Westfourstreet

Walk This Way

Posted on August 11th 2010 by Richard Bateman

"Seesaw swingin' with the boys in the school and your feet flyin' up in the air" Aerosmith

Just a little over five weeks ago myself and Robyn returned from our holiday in Marbella to pick up our newest family member, Ralphie. I wont repeat what I’ve already written about him previously, however this Friday a new dimension comes into the little boy’s life and his daily routine. He gets to go "walkies!".

Ralphie in the garden

Ralphie is learning quickly. He knows how to sit, come, stay and paw. His housetraining is something he’s definitely teasing us with at the moment. Some days he’s a little champion, then overnight he can quickly turn into the dog who and will piss anywhere he wants. But he’s getting there and they do say it can take up to six months for a dog to be fully house trained.

His damp moments are usually bought on by his moments of hyperactivity and playing. So we've learnt when he is likely to go and what signs to look out for. But as he grows bigger by the day his energy levels reach a new high. Working from home I know how much cabin fever can creep in and restlessness can take a hold. The boy has this, I’m sure of it.

Last week he had his final jab (of two) at the vets. Most vets advise waiting one week until your dog can be taken out on public surfaces for walks and that week has nearly passed – phew! No longer will he have to be carried in our arms when we venture out. Oh no, his freedom (and ours) is now upon him/us. The energy he has during the day can now be used on his walks and a whole new adventure for this 12-week old puppy can begin.

I have already been practicing waling with him on the lead, and armed with some juicy dog treats, he has picked up the concept pretty darn quickly. But the ongoing training will continue. Any dog trainer will tell you, be consistent. This includes the ground rules you setup from the beginning, right through to when he has to be disciplined. There really is no point telling him to get “off” the furniture, only to let him jump up on it the next day with no consequences.

I love training Ralphie. I even went as far as saying to my girl at the weekend that if I should ever decide to quit the web business I’d love to work with dogs. Either as a trainer or helping rehabilitate dogs. Working with police dogs would be amazing.

But for now I’ll remain focused on our brilliant little cocker spaniel pup and look forward to many “walkies” with him. Just another element of him that will bring a lot of happiness to us all and some exercise too! Walk This Way lil' dude.

The Archives

Been Away? Catch Up Here

Have A Project For Me?

Let's Work Together

If you're looking for a web designer or developer to create a new website, or you're looking for some help to promote your brand on the web, westfourstreet can provide a top notch service. With years of experience and a transparent method of working, you can't go wrong. So step forward, come and say hello.

Elsewhere Geographically

The Other Places I Linger

All The Choices

Our Services

  • Web Design
  • Web Development
  • Responsive Web Design
  • Content Management
  • Prototyping
  • Web & Email Hosting
  • Email Campaigns
  • Search Engine Optimisation
  • Consultation