Life at home
Sprout is a gentle dog who is very sociable. Like any dog, he loves his sleep, and likes to know where you are around the house. He has developed a cheeky streak, where he will tug on his new squeaky pear and stripey monkey toy to play tug of war — it’s his favourite method of playing!
Sprout always knows when it’s time for food; he has a dental stick at 8.30pm every day. If he doesn’t have it by then, he will stand in front of me as if he’s saying: “It’s time for my stick now!”
Developing skills
Whether he is going for a walk or travelling in the car, Sprout is always ready and not daunted by anything. In the garden, Sprout likes to chase the pigeons, but when seeing them on our walks, he is not tempted at all! He is doing great with practising ‘forward’ and ‘wait’ verbal cues when stopping at the traffic lights or allowing pedestrians to walk by.
Sprout can be curious at times, and likes to sniff around on our lead walks, which is something I am working on. I’ve started to take him into the market when it is quiet so he can get used to new smells. I’m sure he will fall out of this behaviour as he grows older.
With COVID-19 travel restrictions I have practised ‘on’ and ‘off’ commands on a stationary bus with Sprout, and he did well with stepping over the gap between the doorway and the ground. I take Sprout into town in my car, and sometimes have other people in the car with me. They don’t realise Sprout is sitting in the back of the car because he doesn’t make a sound, he’s very good!
Looking ahead
I am going to focus Sprout’s training around his ‘come’ verbal cue when free running. Sprout is very excitable, and when seeing other dogs on walks he never pulls on the lead, but when he is playing with other dogs in the park, he gets distracted. I am confident that he will overcome this behaviour, as Sprout never likes to be out of my sight and is always eager to return when there is a tasty treat on offer. Sprout is such a lovely boy and has given me so much enjoyment. I can’t wait to see him progress further in his journey to becoming a qualified guide dog.
Look out for your next Pupdate in October!
