Tigger Club News
By Animals - For Animals
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Jay's Blog
The Thin Blue Paw
February 2019

Hello again everyone,

Since my last canine column I have been very busy attending training days and lots of practising what we have learned at the Devon and Cornwall Police Dog School. I am almost five months old and weigh over 27 kilos, everyone comments about how big I will be.

Stew took me to the local primary school; one of the classes is going to follow my training all the way through to me being a fully trained Police Dog. All of the classes want to follow me – there is fierce competition! We attended school assembly with 403 children looking at me! Stew explained to the children about my training and the best way to approach and stroke me. We also had an invite to the local Beavers, again Stew told the children all about me – they were mesmerised by me. I am very popular in town, parents know my name and stop and chat to me.

A few days before Christmas we had our dog school Christmas party. There were 13 pups of all different ages. It was doggy mayhem!! The older dogs wanted to fight each other, they had to be split up and paired up with the younger pups – it got a tad calmer after that. The canine development officer had all 13 pups tracking at the same time – he said it had to be a first.

I had a really nice Christmas, I had a jumbler ball, a squeaky pheasant, a small squeaky ball and a ball on a rope – these last two presents lasted all of five minutes! Here’s a picture of me making Christmas wrapping paper into confetti!



I am progressing well with tracking, the trail is being made more difficult by twisting the track and having a crosswind over the track. Here’s a picture of Stew and I receiving instruction from the Devon and Cornwall Police canine development officer.



At my last training day we were put through our paces, tracking, sit and stay and recall. The canine development officer said I am doing very well – Stew is very pleased and proud of me – I am more focused than the other pups on the programme.

Stew took me on a bus for the first time – Stew said I did very well. I am good at ascending and descending stairs – that said I don’t like to go on open stairs. Stew said we will have to work on this to gain my confidence.

When Stew and I go walking I love to go to the river, here’s a photo of me having a paddle on a crisp frosty morning.


When we go walking Stew likes to incorporate recalls and sit/stay training – not too much though, he has found the right balance of work and play.

I like to help Stew as much as possible, here I am helping him put away the garden furniture for the winter.



I do like to climb on things.



At my last training day I met a new member to our training group, her name is Rana. Rana is an all black Belgium shepherd. Rana actually came over from Belgium about four weeks ago, I made her feel very welcome - between play fights!

I have to close now as I have had a long tiring day. So until next time,

Jay