Hearing Dog Puppy George Comes to Stay

I am a volunteer boarder for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People Charity, which means when their puppy socialiser goes away, the puppies are boarded out with people like me rather than board them out in kennels.  So on the 27th May 2014, little George a 5 month old golden Labrador came to stay with me for 2 weeks.

As with human babies, he came with a lot of luggage which included, a  dog cage (although he never used it), bedding, rug, loads of  toys, bones, food, bowls etc.  He settled in very well and made himself at home right away.  For the first couple of nights, he did stay on his bed (which he loved) in our bedroom, as although he does sleep in the kitchen with his socialiser, I thought for the first couple of nights with everything being strange, he might be more comfortable and settled if he was with us.

Now this bit, you probably won’t enjoy reading especially if you are eating.   All was well until a couple of days later, when had terrible diarrhoea during the night  (good job he was now sleeping on his bed in our tiled kitchen!!), and he was very lethargic and I was naturally worried, so eventually I had to take him to the vet, who checked him out, but couldn’t find anything so put it down to gastroenteritis.  So he came home with some food especially for this problem and some paste that I had to administer through a syringe (but he absolutely loved it).  Once this new food and paste kicked in, he was a different puppy and was a lot more lively and back to his normal self.

I walk a neighbours dog Henry, a real old gent of a golden retriever on a Tuesday and Thursday morning, so George met Henry (very regal) and it was lovely to see them playing,  and even sharing a stick,  with dear old Henry putting up with a lively puppy, but it was definitely clear to see who was top dog with George knowing exactly what Henry was saying in “doggy language”.

George also met Boris, my friend’s 12 month old black Labrador, when we went for a walk together and from the time they met, to the time Boris went home, both of them were on the go the whole of the time.  With Boris being more of George’s age, their was lots of rough and tumble and chasing around,  but they were brilliant together.  Needless to say once Boris went home, George was shattered and slept for most of the rest of the day, but of course waking up when it was time for food!!!

 

I am also a volunteer for the Donkey Sanctuary Ivybridge branch, and it was their summer fair on 7th June 2014, and although I was on a stall for the day, Steve (my hubby) brought George down, so there was lots for him to see and do and he met nose to nose one of the donkeys.

We took him down to the woods where the  River Erme in Ivybridge runs alongside, and took the learning to swim aid being a tennis ball on a piece of string, to see how George was in water.  He did teeter about on the edge for quite a while, but eventually he did go up to his tummy, but he wouldn’t actually swim out of his depth, but I doubt it will be too long before he does take the plunge.

We had a great game that he seemed to really love when he was out in our garden, and that was for him to have a tennis ball in his mouth and another one that I would have to kick towards him and he would jump around like a gazelle chasing it, and even on several occasions stopping the ball between his legs (the England World Cup team could have done with him!!!).  We would spend ages and ages playing this game, which he never got tired off, and every time he went out in the garden, one ball went in his mouth and the other one next to him whilst  he waited patiently  until someone played the game with him.

George went back to his socialiser on the 9th June 2014, and hoped that he had enjoyed his stay with us, as we enjoyed having him, and I have no doubt that he will make a super hearing dog.

Hearing Dog Puppy George Comes to Stay