Adult Life

This has been a long weekend for poor Rugby. I have been soo busy outside of work that he has been feeling a little neglected. We have been still been taking our walks and working, but it isn't the same for my spoiled little boy that I spend ALL day with during the week. :p This means that today, on the third day of reduced 'attention time' he was being pretty obnoxious! LOL He just wanted to DO SOMETHING! :p He was all over everybody, into everything, all over the place. Our walk was exxtra long today since I could tell he was going to be a handful when I woke up to a Rugby kiss and him standing over me (he nevvver gets me up lol).

Going to Canada next week. Rugby is staying behind this time and staying at Margots. He will be able to play with his dobermans every day and his new yorkie friend. :) I am going to miss the little bugger. :/

These were taken Friday before work.

Memorial Day

Rugby had a fantastic weekend. He is really growing up, and it shows with how he behaves in public (and at home too :p). Sunday was a family get together and of course I brough Rugby along. He was incredibly excited to see everone, as he is the biggest social butterfly I have ever met! The whole time, he always came when I called, and he had no problem leaving play time with the kids and dogs to heel across the yard with me to get stuff out of the car. He was off leash the whole time, although since they live in the middle of nowhere I am not sure it counts (we won't be trying it any place else for quite some time just to be safe *wink*)! I couldn't be happier with him! I also have been noticing that it doesn't matter where I am going in the house, Rugby is close behind...even if it means waking up from a nice nap to trot along beside me. He is just so perfect!

With the sister...
and the brother...

Max had a ball that he was throwing for Rugby.....Rugby wanted it. :p

Showing off his froggy tie.

Running with the little ones...

Akward moment in his stride...lol

Thats all! We went and walked around a lake today and he did pretty well there aswell. There are a couple of pictures my sister took there too. We do have to work on being less excited when we see other dogs though :p. It will come with practice! :)

Rugby Makes a statement....

Rugby reallly wants me to know that he needs a doberman of his very own.

The other day at Margot's he was was locked up in a kennel run with a Ellie the yorkie while the grass was being mowed. In the kennel run directly beside him were Duke and Lillith, both dobermans. Rugby was clearly proclaiming his distaste for being locked up by his bursts of incesent barking and standing at the fence. Rugby figured out in the time he was locked up that he could fit between the posts of the gate that connects the two runs together (this is the only gate his can fit through, and I was aware of this...so he is saftely locked up in a run no matter which side he is on).

I was in the middle of working another dog when I became aware of the silence. Had Rugby given up his yelling at me to let him out? When I looked over Rugby was happily laying beside one of the dobermans...no longer angry at being confined. Does this mean he thinks he is a doberman, or he wants one...I still haven't figured out. What I dooo know is that I can't make him into a doerman, but I can get him one. Just a couple more years to go. ;)

Silly Dog!

Present #1

Rugby got new collars today from leashesbydesign.com and he loves them! They aren't really birthday presents, but that I what I told him they were. :p He has been needing a slip collar since his chain one stopped fitting over his head comfortable, so we ordered a couple slip-snap collars and leashes. We got an all black kangaroo leather braided collar and a blue and orange parachord braided collar with a matching leash. There is also a single stranded parachord leash for fun. Don't they look good on him?? :p

A year

Rugby is going to be turning one in just a couple of weeks, and looking back at his puppy hood...he has come a long way. I had given up on taking him to class since I was always so nervous about his barking, and he occasionally gave me reason to be nervous with his grunts, groans and woofs. Today I was being particularly lazy (and daring) and decided to drag him along to class with me. He heeled all the way to the building, and even though he was excited and it felt like I was on the verge of 'loosing' him the whole time he payed enough attention to me to maintain his heel position, do his automatic sits and my random downs.

When we got to the door, I gave a place command and he jumped onto the bench. I sat his dog bag down on the bench beside him with it open , told him to 'kennel up' and he went right in, turned around and layed down looking at me. Had this been the only good thing he did all day I would have been impressed but he kept it up. Secure in his bag, Rugby joined me for the full 80 minutes of class and the only noise he made the entire time was when he changed his sleeping positions. He was incredible.

I was nervous at first, but he was sooo good, I was able to relax about having him there halfway through class. When we left class he heeled all the way back to the car and is now asleep at my feet. :) He has grown up soooo much--I love it! We got quite a few comments too on how well behaved and cute he was! :p

Rugby and I were practicing our jumps this morning, that we have been doing for a while now and today a lightbulb went off. For every single jump he left me and went for it. For the high jump, we were practicing him leaving me to go over the jump by standing close to the jump and stepping over it repeatedly. Today when we did that and I gave the jump comand, he was over the jump before I could even step over myself. He is too smart!