Saturday, May 07, 2016

Ruby Soho

So this happened.


Don't ask me how.  Because TWO is my bestest number of dogs.

I went to agility practice with one dog and came home with two.  Still a little puzzled as to how that happened.  Apparently I have no impulse control.  One of my training partners brought her to practice and midway through brought her out to say 'hi' and that was it.  The dog belonged to her nephew's room mate and the room mate moved out leaving the nephew with the dog.  Then the nephew had to move and the new place doesn't allow dogs.  Because hello Front Range Housing Crunch.  Getting any kind of apartment is a challenge these days for regular folks.  Any kind of housing is a challenge for that matter.  Unless you're a rich Google Silicon Valley transplant.  Then the world is your oyster and everything is So Cheap Dahling.  But for the working stiffs and what's left of the middle class it's another story.  So yeah, three dogs.



Thankfully she fits right in, has perfect manners, a great temperament.  And such a happy wee soul.


Which is why I couldn't resist her.  Such an easy little girl.  I've long wanted a wee dog but the right one never came along.  And she's about as right as it gets.


She doesn't need much training.  Will have to teach her a recall and 'stay' and maybe some loose leash walking.  She's little but remarkably strong when she gets the scent of something.  Super high prey drive so she may never get to go off leash on the Open Space or hiking but we'll see how recall training goes.  Right now we're working on learning how to learn, using the clicker for some simple tricks.  She loves training so far though gets easily frustrated when she doesn't understand what I want so I'm re-learning how to break things down.  Been so long since I've done basic training and it's never been a strength for me so I'm determined this time around to be more patient and thoughtful about it.  And to make it fun for her.  So far she enjoys it.  Don't know what she'll think about agility but we'll give it a try.  If she doesn't like it, no big deal but I think she'll like it.  But for now it's all about the tricks.  And learning to play.  She has zero interest in toys.  Thankfully she goes crazy for food.

She's an energetic little thing but doesn't need a lot of exercise.  She's just as happy to curl up in my lap for a nap as she is to go for a 90 minute walk on the Open Space.  And she easily keeps up with Strummer and me going at my walking pace.  I think she'll be great to take running with me because she just breaks into a run at my running pace.  I want to build her up to that, not sure what kind of exercise she was getting before though she seems fit and active.

Her name is Suzy but we're going to re-name her Ruby Soho or Roo for short.  She has her own theme song.



It is the 20th anniversary of 'Out Come the Wolves'.  Don't even ask me how old that makes me feel.

It's not really like having 3 dogs, right?  More like 2 dogs and a cat.


Yeah, that's what I keep telling myself.