New puppy thread, where new puppy owners can come for help and advice and hopefully clever people like minimu, midori et al will check regularly (please) to help us...

[Happymm]

Exactly what it says on the tin really. Kings idea, that we have a thread where we can all come and ask for help, advice, support or just to vent and that the much more experienced people will come and help us out :)

We have had a lovely weekend with our puppy, she is just so gorgeous, such a sweet natured dog but also a lot of character We took her for a lovely walk yesterday after having friends over and she was as good as gold, we had a houseful last night about 14 people over for a bbq and she won all of their hearts. My uncle was a bit surprised as he came in saying oh it's not a yappy little terrier is it, after about 10 mins he was bowled over by her, couldn't take his eyes of her and kept telling me how lovely she was! (proud mum!) She was a bit nervous but got better over time and stayed up on my husbands lap until about 10.30 then was desperate for bed so went into crate. Husband had to drag her out at 9.00am this morning!!!!! latest she has ever slept I couldn't believe it. I had put her somewhere different last night so don't know whether that made any difference but I can't think why it would. She had her puppy friend over today and has bounded round the garden for a couple of hours so I actually haven't taken her for a walk today as she is too tired. Changed her food - well not the brand but bought her a new flavour and she loves it, is woofing it down.

Regarding the walks, we tend to go for about 30-40 mins once a day, occasionally have done 45-50 mins and she is allways happy with this. I sometimes take her out twice or she has another play in the garden for about 30-40 mins or she has a puppy playdate. I didn't pay rigid attention to the 5 minutes per month as 15 or 20 mins wasn't really enough for her but I didn't push it too far over. She is 19 weeks on Tuesday.

Ours was happy to walk for nearly an hour in the woods yesterday, but after puppy training this morning, point-blank refused to walk this evening for DD. Just sat down on his bottom until she turned round and brought him home.
Has found enough energy to attack his "cousin" just now, though.

Well my new puppy has had a busy day. I hope I'm not over-whelming him, please let me know if you think it's too much.

This morning I had to meet a friend two hours away, so puppy came with us. He was an absolute dream in the car. He came with us to a local park and met people onn bikes, big dogs, small dogs, children, swans, pigeons etc. He was mostly off lead and was great, trotting along next to us, of dozing under the cafe table with us taking turns carrying him for part of the way.

We stopped off at a pub for lunch where we sat outside and puppy slept off lead under the table. Afterwards he had lunch and then did a nice poo on the village green.

In the afternoon we went to Bristol city centre, where we carried him to a cafe and he slept under the table.

He was wonderful all two hours home, where he has just had his dinner and now the children are supervising him in the garden.

I hope this isn't all too much for him on our first whole day together, but I am keen to expose him to as much as possible. I just want to get it right.

Geepers totally understand the want to socialise him and show him the world and that is a great thing to do. You might find he is fine but one thing we noticed with our puppy in the early days was when she was overtired her night time sleep was completely off kilter so keep an eye on him and he will let you know over time how much or how little to do with him. Also ours slept like a dream on night one as I think she was totally overwhelmed, come nights 2, 3 and 4 was when we got a lot of barking and whining so if he is a bit more like this tonight it might just be that and not that you have overtired him. However he sounds like he slept a lot of the day anyway so it was probably an okay balance and really great you got to show him all those things and he was calm and content

Oops, think am walking her too much then. She's having 2walks a day, one of which is sometimes with my friend when she walks her dog, so that's usually an hour. Had big walk this morning and a big play in the park-did a lot of barking when playing with other dogs though, especially when they wouldn't do what she wanted, was like a sheepdog trying to round them up to play Was completely knackered when we got back though.

Has had a couple of training sessions too.

Maybe she's overtired. But always crate her on return for a good 90mins or so. She sleeps 9.30-7.30 or later some days :)

Not too devilish rest of day :o

Geepers, am with spam that pup may get overtired with too much stimulation. We had to manage sleep time as much as anything else! Was just like having a newborn again, as our pup was and is completely unable to manage her own sleep and will keep going and mooching unless we make her sleep. Sounds like doing well with socialisation.

can I be really cheeky and ask some experts for help over here please?

Happymm maybe she is over stimulated? I have really lowered the stimulation/exercise since about 14 weeks and puppy is so so calm. In the early days I was so keen to socialise and train that I think I completely overwhelmed her, I also thought more stimulation = tired puppy who would be good but it is completely the opposite. The more chill out time you give her the better she is. My daughter sometimes treats her like a baby with the cuddling and turning her over for a tummy rub and pup never ever so much as opens her mouth with her. Today she would have carried on with the other puppy for another couple of hours but I took her away as she was getting nippy, argumentative and shouty! They were arguing over an apple and it all got a bit heated so I thought enough and bought her in and put her in her crate, she cried and created but after 5 mins settled and slept like a baby. I have a very good gauge with my puppy in that she is mainly white, her face is white and she has white around the eyes, when she is tired the white turns pink and I can tell instantly that she is knackered so it is really easy to work her out!

