The Dogmother Posted December 1, 2008 Author Share Posted December 1, 2008 Just for you LC - some more pics of Ruby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Blimey...she has grown a bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Gorgeous photos Clare. She is adorable Let us know how the Chicken training continues. They just make Holly shake with excitement. Poultry fencing stops her completely, but then she is incredibly thick, so Ruby would probably think to try and get under it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 Chicken training is still in it's infancy - I'm working on the basics still. She meets them while on the lead or through the run mesh and I have no doubt that she would grab one given half the chance. I have been trying to get her used to the cats (well, Biscuit - Georgie is a rescue cat and scared of her own shadow). Biscuit has perfected the skill of racing through the kitchen before the dog can get to him, so he's able to get outdoors and to his food. For a big lad, he's remarkably good at hurdling the stairgates She has met him face to face while on the lead and under control and it's not too bad - Biccie stands his ground and doesn't run off (which is the trigger for Ruby). He has even bopped her on the nose a couple of times. Past lurchers have always ignored our cats, so I am hoping that she will do the same. Ruby is getting tall and leggy now, so I am concerned to get her trick of jumping up at people under control; the command (leave it) is working for other things, but not yet for the jumping up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 She's still young! What we've found is the best thing if Quita jumps up is getting people to turn their back on her. It works an absolute treat. When she was younger, our supervisor gave us something else to do with her, but it made her loads worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 6, 2008 Author Share Posted December 6, 2008 We do that at home in the kitchen when she'd jumping up and wants to be involved in what you're doing. The main problem is when we're out and people always want to come up and pet her (understandably), when I explain that I'd rather that they pet her on HER level, they are fine. She just can't resist jumping all over Lesley's Carl though and smothering him in kisses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 She just can't resist jumping all over Lesley's Carl though and smothering him in kisses! ..and he lets her - partly why Jazz still does it as well It's fine trainers saying to ignore the jumping up and turn your back on them - but that doesn't work very well if the person they want to jump up at happens to be wearing smart clothes Jazz jumped up at a lady who was wearing a lovely black velvet coat today - she encouraged Jazz to do it - I had my hands full and couldn't get the lead short enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 7, 2008 Author Share Posted December 7, 2008 It IS hard, isn't it? Dog people understand when you explain, but it's the ones that stand 2' away and then wonder why the dog lunges at them They say 'oh, I really don't mind getting dirty' and you're thinking 'yes but I do mind when my dog jumps up' She has good and bad days at the moment, but Tony Orchard reckons that it takes 18 months to fully train a pup and he's training his 24/7 so they get much more intensive training than our dogs would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 I friend asked me today (by email) what Ruby is like, so I sent her this, which just about sums it all up: Weeeellll, I said; she's skinny as a rake, fast as a fish and twice as difficult to catch. Reckless Ruby (as Rosie calls her) is currently 20.5" tall at the shoulder and weighs 12.5kg at the last weigh-in, although at the rate that she eats, that will have changed! Her mother is 50/50 whippet and saluki, her dad is greyhound/collie/Bedlington (both are working dogs), she has a semi-rough coat and is mostly creamy white with beige splodges. Rubes has one brown eye, one blue eye and seriously bushy eyebrows. What does she do? Well, she sleeps a lot and likes to run around like a mad demon when she's not snoozing; give her a fire or a patch of sunlight though and she'll go belly-up and Zzzzz for England, but give her a cat (or anything else small and furry) and she'll do her best to chase it. having said that, she is getting much better with 'her' cats and will largely ignore them, but that does depend an awful lot on how distracted she is with a bone or sleep. When she's asleep, she does that running and twitching thing that makes me think that she's chasing bunnies or running up and down hills. She really, REALLY likes to play with her doggie friends Storm (a handsome boxer pup), Joss ( a 2 year old black lab) or Jazz a 3 year old black lab.... all three at once would be just heaven. She's pretty much dominant but is fast learning her place, training is coming on (literally) in leaps and bounds - the puppy classes have helped a lot and when she's not distracted (for this read ADHD dog!) then she is pretty obedient, which isn't bad for a 19 week old lurcher. As