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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To just take my puppy to playgroup anyway??

120 replies

TheBadNeighbour · 07/08/2019 16:00

I have a 10 week old puppy who fell ill over the weekend. Long story short, vet took loads of bloods and samples ... found she was anaemic as well as something else that didn’t add up in the bloods. Gave her a strong wormer and antibiotics until results come back. - day after the wormer, she shat out worms and immediately returned back to her normal self. So much so that’s she’s driving me insane. She’s full of energy and she’s bored. She was due to start puppy playgroup on Monday night but vet said not to take her until we find out results of samples. It’s now Wednesday and the dog is driving me, my other dog and herself absolutely batshit crazy. There is nothing wrong with her anymore. Even the wet said it was likely just down to the worms.

Results are still not back. AIBU to just take her to playgroup tonight anyway?? She’s 10 weeks and needs socialising ASAP

OP posts:
KnickersandGnomes · 07/08/2019 17:38

WiddlinDiddlin

You are the type that end up killing dogs with their ignorance.

You should not be allowed near animals, and especially puppies because you lack any basic understanding about their health and/or welfare.

GeorgeTheFirst · 07/08/2019 17:40

It's not all going wrong, it's just delayed by a week. Take some time for yourself and get your head around it.

rubyroot · 07/08/2019 17:41

She's tiny, you can carry her!!

ComeTheFuck0nBridget · 07/08/2019 17:50

Aww I really feel for you OP. I hate it when plans change and I'm also currently dealing with a very energetic puppy at the minute who I can't wait to get out to puppy groups.

I know it seems so stressful now but it won't be like this forever Thanks

What we've been doing with our puppy when he's being extra annoying is taking him into the garden and getting him to chase me, or I stand at one end and DH at the other and call him between us, we've been using it to tire him out before bed and with the added bonus of working on his recall!

Yours is gorgeous by the way! I'd love a Doberman

HairyDogsOfThigh · 07/08/2019 17:58

Well done for not taking her. That is the right decision.
She is gorgeous.
One word of warning, what sort of playgroup are you taking her to? It needs to be one where the emphasis is on training your dog while there are other doggy distractions around. So a lot of recall away from other dogs, lead walking past them in a calm manner.
Some playgroups seem to encourage a free for all playtime where puppies are just left to play almost unsupervised. This leads to problems, where big dogs learn to bully little dogs and little dogs learn to be scared of big, boisterous dogs. They also learn that when they see a dog, it's playtime, which makes it very difficult to walk past a dog later on as your dog will expect to play with it.
Please use this extra week, while you wait for the results (which i hope will be fine) to check out what the class is like. Ideally go to the first one without your dog and just watch what happens, bearing in mind what I've just said about what you want to achieve. Some puppy classes will carefully match puppies to similar size/boisterous peers for them to play with, but again the emphasis should be on intercepting if the play escalates and recalling away.

Lots of people misunderstand what puppy socialisation means. It means behaving well around other dogs, not playing with all and sundry.

Pollypenguin01 · 07/08/2019 18:03

You’ll be ok OP.

Whereabouts are you? I ask because I have a Buster activity mat with some of the activity toys and a couple of interactive food toys (where they have to work out how to get the food etc) you could borrow for a couple of weeks if you are close by.

WiddlinDiddlin · 07/08/2019 18:20

Knickers, I think my professional body and 20 years of happy clients would disagree with you there but yeah, you obviously know me, my skills my knowledge and my qualifications better than anyone else. Good job.

flumposie · 07/08/2019 18:22

She is gorgeous Smile

Blueandredandblue · 07/08/2019 18:40

Please don't take her

Steerpike902 · 07/08/2019 18:41

Take her for an outing to meet people instead! They need socialising with different people too. Maybe a trip on the bus? She'd get loads of fuss.
I'm not entirely sure if that's safe as I've never had a dog so young.

PoppingOneOutIn2020 · 07/08/2019 18:50

Why did you buy a puppy that's making you tear your hair out at only 10 weeks.. I assume you got her at 8 weeks when it's legal for then to leave the mother.. so you've only had her 2 weeks and it's already driving you insane?

Have you had dogs before? What breed is she, im guessing some form of spaniel?
We took out lively pup to puppy classes. It was great for the hour we paid for. But they sleep for 30 minutes then their lively again.
Shes a puppy. If you couldnt handle that you should have got a different breed or an older rescue.

Doesnt sound like you care much for your dog.

