Working outside familiar environments is really great for dogs as it challenges them and takes them away from the same old, same old. This was the first time that Toby has been placed in the care of his family, and he hit the ground running, while his puppy raiser brought up the rear offering advice and providing support.
Toby charms nearly every person he meets, and the visit to North Head was no exception, with children and adults of all ages interested in him. It didn't hurt that he was wearing a harness with a long line for the adults, and a lead for the kids - not something that you see everyday.
It was an enjoyable outing for everybody, and it was great to see that Toby responds so well to his family. While he still looks towards his puppy raiser, this will slowly change as he works with his family more and more often.
North Head offers a huge training ground where Toby can explore safely - if you ignore the dogs that are running around off lead when they shouldn't be. And when he has developed his confidence a little with his family they can start working on developing his skills by exploring the tunnels around North Head.
This outing signals the start of preparations for Toby being integrated into his family. At this point the puppy raisers start taking a step back, supporting the family as they work with Toby rather than leading Toby. Toby is smart and this change should provide a suitable challenge. The more he works with his family the more he will learn their ways of working, and this will make the transition to living with them full time easier.
Waitangi Day was also a chance to take more photos of Toby, and to take some photos of Toby with his family. Having the camera in hand helped the puppy raiser resist the temptation to lead Toby around herself - so there was a double benefit. Here are some of the photos of Toby at North Head.
ohhh, he's getting so big !!
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