Latest update - I thought I would drop you a line and give you an update in Ruby's progress. Well at last she seems to have slowed down in her growth, although she does still seem to have long legs and big feet, and i recon she is already around 21 " high just over 21 kg in weight. We are still giving her 3 meals a day, but she seems happy with that, its help to give her something at lunch time esp if we have to leave her for a while. She is keen on her food but not too much of a pest and generally very well behaved. A few weeks ago we all went on holiday to charmouth, Ruby seemed to really enjoy her self, especially the beach and rivers, I think she has turned into half fish. She would spend hpours in the sea demanding something to be thrown for her to fetch no matter how big the waves.Our only real problem with her was sea gulls, if she saw some she would be off, for miles or chase them out to sea, until she was exhusted....or we were chasing her ! We had one minor emergency when walking locally when I noticed she had a limp. I examined her paw and found a fish hook imbedded into the bottom of her pad.... And we were miles from any water ! 21Kg gets very heavy after 15 minutes as i carried her back to the car, She was very good though and  kept very still all the way back. She did look sad but I think that was more because her walk had been abruptly ended, rather than her foot. Once home I had to cut the shaft off the hook, then push it all the way through and out again. Again she was really brave, didn't make a sound, and hardly struggled even though it obviously hurt quite a bit. But once the hook was out it was like it had never happened and she was off tearing around the garden again. Her latest enjoyment is blackberry picking, or rather we have to stop and pick blackberrys for her as she has taken quit a fancy to them. Needless to say she knows where all the blackberry bushes are on her walks and stops by them with a pleading look. Puppy classes have stopped, but we try to keep the traning going as best we can. She seems to have got through the worst of adolescance with out too much bother, just the odd clash of wills, but that has all but disappeared now. I've attached some more photo's for you, mostly taken during our hols.

6 month update- "At last I've finally got around  to sending you the photo's as I said I would. Well Ruby is now 6 months old, hit adolescence, but at least slowed down in her growing. It reallydoesn't seem like 4 months ago that we came over and collected her. Of course she has grown in to a lovely dog, loved by all the family and everyone who meets her. She certainly is appears to be very clever , house training went very smoothly and she learns commands and tricks very quickly.

BUT she also nows how to be a little bit naughty when she wants to be, but thats nearly always done in fun. What  really amazes me, is that so far ( fingers crossed) we have had no damage in the house at all, not even with the old shoes etc and she gets left at home for up-to 4 hrs now  2 or 3 days a week.  Of course she likes to get tea towels or shoes and parade in front of you with a look of ' catch me if you can', but thats as far as it goes.

Ruby has been going to classes once a week, and has been doing quite well really, her close work has come on very well, but lately we have been having a few 'battles of will' while out on walks for sitting etc, but I think we are making progress. In fact last month Emily and Ruby went to a Dog Show and they seem to have given a very good account of themselves  especially considering Ruby was only 5 months. They came home with a rosette for 6th place in the Junior handlers out of about 40 I think.

We have had the odd trip to the vet for minor things, a spotty rash that seems to have ended up in one of Ruby's ears, and red ish eyes, which may well be just a bit of allergy. She of course has been absolutely fine in herself , and has been great at with the vet and lets us put in drops etc with ease.

Talking of allergies, although the rest of the household has gone down with hay-fever over the last few weeks, there has been no sign of any reaction to Ruby at all. Her coat has been growing quite a lot over the last month or so and now has many white high lights and a definate reddy brown tinge to it. Which goes well with her reddy brown beard.  Afew weeks ago she started  dropping quite a lot of hair, but that seems to have slowed right up again too.

Anyway she is turning out to be a really lovely dog and a true friend and we could not have wished for more. I've attached some photo's for you, some from about a months ago, the other from a day or two ago in the garden and by the river ( clearly she hates the water)."