Ruby's Routine
I remember when we got my childhood golden retriever, in 1993, that in those days there were no specialty equipment, enrichment toys, harness for walking, let alone a routine and schedule for the dog. The dog ate leftovers pretty frequently, had a choke collar for pulling and ate dozens of apples in the orchard near our house. I vaguely recall his first few days at home. He was teeny tiny, a little larger than a coffee cup at 6 weeks old and cried every night. Once he got big enough to not fit through the slats of the fence in the backyard, that became his home, except on cold nights he'd sleep in the garage. He wasn't socialized, desensitized or anything. I guess I didn't realize how much has changed in dog ownership in 30 years. When I got Ruby, I was informed by many people that she'd need a scheduled routine. Huh? I barely have a routine! Well come to find out that it actually helps the puppy train into a calmer good dog if they know what to expect during their day
