Ruby is a sweet, cuddly, puppy. She loves snuggling on the couch with her humans and curling up on the couch for naps. She will follow her humans everywhere! Ruby's fur is super soft and luxurious. She loves to be petted. Her ideal forever family will allow her to cuddle on the couch with them.

Ruby came from a breeder who was getting out of the business and has had very little exposure in the first six months of her life. As such, she is afraid of new things. She is now learning just how fun life can be!

Ruby really looks to the resident dogs for cues for how to act and she seeks them out for comfort when she is scared. Her ideal forever home would have a calm, confident dog. Her foster siblings are aged 1 and 6. Sometimes Ruby thinks the 1 year-old plays too rough, but she will play tug and bitey face, she just isn't fond of wrestling.

Ruby is not yet house-broken, but she has a large bladder, so she doesn't need quite as frequent trips outside as a young puppy normally does. 

Ruby will benefit greatly from a structured training class, but maybe not right away. She needs to learn that she is safe at home before she can feel safe out and about. She still has times in the house where she acts afraid of foster mom and dad.

Ruby loves toys, balls and bones and will chew on other things, like furniture! She is a puppy! Ruby is tall enough to counter-surf (so far she has gotten paper, napkin, gloves and a hat - she only chewed the paper products).

One day she changed the channel on the TV and hid the remote. Ruby is starting to learn which items she needs to leave alone, but will take constant monitoring initially.

Here are highlights of the progress Ruby has made in the first week in her foster home.

• Health - Ruby was treated for round worms and ear infections.
• Treats - Ruby finally learned to take treats from our hands. 
• Pottying - After she potties outside she will run to us for a treat instead of running away from us. 
• Doorways - Ruby still seems nervous coming through the doorways into or out of the house. It really helps when she's following our resident dog(s).
• Walks - Ruby has been going for walks with the whole pack. She is still nervous at times but is more relaxed when we drive to a park that doesn't have cars near the path. When nervous she will go next to or between our legs or she will go underneath our tallest dog. Fortunately, he doesn't mind. 
• Vehicles - Ruby doesn't shake anymore when riding in the backseat with our 2 resident dogs. She doesn't like getting in the car, although she climbed in by herself at the park, after our walk yesterday! She has gotten out of the car by herself for 3 days in a row! Woo hoo! It seems to help if the car isn't in the garage since the tight confines of the garage can be scary.
• Vehicles passing by when we are walking is a different story. She still is quite afraid and sometimes tries to flee. If I see the car approaching, I try to put myself between her and the car, have her close to my legs and pet her. I'm hoping this makes her feel safe and will show her that nothing bad happens when that car goes by.

Ruby is looking for a family to give her the time and patience she needs to become "the best dog ever".