Ripley's routine
(please note that his Apple Airtag on his collar will "ding" or chime every so often.
This is just what Airtags do when the Airtag owner is far away)
His Day
We'll start with the night-time, because it will make the explanation of the morning clearer.
He sleeps in our room. So he will want to sleep with you, wherever you are! he doesn't have a bed any more. We recommend that you shut him in your room with you, otherwise he will go down early and wee on the kitchen floor.
He now sleeps a bit later, more like 7am to 7.30am. When he gets out, he will tear round the house looking for the cats!
We then let him out of the back door for a poo and a wee (he will jump up at the back door whenever he wants to go out) and then give him his breakfast.
He will then probably want to go out for another wee and hopefully a poo, if he hasn't done one already.
We try to do a little walk and a bigger walk every day (20 mins and 40 mins) - whichever order you want.
He used to watch TV with us in the evening, but he doesn't like it now - he hides under the little desk in the corner of the TV room.
We then take him out for a final walk (to squeeze out a poo and a wee) at about 10 or 10.30pm and then it's Beddie Bo Bos!
Food
This is now really easy!
He has a proper routine - breakfast whenever you get up, and then dinner at about 6pm.
His appetite is a bit variable though - sometimes he just isn't hungry., and doesn't eat, and then he's absolutely ravenous later. If he REALLY woofs in the kitchen area, he is probably hungry.
HIs normal meal is about 3/4 tin of Lily's, with a little sprinkling of kibble.
Sardines and tuna for a treat!
Training and rules
UPDATE
He is so much better now.
He can go off the lead on very quiet roads, in parks and on the beach.
He will come back to you if you rustle the treat bag in his blue "going for a walk bag"
We are still struggling with "Leave" - he will give something up if he gets a treat, but he won't if he doesn't see a reward coming this way.
He can do "Paw"!!!!
If he won't stop barking, for no good reason, (ie not hungry or thirsty) we put him outside for a bit.
We are very grateful to you for looking after him, so there are only two things we really care about in terms of rules -
Please reward ANY good behaviour - this can even be an absence of bad behaviour, like just lying quietly, or pottering around. We have these little shaker things with treats in - we are trying to get him to associate the noise with a reward, so that we can distract him when he's behaving badly.
Please could you not feed him from your plate at the table?
THANK YOU!!!