with most lurchers, her recall isn't brilliant, especially when she's distracted by pretty much anything - other dogs, people, toys, small animals, blowing leaves.... you get the idea. However, she is getting a lot better at understand 'OFF' which is her command to stop doing whatever it is that she's not allowed to do; the current list being jumping up at people, cruising the work surfaces in the kitchen and nipping if she is over-excited! Like I said.. we're getting there *roll*. She doesn't have a malicious bone in her body and will play happily with other dogs, only growling in excitement or if someone tries to steal 'her' bone. Like us, she loves long walks and will mostly come back when asked, but will hare off after rabbits and deer, only to come slinking back when she hasn't caught them. To see her running though is a thing of beauty - she is starting to get that long sight-hound lurch rather then a puppy gallop and is very graceful, especially when she has full control of her legs, which isn't always the case. Her growth plates haven't hardened yet, so we try not to let her run too much or jump over things. Ruby Tuesday (as I call her) is crate trained and will happily sleep in it all night, tucked up in her blalnkets without a murmer (better than any baby), she'll happily sleep in it during the day too 9with the door open) and will go to it to eat or when she wants to feel safe (like when the house is full of screaming kids!). She is getting better at not stealing things (no lurcher will ever stop doing that) and causes less havoc around the house, but you still have to keep an eye on her when she's wandering around. She's not allowed upstairs... just too much temptation, and besides, the cats have to have some peace. When I want to know where she is, or I am going out, she is in the kitchen, with her crate, food and water and an abundance of toys.. she mostly sleeps when we're not around, but at least the kitchen is pup-proof if she decides to get mischievious. She's also pretty much house trained *touches wood* no puddles or messes for about 6 weeks now, but she likes to go out for a piddle every 2 or 3 hours. This is my favourite picture of her (after she'd had a bath, hence the fleece 'bathrobe')... with her 'slave', Rosie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 She sounds like fun and she looks absolutely gorgeous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Pssssst - Clare - Jazz is only 2 I like Ruby's bath robe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 Pssssst - Clare - Jazz is only 2 ooops, how time flies! A friend made her bathrobe - she was wearing it at night when it was so cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 blimey how she's grown!!!! what a gorgeous girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 blimey how she's grown!!!! what a gorgeous girl! Thank you! Rosie or the dog? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 that definately applys to both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 Here are my two silly girls.. Rosie loves to sit in the kitchen with Ruby for a cuddle, the pup is at that teething stage and inclined to nibble at anything at the moment, but she is so gentle with Rosie; she takes Rosie's hand in her mouth and licks it - no biting at all.... that training we've done is paying off *grins* Here are some pics, please excuse the state of the kitchen floor, which is due for a mopping later when the pup is in bed! Ruby is getting tall now (you can't see it in the photos) she is now 22.5" at the shoulder and weighs 13.15 kg. She's stood beside me now... mugging tissues out of my pocket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fowlbird Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 beautiful girls, don't know which one I want to take home - Rosie or Ruby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I agree beautiful girls, Ruby grows so fast! I love the picture where she's licking, I love slurpy pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 beautiful girls, don't know which one I want to take home - Rosie or Ruby! You can have both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 lovely pictures you know clare, you are not making it any easier for me to NOT get a doggle. (dont tell kev!! ) cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fowlbird Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 beautiful girls, don't know which one I want to take home - Rosie or Ruby! You can have both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Lovely photos. I can see that Ruby is tall and what is it with dogs and tissues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 can't see the pics I love Ruby... I would love a mini version!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 Phil was saying that she's all legs like a supermodel (the dog, not Rosie!) I said, yup, but all k"Ooops, word censored!"bly knees and bandy legs like Kate Moss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Lovely photos Rosie looks so like you, from photos that you have posted of yourself on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
