New Puppy Owners

[kid]

I know there are a few of us that have recently picked up new pups.
Were your puppies lovely and calm when you first got them or were they mental straight away?

I can't believe how calm Teddy is being so far. He has slept a lot but even when he is awake, he just nibbles gently on your fingers or rolls his ball with his feet.

He has not had any accidents in the house yet which is a miracle.

I am wondering if this is the calm before the storm?

The puppy classes are for 12 weeks to 6 month old pups, but the dog trainer did say its much easier to restrain an 8 week old in this way than it is an 8 year old. So I would think it would be fine for a 9.5 week old. You don't apply any pressure, you are just holding them where you want them to be.

I don't know about the white eye thing, I guess thats just a hyper reaction? I know my DS gets a bit wide eyed if he has been eating anything dodgy (like the chocolate syrup that he put on his breakfast cereal at the weekend! It went straight in the bin when I saw his craziness!)

I occassionally feel really guilty about Teddy. I loved Moby so much and nothing is ever going to come close to how I felt about him. After thinking that the other night, I looked at Teddy and realised that I love him so much. Especially when I see how much he loves me. He follows me around, he lays at my feet while I brush my teeth or while I am cooking dinner. He comes running towards me at 100 mph when I call him when he is off lead. He just adores me and its making me realise just how special he is too.

Iloverhubarbcrumble - how old is Lola?

I was just looking on the f4d website and was comparing how much dearer it will cost to feed teddy that. The bag they sell is half the size of the bag I currently buy which makes it quite a lot more expensive.
But then I checked the puppy club price and its nearly £2 cheaper which makes it a bit cheaper.
I'm going to order him some, I know I need to change his food, I have 1 3kg bag of complete food that I haven't even opened. Should I wait till thats been used up before switching or just give that away to someone?

kid - If I were you I would use the 3kg bag myself. It will only take you a couple of weeks to get through that anyway, won't it?

WTWTW - I have now joined the f4d puppy club as well and am looking forward to my free samples. I reckon a change of treats will be good for Rory.

The last week has been quite good in general. On average I have been getting up around 6.00am - Yeah! Rory has been able to go out for walks since last Friday and that has made a big difference. He has also had a few more journeys in his car crate and is settling down in that, with no sign of car sickness. Phew! (The breeder said that his mum suffered terribly from car sickness when she was younger.) We also seem to be making a lot of headway on the toilet training front. Maybe I won't be forced to take out shares in Simple Solution after all.... We have also signed up for puppy classes and start next Wednesday evening. There were a few classes around that I found info for but most were on a Saturday which is a bit awkward due to dd's football. This class takes place in an ex-church Hall and follows the Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme. We get 3 weeks for a total of £10 before deciding whether to join the Dog Training Club or not.

What sort of chews are you using for your puppies? All the rawhide ones say not to give before 4 months. Rory likes the Puppy nylabones (wolf size) but has just got through his last one in 48 hours! They are supposed to do puppies up to 16kg or until they start getting adult teeth. So instead of buying him 4 a week until then, what else can I try? He has a large puppy fish from Nylabone but isn't so keen on that. (He does have other unflavoured chews which he just ignores.....)

Hi assumpta lola is nearly 14 weeks now. Are things any better with your pup?

It is definitely abit unnerving at times. And infuriating, as the main 'carer' to have the relief squad walk in after school/work and have to rescue them...

I don't know about waiting to use the 3kg bag up. I want him to be calm!
I was sitting on the settee sticking DDs homework in her book and the little rat just attacked my toes. He got a good hold on my big toe and pulled backwards taking some skin with him! OUCH!

He is now looking very mischevious indeed. His latest favourite habit is to eat shoes and socks lol

Iloverhubarbcrumble - in some ways yes, apparently she thinks that dd2 is on the same rung of the ladder as she is as dd2 lets her climb on her lap when she is sitting on the floor. We have made sure that dd eats before her and that she only pats her when sitting BESIDE her, not ON, her. She had her second vac on Wednesday and was fine, but yesterday she was doing a wee soooo often, and often tiny drops. This continued and she was crouching and straining not producing anything. I thought she might have cyctitis . Really tired too. I rang emergency number, but vet kind of said leave it and that it might sort itself out. This morning she was sick after breakfast and thought I would ring vet, which I did. Vet said cystitis, poor thing. She is on an anti bi for 10 days. Hopefully it will sort it completely. I also gave her some homeopathic remedies. She had been so go house training till yesterday evening, but hopefully we will be back on track, so far so good, but don't want to speak too soon.

