Ruby is a 9 year old female English Cocker Spaniel. I’ve had Ruby for just over 2 weeks now and I really feel like I’m seeing her true personality now. She’s a really lovely dog, but has a few quirks! Ruby has been living with my calm male dog and has been very good with him. They mostly ignore each other. When I’ve had younger or more excitable dogs in the house, she has had a few growls. Mostly it’s when she’s lying in her bed and they want to sniff her. It’s been no problem at all, but I don’t think that she would enjoy living with a dog that wanted to interact with her. She would be very happy to be an only dog or with a calm dog.
Her previous owner said she had never been around children. I’ve seen her with kids of 12 plus and she’s been fine, but I don’t feel that she would enjoy young kids or a busy household. Also because of the ball thing (see below). Outside of the house, there is only one thing that Ruby wants…balls! She’s obsessed and has ball related rituals. As soon as she gets a ball, she has to lie down on the grass and rotate it 3 times before getting up! She doesn’t appear to know “drop” (I’m working on it!), so you have to throw a second ball to get the first one back. You can’t stand still and throw her a ball, you have to walk. She’s going to need a reasonably active home.
Ruby is very controlling about the whole ball thing. If she knows you have a ball, she is relentless: crying, shaking, herding, nipping. Before I realised what she was like, I walked her with two similarly obsessed dogs and she pinned one of them down to take the ball from him. I wouldn’t suggest her living with another dog like her. I personally don’t like to pick up her ball with my hands, as she can decide not to give it up. She’s never done anything but she’s so intense about it that I tend to use a ball thrower.
Ruby was described as a very needy dog and this was one of the reasons that she was being rehomed. I can see what they were getting at, but I don’t really see her as a needy dog at all. I think that her previous owner allowed Ruby to do what she wanted and that she struggles with boundaries. When Ruby first arrived, I allowed her to come on the sofa. At first, that was no problem. Then, she started wanting to sit closer to me and to push my dog out of the way to get to me. Finally, she climbed on top of me and refused to move! It was as if the more I gave her, the more she took. She wanted to put her entire self on me and a stroke or a cuddle instead wasn’t enough. She was crying all the time, whacking me with her paws and bossing me around.
Ruby isn’t allowed on the sofa anymore and is happier and calmer for it. I give her affection when she’s in her bed and on the floor. She has the occasional whine, but is happy most of the time. She sleeps in her bed in my bedroom and seems happy with that too. She would suit someone who has had dogs before and who is happy to do some training. I was told that she had some separation anxiety. She doesn’t like it when you leave her and will cry for 10 minutes, but then goes to sleep. I know she has a little howl if the doorbell rings (I have a camera!) but is otherwise fine. I think that if she was allowed to sleep in her new owners bed or allowed on the sofa, she would be much worse. Things improved once I stopped that and I’ve left her for 3 hours with no issues.
I suspect that when she’s lost all the weight she is carrying, she’s going to be a highly energetic dog. I’ve built her up and she now walks between 7 and 9 miles a day and loves it. She can barely contain her excitment when she thinks it’s walk time! She certainly doesn’t act like an old dog. She’s house trained and has amazing recall. No problem on the lead. Loves her food! Very friendly with everyone she’s met and tends to like to be involved in what’s going on at home. She did live with cats in her previous home. She’s seen squirrels and cats when out and has no reaction to them. Located in North London. Please be aware you will need to travel twice to this location.
Ruby is neutered chipped vaccinated wormed and flead and adoption is subject to meet and greet homecheck and adoption fee. Applications via forms section of website please
from Dogs for Adoption & Rescue – DogsBlog.com https://ift.tt/2RnJtFw
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