One Well Trained Dog

Just an update on Crystal. The enquiries we have had have all fallen through unfortunately, one of these simply because people do not answer their phone, so please if you apply an interest for a dog make sure you answer your phone, even if it is a number you don't know! It could be someone from the rescue, including me, whos number is not on the website. 

So that rant over, I am beginning to learn that Crystal is a very smart dog. The other day we went for a walk in the fields by me and Crystal was let off lead. She was great and loved the freedom, however when I wanted her to come back she responded more to the words Crystal here, rather than just her name. Crystal will walk to heel when off lead, simply if you say the word heel/here. They both sound the same so it doesn't make a difference. The walk was ruined when we saw a couple of dogs off lead, not by Crystal I may add, but Tinks. Who is such a little Minx and will go and yap in their faces. Thankfully they were two friendly boxers so all was well on that half. Unfortunately this yapping did set Crystal off and she did seem very anxious with the other dogs which caused her to bark. In all this time I couldn't walk away because I was all tangled up... oh the joys of walking 3 dogs at a time. haha. I know this Summer I have the goal of teaching Tinks to behave more on walks. I'm going to wait till Summer where the fields would be much less of a task and then have one on one walks with her. Although truthfully I'm hoping it will improve with age. She's only 2, so still a puppy in my eyes :) 

Anyway heel is not the only training Crystal knows, however she does respond to it very well, including in the house when she barks. As long as it is said sternly she knows she should respond. Crystal will sit when you tell her to and immediately gives you her paw when shes sat down, she's so cute and her paw literally grips onto your hand. She will also lay down. I think she could still be taught more and is a very smart dog. She would probably be great at agility, but since the weather is so awful at the moment I can't set up my agility set in the garden. Crystal loves playing with toys, especially balls and rope toys. She will fetch her toys to you and give them you in her lap to throw them at you. The one problem Crystal has is she will snatch food out of your hand, however as she is so smart this should be easy to train out of her. 

Although Crystal is good with children, I do believe Crystal will not be suitable for a home with young children. She does jump up and does mouth, which although it is gentle and does no damage to me if she gets overexcited she could accidently hurt a child when she mouths. This is not agression, it is simply play behaviour, much like that what puppies do. Shes not a puppy but sometimes she does think she is! 

 Thats all to update on for Crystal. On the Peggy front, she is doing well. However she does have an appointment with the vet tomorrow to have a check on her anal glands. If they have filled up again, the decision will have to be made to remove them. She will not let me go near her bum and will hide away when I go near so she is clearly in discomfort. Although it is normally said to change diet, Peggy is currently on a healthy diet of Wainwrights and Nature Diet, which should be helping her release them naturally, which does not seem to be happening. I will update on this case tomorrow, or friday and we'll see how it goes. 

Lucy, Crystal, Peggy, Tinks and Sal