Happy mine has at least an hour a day, sometimes more. He just is so energetic. But won't just settle for the rest of the day - I swear he needs so much! I don't do too much active playing with him at home - a few short training sessions or play and rest of the time he is in his play pen/crate (mostly playpen). But if we only do a short walk he seems no different/worse! Argh. Anyway he is a lot better now as well as in the park and didn't run up to any dogs today - and there were quite a few. We distracted him or whistle called him back. And he did meet any dogs he didn't automatically jump all over them like he normally does - he sniffed and seemed fairly relaxed! Maybe he's getting better?!?!

Oh dear. Think we may have a bit of a tummy upset going on here! DH had a "bit of a scene" to deal with in the kitchen this morning and I've just attempted to take him on a walk (dog, not DH) and it was the stuffed toy on its bottom routine up the road until he did the most prolific output of poo I've ever seen in my life. On top of what DH dealt with earlier. And this from a puppy who struggles to go twice a day normally.
No change in diet - apart from a couple of scraps of roast beef from dinner last night. Is possible it was that...
Hey ho.

Oh dear clam! Is it watery or just liquid poo?
He may well have eaten something on a walk etc. I would maybe do chicken and rice and when it calms down start introducing kibble again? Hope he recovers soon. Keep an eye on him and water intake etc

Have just given ours a raw meaty bone for lunch and am awaiting the likely
More liquid outcome.... Nice. Why did I do it?! He has enjoyed it loads though!

Liquidy poo. Since you asked!
He's vey weedy today, but nothing more since 10.30 this morning.

liquidy poo usually means they have eaten something. Watery is worse. If nothing since 10:30 then sounds not too bad. Ours had liquid pop but no more frequently - just normal amount of times but liquid. Nice! Actually it's not great today - probably park related. So it might just get better. Think if not serious then 3 day rule - if not better after 3 days call vet. Sounds like it might clear up though!

Clam - poor pup and poor you! If it wasn't the roast beef, might it have been something else? I have worked out that the liver past kong filler gives my puppy diarrhoea.

I've started a thread 'my puppy bit someone' rather than post here because I was hoping to get some opinions from experienced dog owners, but would love some advice from you lot too if you get a minute.

Basically bit the dog groomer when she tried to pluck her ears, was mortifying, and am anxious to respond correctly so that it doesn't happen again.

Hmm Howdoes. How odd you should say that - this afternoon in park we started talking to a lovely woman with a an old goldie and a 2 year old cockapoo and she was telling me - as i said ours is nippy - how hers bit the groomer too (and groomer refused to groom). So it happens! If we took ours to groomer I would bet he would bite too. He tries to bite me/the brush and eta v over excited when I brush him. I try to do it most nights and so far he isn't much better yet! Sorry to hear it - honestly mine would be the same just haven't braved the groomer - although maybe I should get him used to it?! No idea how to stop it happening though - sorry not much help!

As you can see from all my posts above, I'm no expert! But my pup (14 week old cockapoo - don't know what yours is but you mentioned a poodly coat so they might share some basic characteristics in terms of temperament) is very good-natured and tolerant, but he has on occasion nipped the DCs. My take on it, whilst dealing with him when he's done it, has been to blame them for persisting in lying down on the floor with him despite me telling them not to, and letting him jump all over them. Frankly, they get what they deserve - they're old enough at nearly 13 and 15 to know better. The thing is, however, I don't want him to get in the habit. He has to learn that touching a human with his teeth is NEVER OK.
In your situation, I would say that plucking his ear hair comes under extreme provocation!! The groomers must also know that and it sounds as if they took it well - all part of the job. All I can offer, from a (very) lay person's point of view, is to gently play with his ears when you're petting him so he gets used to it as a positive thing and doesn't forever associate it with a sharp pull with some tweezers!
Good luck!

Kings and clam, thank you for replying, nice to be reassured that it doesn't mean I have a potential child eater on my hands. I was so upset at the time - felt awful for the groomer of course, but also for pup as it sounds like it would have been a successful trip otherwise.

I do hope this doesn't put her off the groomers for life, she did come out quite cheerfully after giving the groomer a lick and taking a treat (dog version of 'no hard feelings' I thought).

Think I will indeed build up to doing this myself before putting her back in the hands of a groomer, and give her lots of nice ear connotations in the meantime - play with ears, treat etc.

Will also be super strict about nipping and mouthing too, just to reinforce message that dog teeth on human skin is totally unacceptable.

Agh, there's always something isn't there?!