Original poster
TheBadNeighbour · 07/08/2019 18:53

Oh fuck off Popping. You’ve not even read the full thread so do one

OP posts:
Original poster
TheBadNeighbour · 07/08/2019 18:54

@Pollypenguin01 that’s very kind, I’m in East Yorkshire? I am looking at Snuffle mats on amazon too

OP posts:
RedWoollyHat · 07/08/2019 18:56

PoppingOneOutIn2020

RTFT or at least the OP's updates before going off on one, eh.

RedWoollyHat · 07/08/2019 18:58

You could try feeding all food in Kongs? Kept my dog occupied after his operation at vets when exercise was restricted.

Original poster
TheBadNeighbour · 07/08/2019 19:00

She has a kong, unfortunately it had an accident this morning and got dropped somewhere insanitary so it’s in the dishwasher. Do you wet the food to stop it falling out so easily?

OP posts:
Micah · 07/08/2019 19:00

I got my puppy at 18 weeks old.

He had some health issues (we knew about when we agreed to take him on) that meant he wasn’t ideally socialised. However he is still proving trainable- he is more than fine with people, dogs and other animals, and his obedience has caught up fine. The only issues are he’s terrified of traffic noise, gets car sick and his toilet training has been slow.

Nothing unmanageable that time and patience can’t/won’t sort. Although I do think him being with his mum until 18 weeks helped- i think people underestimate how much they learn from mum when they take them away at 8 weeks. She was also a lovely wee dog- not toilet trained either but such a friendly nature.

Saucery · 07/08/2019 19:01

Yes, you can wet dried food a bit to make it stick. There are bone shaped ones with holes in the ends for chews too, they keep them going for a good while.

ByTheStarryNight · 07/08/2019 19:09

There is a Facebook group called Canine Enrichment which is brilliant for ideas on how to entertain dogs who can't go out and about for whatever reason. They have tons of ideas for free or almost free games you can play, with things you aslready have round the house.
I sympathise with you ad when my puppy was 14 weeks he cut his paw and was on house arrest for about 10 days. The ideas from the Facebook group saved us from a destroyed house, and kept him mentally stimulated enough to ensure he still slept OK.

Hope you get clear test results soon and can get out to socialise again.

StillMedusa · 07/08/2019 19:10

My puppy is just coming up for 13 weeks.. here the vets complete jabs at 10 weeks and she was allowed out at 11 (she was nearer 12).
I took her to a puppy play class at our local garden centre ..and she was terrified! Too many puppys in one place. She sat on my lap and growled if any came near. I was very worried.

She'd been out and about with me everywhere though..in the car, in my arms, we sat at the park, the supermarket, watched cars and people. from 9 weeks. And in a busy home with 6 adults coming and going.

Fast forward 10 days.. a friend brought a puppy round to the house..and after 5 mins they were playing happily. She now meets and greets small dogs on our little walks but sits and watches if a big dog nears... she is getting more relaxed by the day..and everyday noises, traffic, lorries, kids... no problem.

Another week at home might drive you nuts but it won't hurt your puppy. If you can't carry her , drive to a car park, and sit in the boot with her.. park by a school and just hold her as kids come out.. she won't be missing out by not going to a puppy play.

And I bet my puppy is easily as big as yours... I had to fashion a sling to try and hold her (large breed)..there are ways to get out :)

ps she looks adorable!

ByTheStarryNight · 07/08/2019 19:11

PS try mixing the food with a bit of natural yoghurt in the kong, and freezing it. That gets a longer play session out of one Kong.

WelcomeToShootingStars · 07/08/2019 19:13

The jabs thing isn't an issue with puppy socialisation classes, they're specifically set up for young puppies who can't go out on walks etc yet.

But it there's a time to err on the side of caution it's now. Wait until you have clear results.

WelcomeToShootingStars · 07/08/2019 19:20

Have you tried some scent work? Put some sage leaves in kitchen paper and pop it in a sealable tub with a little Teddy type toy. Leave it there for a day.

Then you can play with it and hide it in the garden like a treasure hunt. Dogs love it.

Bookworm4 · 07/08/2019 19:22

She’s driving you mad but taking to some group for an hour will cure that?? Exercise her, do training at home, you sound ill prepared for a puppy.

RedWoollyHat · 07/08/2019 19:24

Yes, soak the food. For an older dog I smear the sides with dog peanut butter.

For later down the line when your pup is a lot older:

Snuffle mats are good though for a pup - someone else mentioned above and I can vouch for 'em

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