Can't believe we have her 2 weeks tomorrow! Don't know what I did with my time!

OMG - this puppy business is such hard work. My poor dd2, loves Belle, but is in tears, because she keeps really nipping her hard. She almost drew blood on her last night! I am of course being patient, but I'm swallowing back the urge to really shout and put her in her crate. We are persevering with yelping and saying leave it, giving her chew toys and obviously playing with her but not winding her up, I don't think. The onslaught starts just before 6 and continues till almost 7pm. Should I crate her for 10 or 15 minutes before it starts, or not? We would have given her away last night (not really), but wonder does anyone else feel like this? Does it ever end????

Assumpta, pack theory is now known to be complete tosh, there is no need for anyone to eat before the puppy and laps are fine for sitting on.

Wrt the biting, just patience and persistence I'm afraid, it probably will go on for quite a while it's what puppies do.

kid I would hand on to the food as you will need to do a really gradual changeover and will probably end up using it all up anyway. I hope a better food will help with Teddy's hyperness but don't expect miracles.

ilove I'm not going to go back to your crate thread as I don't want an argument, however I am really surprised at the amount of naysaying.
Most reputable breeders will happily sell pups to people who work part time, to be left for a few hours every day is fine for a puppy as long as all it needs are met, what you are preposing to do really won't cause a problem.

Puppies that are not left on a regular basis will suffer from terrible seperation anxiety when they eventually are. We cannot be with our dogs 24/7 so it is only fair to get them used to a period of alone time in a safe place.

Also fwiw dog feel much happier left in a crate, which is a small, safe, easily defendable den, then with the 'run of the house'.

Assumpta if it really so easy to define by time yes I would do something different put in the crate before it starts, maybe take for a short walk and then in crate. When do you feed the puppy in relation to the mad puppy time. As what you have been doing is not working change tack. When the dog nips quietly pick him up or take him to a room on his own. Pack theory is definately a load of tosh - don't waste time and energy going there!

Assumpta I really feel for you, but do be reassured because in my experience it gets better slowly! I think I mentioned already that we moved on rapidly from the yelp and ignore, as it just upped the anti with Lola in besurker mode. We do a) distraction, straight into click treat 'watch me' treat, very rapid. b) If that doesn't work we have a long dangly rope which she goes for, releasing the attackee's arm/leg etc. c)Then we go to what Minimu advised, put her straight in her crate and walk away.

We are abit more in control now, mainly because v predictable. Happens when she's tired, over hyped (v easily done - throw a ball gently - boom!), or new person walks in room. Empathise with losing your temper, have done once or twice as I wrestle with puppy mauling DD - I do not always manage to follow through my steps! But I really feel Lola is becoming slightly more aware; sometimes you can see her think yes - I'm going to bite this leg! - then hmm, no let me bite this ball instead. We praise like mad if she does this. God we are exhausted with the effort.

WTWTW as always appreciate your calm and sensible posts. I like the fact that I've got quite a varied response to my crating question (another thread), but in general those that have had to crate for a morning have had a good experience. I am only planning a whole morning two days out of seven. I think she'll be fine too. If she's really not, and I'll soon tell, I will find an alternative. As you say, lots of people with puppies do work at least part-time.

Had a lovely morning, feeling of things to come. Out to Richmond Park, Lola running around in the open, off lead, following us everywhere, meeting spaniels, beautiful day, only 15 mins but more soon! (As you may realise, L is now asleep)...

My f4d arrived today, well the puppy pack that I ordered. I gave teddy some of the fish skin treats which look gross. He loved them and is so obdient when he knows treats are about. They are very good fir their teeth too as they are rough and hard. It says to give up to 5 a day. He has had 3 already!

I got some salmon paste with the pack. I've not opened it yet, but do you just put it in their bowl on it's own?
I could mix half with his complete food over 2 meals I suppose. I'm going to order some of their food and treats, I was waiting for my discount card. Just hope someone is in when they deliver it.

Teddy Really shows his love for me. If I lay on the floor, he will come and lay next to me and snuggle up. He is so cute.

I do need some advice with his jumping up. He attempts to jump on the kitchen table or the worktop when I'm cooking. I shout down and point to the floor but ge ignores me so I have to tug his collar. How do I make him stop this?

OK, think I'm about to join this thread!

new pup (10wks) arrived home today. was very good in the car for what turned into a 4hour journey and slept most of the way. When we got him home we took him out straight away, but nothing doing, so we fed him quickly (was travelling on an empty stomach) then spent an hour or so in the garden playing, and letting him sniff around. Tried letting him get bored to see if he'd wee/poo, but nothing, and then he started curling up on our feet to snooze, so we brought him inside and he's now fast asleep!

