Ruby – JDC K9 Staff

Ruby, aka Ru, Ruu, Ruru is a legend on her own. And she would even introduce herself, if asked: “Ruru”.

We met Ruby when she was 8 weeks old,  in a bucolic Otago landscape, gnawing on a mastiff’s ear. She was surrounded by various pets and farm dogs, all sizes and ages, well behaved, and interacting freely. To give credit where credit is due, that was an ideal setting for early dog-dog socialization, and i thanked the owner profoundly for it. It definitely saved us from a lot of work and potential issues later on. 

She was a tiny creature of indistinct shape, with puppy rolls and loose skin, large floppy ears, and piercing green eyes. She was such a sweet, trusting pup; she just snuggled right in and went without a peep. Mike was waiting in the car. He was super excited to meet her. However, the little golden fluffball stood up on her tiny feet and stared him down,  straight back on his seat: you’ll come near me when I tell you to! That really showed who she was from the start.

Despite her small-ish and slender Vizsla allure, Ru is the incontestable leader of the K9 crew here at JDC.  Although we do not subscribe to the concept of an “alpha female,” she consistently strives to demonstrate otherwise. She’s got it all: stability, assertiveness, and a rock-solid temperament, all wrapped up in a beautiful, agile hunting breed.

Ru is setting the tone in the pack, with the older, much stronger male figures subsequently adhering. Any deviation from her expectations is swiftly addressed, with a subtle raise of an eyebrow to re-establish compliance. That’s all it takes.

Ruby never met a dog she did not read correctly. While not a social butterfly, she has impeccable social skills and just the right amount of interest and indifference. She knows exactly when to greet and when to walk away, and she effortlessly navigates the intricacies of dog world manners.

With her pure gold eyes piercing right into your soul, she is wiser beyond her young age and looks. She is a very soft and efficient source of warmth purring next to us at night (buried somewhere deep under the blankets). However, her spirit calls for action, for crazy fun, for all the power and grace inherited from her ancient Hungarian tribal ancestors. She knows no fear, and would trek for days on end (we wouldn’t). Her pointing skills and focus are flawless, albeit we don’t shoot birds, so she doesn’t retrieve. She has a 100% consistent perfect heel and recall under distractions, which is remarkable for her breed and a compliment to Elise, who worked with her. Ru and Elise debeloped that unique, once-in-a-lifetime bond between dog and handler that transcends words. Ru, our golden V, does, however, leave an indelible mark on everyone she encounters.