Exploring the world

The past week has been all about extending Toby's boundaries and introducing him to the wonders of the wide world. He has been visiting a wide variety of places and businesses as he develops his people skills and his ability to navigate the world.

While Toby is going to be a Companion Dog rather than a Disability Assist Dog with Public Access - his training is essentially the same. Toby needs to meet as many new people as possible, and experience as many new places as he can so that he will be confident and comfortable in new situations as an adult.

Part of his training also involves him spending time with his future family. While traditional service/assistance dog placements don't match the dog to the person until they are fully trained - our programme is modelled on one that introduces the child with Autism and their future dog as soon as possible. This has two benefits - it allows the child to get used to the puppy over time, and it allows the puppy the chance to get used to the individual mannerisms and stimming behaviours of their child. This process also allows the family to get used to their dog over time, and it allows the family to be involved in the training process.

Toby has already met his little person and their family three times, and each time the meeting goes a little more smoothly. The whole process is helped by the fact that Toby is an exceptional puppy who is very sweet natured and willing to learn. While he is still a puppy who makes puppy mistakes, overall Toby is a sensible and loving puppy who loves to learn. While a Golden retriever is not always going to be the first breed choice for every family, Arangold has once again provided us with a very special young puppy with loads of potential.

Toby has now mastered quite a few of his commands. To be considered mastered the dog (or puppy) must respond to the command the first time that it is given 9 times out of 10. By that count he has mastered:

Sit Wait, Busy (toileting command), Crate (entering his crate on command), Car (climbing into and lying down in the car), Come here, and Paw (shaking hands)

Check back to see how Toby is progressing. Each week he learns something new, or discovers a new place to explore.

Thank you to everyone who has provided support for Toby's training - either by supporting our fundraising efforts, or by opening your doors to a training opportunity for a very special young dog.

Toby's life lesson # 4

Always remember your manners and be polite. When greeting people for the first time keep your rump on the floor with all four feet. You can wag your tail, but you need to make sure that all four feet keep contact with the floor (unless you are on your back begging for a belly rub).

When it comes to meal times it is also important to remember your manners. You sit quietly and wait for the bowl to be placed on the floor. While you wait for the release command to eat make sure that you make eye contact with the person feeding you and wait until they say the command and point to the bowl before you eat. Eating as fast as you can is also polite because it shows that you are enjoying your food - at least that's what I think.

And if you remember your manners you get to go on fun outings like swimming lessons at Onehunga Pond.

Moving forward

The past two weeks have passed in a blur of training and waiting for the day that Toby was fully vaccinated and could go to dog exercise areas and socialise with a wider group of dogs. While he has already played with a group of therapy dogs, this was a chance for him to run around outside and make all new friends.

On Saturday Toby went to the Onehunga pond for the first time and meet strange new dogs and experienced swimming for the first time. He was wearing a lifejacket and had a long line attached to the handle of the lifejacket so that he could run around and still stay safe.

The lifejacket is a little large as it belongs to one of the puppy raisers dogs, but it gave him extra float so that he could swim. He wasn't that keen on swimming, but that will change over time.

The last week has also been spent putting together a short movie of photos and some of the video footage that have been taken of Toby over the past five weeks. This is so that his breeder, and his future family can enjoy some of the special moments of the past few weeks, and so that his growing fan club can see how much he has grown. The movie is up on YouTube, but here is the movie for you all to enjoy.

Toby's life lesson # 3

While running around and playing with the kids and the other dogs can be fun, sometimes it is fun to just roll around on the floor and grab the closest toy.

Sometimes this happens to be my tail instead of any other kind of toy - but that is okay. Now that my legs are so much longer it can be hard to grab, but I can still manage as long as I am on my back.

I love playing with the giant tennis ball from Mitre 10, and I love playing with my puppy kong, and tug of war games with the rope toy and Dewey are also fun. It is also really fun when the kids throw toys for me and call me back to them so that they can throw the toy again.

I have already played this game with my special person and I am getting better with practice - the next time he sees me I will be really good at bringing things back (at least that's what my puppy raisers tell me).