Douglas' puppy page

Pupdate 3 - a little break

Hello, it’s Caroline here, Douglas’ Puppy Raiser.

Since your last Pupdate, I noticed that Douglas wasn’t quite himself. He’s usually such a cuddly boy and loves coming over to you for some tummy rubs, but I saw that he’d become much quieter than usual and more withdrawn. When his trainer, Charlie, came to do his pre-training school visit, Douglas seemed really unsettled, and I knew that something wasn’t right.

We booked an appointment with the vet and Douglas made a little sound when his two front legs were manoeuvred but not when his back legs were moved. Because of this, we think he might have a problem with his joints. We’ve booked him in for some scans and tests, and hope that we’ll find out soon what’s making him feel out of sorts.

In the meantime, we’ve taken a little pause in Douglas’ training so that he can rest. We’ve limited his walks to much shorter routes, and he’s on pain medication for the moment too. This seems to have helped a lot – he’s much more comfortable now.

A different pace

I want to make sure that Douglas doesn’t become bored while he’s resting, as he’s so used to being out and about all the time, taking in new environments and different experiences. As we don’t want to put too much pressure on his joints, we’re only doing leisurely walks, but I’m trying to combine this with an activity at the end to provide some mental stimulation for Douglas.

We recently took a trip to the local cricket pitch – after a short walk, Douglas was able to relax outside and watch the cricket. There was a lady there watching the match with her husband. She went to get a drink and asked us to stay with her husband as he has dementia and loves dogs. The gentleman put his hand out towards Douglas, and once I gave the ‘okay’ cue, he went over and sat by the man, leaning right into him. When the lady came back, Douglas didn’t move – he just stayed there for the rest of the match. It was like he knew that the gentleman needed a bit of reassurance. It was the sweetest thing to watch and helped Douglas to learn that there are some situations where being calm and quiet is really important.

New games

We’ve also been getting creative with new ideas for enrichment in the house. Douglas still loves his snuffle mat, and we use this most days, but I’ve also been using old paint tins to create a course for him to walk through in the garden. Plus, I have some empty flowerpots, which I’ve been lining up and hiding kibble underneath to see if Douglas can work out which one has the snack. He loves this game as he enjoys using his nose and receiving the tasty reward at the end!

Making progress

Before our setback, Douglas was making great progress on his dog distraction during free runs and while at puppy classes. He’s become much calmer around other dogs, and his recall has really improved! I’m so proud of him.

Thank you for sponsoring Douglas. Look out for more news in his next Pupdate in February!

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