Howdoes-that must have been awful to have come back to a groomer with a bandage-but plucking ear hair sounds painful!!

Our pup is still a pain with biting. She had a bit of a go at DS when DH was watching him (I was at Take That) so he (DS) now has a mauled arm with scratches on where you can see the four teeth

She had visitors today and she was really good at not jumping up too much and despite doing excited wees on the floor was pretty good so I am pleased about that.

DH also did some off lead stuff with her at the weekend and said she did really well.

How do you find your pups walk on the lead. Ours pulls so much that at some points she's almost walking on two legs! Although she is usually worse on the way home. She has only been allowed out for a week so I shouldn't be too hard on her really

I have a smaller crate for the car now and have been popping her in there on and off over the day so she can get used to it and then hopefully crack the pooping in car issue.

Kingsroadie Where do you buy your dog food from? Is it online? I fancy trying it for ours and hopefully solving the toothpaste poop. She is still looking a bit skinny too and another thread has mentioned a CSJ working dog food. Whilst I don't want her to have extra energy or stamina (she has enough of that!) I don't want a skinny dog either!

Sorry for long post - a chance to off load!

One quick Q - how long do you keep a meaty bone before you chuck it?

Yes I agree - plucking ear hair does sound horrid - do they not cut it?!

Alp - ours has got better on the lead (and I haven't tried a gentle leader yet). He is also much better off lead too and doesn't go bounding over to other dogs anymore (mostly!) which is good.

We get our acana wild prairie from zooplus website, along with all our other pet stuff. It is the cheapest I have found. Also, google zooplus discount code and you can normally find one that gives 5% off. They deliver free if over £19 and it's fairly rapid with parcel force. (I have even returned 2 x 15kg bags of JWB and they sent a courrier - for £7.50 buy pretty hassle free!). Acana really suits our puppy! Let me know if any other Qs...

Brilliant! Thanks for all that info - you're a star!

How on earth do you manage pup and pushchair? An doing that tomorrow - we are lucky to have a biggish garden so can wear pup out there but doesn't help with the lead work....

Chance of pup getting caught in wheels or DS being in a chariot!

Good news: tummy seems to have settled. Found myself in the ridiculous situation of trawling through the bushes to examine his poo this afternoon!! Much improved.
DH took him for a walk this evening and he was much more keen. On the way back they passed a neighbour watering her garden! Dog went bananas chasing the hpsepipe spray and had a whale of a time. He got absolutely soaked and DH stupidly let him off the lead at the back door, whereupon he made straight for me and leapt on me! 3rd change of clothes today.

No probs! Also I started off feeding slightly less than recommended just so he got used to it although tbh he had good poo from the start!

Re buggy - I hook dog over buggy handle (maclaren) or fasten it onto the buggy clip that I have on my bugaboo. Then one had to push and other to direct/shorten lead (or just leave him attached to buggy if need other hand!) On way to park my daughter often walks too! Actually not sure how I manage....

Clam - glad tummy better - mine was a bit funny today too - think it just happens sometimes!

Well we had a better evening and a lovely friend has offered to come round and pluck pup's ears for me later today. That is a really great friend isn't it?! She has had to do it for all of her previous dogs, so is a bit of an expert, and is not at all worried about being mauled by my ferocious puppy. Will let you know how we get on...

I've no idea why they don't just cut it kings, would be easier (but presumably less effective?)!

Alp - we used to have pulling on the lead but I swear by the stop/start method as she is much improved now; sometimes forgets herself if she spots another dog walking ahead, or if we are very near home and she wants to get back, but I try not to give in and allow plenty of time for this on her morning walk. I enjoy the evening walk far more because that is on a long lead or off-lead so there is no pulling at all of course. Unlike kings I haven't felt brave enough to go off lead when there are other dogs around, so I don't know how she would be then!

Thanks for the support re biting incident, feeling much better about it all today.

14 weeks today - can't believe we have only had her for 5 weeks, can't even remember what life was like pre-dog

How come you've had her groomed already? (Am wondering if I need to get ours done yet). What is she? Poodle?

She's a spanish water dog, clam - they have a curly, woolly coat that doesn't moult and needs clipping twice a year, similar to a poodle.

The breed club recommend doing a trip to the groomers before they are 16 weeks, just to get them used to the sound of the clippers etc. and the breeder also suggested that this be done as soon as possible.

They are a sensitive breed though (so suggested to do it early, definitely before second fear imprint period), so this may not be the recommendation for poodles or poodle crosses, I'm not sure.

Anyway - lovely friend came this morning and plucked most of the hair out of her ears. Friend knew exactly how to hold her, lots of praise, lots of treats, and it was no problem at all. She was definitely wriggly, and you could tell she didn't like it (who would?!) but there was no snapping or biting or anything else that could be construed as aggressive. Phew.