Definitely want to do outside toilet training, so just wondered how long it takes some dogs to feel comfortable enough to relieve themselves in a new garden?

Just keep taking him out every 30 minutes plus after he eats, drinks, plays, wakes up etc. As soon as you catch him going to the toilet outside, praise like crazy!

What type of dog have you got?
Enjoy your first night together

kid the Salmon Mousse is really good for freezing in a Kong, it says use it all on opening, but I keep the packet in the fridge for a few days with no problems. Rudy also adores the sea jerky stuff, I have the 1.9kg pack!

Wrt to the jumping up, I would be trying to find ways of positive reinforcement rather than the negative you are using atm.

It is really natural for a dog to be trying to get at food when we are cooking, after all it smells great! You need to make being good more rewarding then being bad. Start cooking earlier than usual so you are not in a rush, show him something tempting then put it out of his reach on the counter.

Wait for him to sit, or preferably lie, down. If you have taughtt him to lie and he is used to it he probably will offer it eventually.

You will have to be really patient, ignore all jumping up etc.

Once he sits (or lies) click him imediately and give the treat.

Repeat and shape so he doesn't get the click/treat until he has sat/laid for longer and longer periods (over weeks).

I have doen a similar thing with Rudy, from the word go he was trying to get on the table while we were eating, as soon as he gave up and went and laid on his blanket, I got up and gave him a treat or a bit off my plate. Now at meals he just lies on his blanket the whole time.

This will not teach thme to beg btw, as you are rewarding the desirable behaviour.

Thanks for the advice. I'm quite impatient and like instant results but I know with puppies, that just isn't going to happen. I'll give it a go and let you know how he gets on.

I am so tired today, I got up at 7 to let teddy out, make some tea and give him his breakfast. Then I went back to bed to get some more sleep. I haven't managed to get much sleep though as I can hear dh 'arguing' with teddy pmsl. He has now got me to call teddy up to the bedroom which I have done and he is lovely and calm. I think he assosciates dh and rough play.
Teddy has just gone back downstairs, think I should get up and save dh. Maybe I should train him and teddy to play nicely? Lol

Ate you taking ringo's water away at night? If not, he could be drinking during the night and has to empty his bladder. I know teddy will go back to sleep
in the morning as long as there are no sounds. If he thinks he is missing out on something, he won't settle at all.

We took him to the park today. He didn't run too far from us and no other dogs came anywhere near us (it's a huge park)
he made me laugh though. We are teaching him to sit for a treat. While we were walking along, he just sat and looked at me expectantly. I knew what he wanted to called 'ok' and he ran to me for his treat. He won't be getting that all the time but what a little character!

Ok, i think it's fair to say he feels comfortable enough to take a pee/crap in our garden now. i can't believe so much can come out (and go in) to one tiny dog!

He's doing really well on the toilet training today, but he does always try and eat his poo (sometimes going round in such a tight circle, it's barely out of one end before he tries to get it with the other, .

Am trying to praise for the pooing outside, but obviously not praise the eating, but if they're simultaneous it's kind of hard!

Anyone else had to deal with this and how did you resolve it?

Ignore ignore and ignore the poo eating! Some puppies do it and grow out of it if no fuss is made. If it continues when he is older then there are strategies you can adopt.

However at the moment pick up any poo as soon as posssible to prevent it happening, maybe let the puppy poo whilst he is on the lead and praise and move away from the poo to treat the puppy so he can not have a crafty munch.

Glad he is settling in!

I am afraid that I would ignore the howling however not always easy and not always a practical thing to do with neighbours. so:-

What is he like if left alone in the day?
Do you give him time in his crate and leave him alone in quiet - when you go out does he howl then?

When does he have his last meal?

At 4.30 when he wants to go out does he howl and you get up and let him out?

If so you need to get to him before he starts howling so set an alrm for say 4.00 and let him out then and back into crate. So you are dictating the terms he is let out.

lol, Teddy rolls over and goes back to sleep if no-one else is up. What a typical lazy male

Hu. Puppy had her second jabs last Wednesday. When will she be ready to go for a walk in the big wide world. How do I manage to get her to walk, when I put her lead on, more often than not, she rolls on to her back and chews it! I don't think we will get very far at that rate! What did you do?

Also she is so interested in the different things in the garden that she doesn't really want to play with us. We have various toys etc., do you have any good toys to grasp their attention rather than chewing, eating and swallowing a bit of old tree bark! Does this harm them, she eats everything!