Rupert’s progress
Rupert’s food manners have improved so much since his last Pupdate, but they still need a bit of fine tuning. Another skill that Rupert has developed is loose lead walking; he now walks beautifully on a loose lead and stays nicely by my side. I’ve been working hard with Rupert to help him feel comfortable at the vets. We’ve been on several visits since his last Pupdate and he’s much happier. Recently, he had a routine check-up and his eyes and ears were checked, he did so well. I’m so proud of him!
I’ve noticed with Rupert that he can get slightly distracted by dogs both in harness and on free runs, so this is something we’re working on; I’m using lots of recall and rewarding him when he focuses back on me. We play this game called ‘engage and disengage’ where I reward Rupert with a tasty treat and some praise when he engages and concentrates on me, and not the dog around him. He is mostly distracted by pet dogs. To help with this, my colleagues bring their pet dogs to the office to use in dog distraction training and help him to progress.
Guiding skills
Rupert’s now in full harness and he’s great at putting it on; it makes him enthusiastic to start the day. He’s practising a lot of guiding skills and we’ve completed some blindfold walks. These are where I will put on a blindfold and Rupert will guide me, whilst a colleague follows closely behind to make sure we’re both safe. These walks allow him to take on more guiding responsibility, and stop any subconscious signals I might give him without realising. This is great for pinpointing Rupert’s strong areas and what needs more work. He’s incredible at locating objects such as cash points, crossing boxes and benches. He slows himself down in busy crowds and around obstacles. Observing him taking in the environment, and adjusting his speed and route accordingly, makes me feel really proud.
Looking ahead
Over the next few months, I’ll work with Rupert to improve his dog distraction as a main focus. I’ll also be thinking about the kind of partner Rupert will be best suited to, and focus on his strengths and needs to find him his perfect match. He’d suit someone who is active and enjoys being social. He loves cuddles, so someone who will happily give him lots of fuss and affection is ideal. And who could resist giving this gorgeous boy some attention?
Thank you for sponsoring Rupert. I love working with him. Find out how he’s getting on in your next Pupdate in February!
