'down' and 'look at me' and running through a tunnel.

I decided with this pup that I am too old for getting up in the night, I did my time at that when I had babies! So Twiglet has a puppy pen and, at night, I put a puppy pad in there. So far she has had one wee on the pad every night (except one, when it was dry) I am sure that, as her bladder matures, she will soon have dry nights. During the day she is great, we have 90% success on wees and 100% on poos. Not bad for 8 weeks  Today she took herself into the spending area for a poo - hurrah!

And a photo of Twiglet with Tatze. As far as Tatze is concerned it's as if Twiglet had always been here.

We have developed a nice routine. I come down at 7am and wake Twiglet for toilet and play. At 7:30 I wake Tatze and they both have breakfast. Twiglet then has a filled (with soaked frozen kibble) bone followed by a sleep. John Takes Tatze for her long walk at 10am and I do training with Twiglet and take her for a carry out to see all the traffic going by. 11am next meal for Twiglet followed by a bone and snooze. Tatze comes home around 12 mid day. Plenty of snoozing follows the another play and training session around 2:30. Another meal at 3pm and Tatze has a salmon skin knot. Another bone and snooze. Then Twiglet has a play in the garden after spending - she loves that. In the evening I take the dogs in the living room (with carpet - erk) and Tatze comes on the sofa with me, with Twiglet on her day bed next to me. So far she hasn't tried to play in there at all - she just accepts that it's our calm room. Then Tatze and I go to bed at 10pm, leaving Twiglet for a mad play with John until 11pm. Rinse and repeat!

Here is a photo of our set up - and below it is a photo of Tatze and Twiglet on (yet another) day bed, I have something of a dog bed obsession!

Favourite toy

This raccoon is certainly Twiglet's favourite toy!

It had to be done!

Play time

Here is a video of Tatze and Twiglet playing with a toy raccoon - Tatze is really gentle with her :)

And here is a video of her reaction to her first rawhide chew.  I don't let her have them for very long as I don't want her to soften it enough to become a choke hazard, but she does love them!

Nose to nose

Tatze

Look who thinks she's a puppy again!

Puppy love

Twiglet has arrived!

Twiglet arrived yesterday, she is a tiny little sweetheart. Seven weeks old and weighing just 3Kg. She has had several energetic plays with Tatze, several sleeps, two meals and lots of cuddles.

She is 50% Lab and 50% Golden Retriever, but she looks all Lab to me! Her Dad is Called Eddie and her Mum Vicky. She was named by Text Santa vote - an ITV fundraising telethon.
Two of her brothers, Barnaby and Rossi, are being puppy walked near me so they will be able to have lots of play dates and will meet at puppy class too.

Tatze, my pet Labrador, took to her instantly - as I am sure everyone who meets her will too.