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 :)

Lucky you Mother... it sounds as though you have an easy dog there.Mine has so far this morning pooped inside and out [inside massively!].Wedged his head under the adjoining fence from next door and was about to slide his whole body underneath.Eldest dd pulled him out and he ran off with one of her flipflops and hid it under a bush on the other side of the garden and ran back to her.I happened to see him rooting round underneath the bush [in front of office window] and hence dd managed to rescue her newly bought expensive flipflops.He is now in disgrace and has been banned to the utility room courtesy of dh who has said he needs serious discipline [after rolling round in the mud and covering us all with same as we tried to wash his lower chassis!].

Have found that pup like Classic FM!

Tried it yesterday when pup was hyper (overtired) - the kids were playing up and I NEEDED chocolate (or something a bit stronger ) and it worked! She settled down and went to sleep on my lap instead of trying to race around madly and I then moved her to her mat.

Has worked again today so ...

Help. Im hating this at the moment. Had the pup 2 weeks now and she was dreat initially. Now all gone to hell. She is jumping up and scratching the kids and howling when i leave her. Kids are also fighting non stop with each other and being generally awful. I honestly dont know how to manage the three of them without loosing my temper.

Does it get easier?

I think school holidays are difficult.My cocker is really good with just me but add dc's into the mix he acts like a fractious demanding naughty biting child [toddler].

You're right, teta, I am lucky and I know it! I also have a 13 year old dd who is fantastic with the pup and so the school hols are a bonus for me.

Mine is a cocker too teta. I stupidly planned to get her in the holidays so my DH and i could have some time off with her. Just cant justify taking time off during term time though.

Mother i have a 12 year old dd who is also really good and he is her dog.But as the dog has transformed from a cute bewildered fuzzball into a termaghent she has got cross with him and can't handle the bad behaviour or be sufficiently strict with him.I have just been reading up on cocker spaniels and it says they are the most obstinate dogs ever and training them can be difficult!.Apparently they are especially difficult during teenage months and some never recover their recall afterwoods.

Heavy, Teta and Mother - you three could possibly be the new Kings, Happy and Alp - read back to the start of this thread and you will see plenty of rants, raves and general WTF have I done posts.

It does get easier, much much more so!

I noticed yest that I no longer have scratches all over my hands, I and the kids have been showing some flesh without any damage and the pup took herself off for a nap.

4 weeks ago I would have never thought it possible.

Pisky-you seem to have the magic touch

Thanks alp. I must say if have spent the last few days thinking. What was i thinking. A cocker spaniel, i must be nuts. DH was determined to get a cocker (working) so i guess we are now reaping thre rewards

Still in hospital with DD ... Rough night of pain. DH is at the end of his tether ... Can't understand why pup still goes straight to nip mode with the kids ... He gets riled ... Gets pup riled ... Keeps asking me if it gets better. I sooooo want to tell him I told you so ... He doesn't understand puppies at all. I wanted to adopt an adult dog ... But noooooooooo!!!! ugh.

I'm glad he's experiencing this ... Now he sees why I had to go on Valium. I know that makes me a mean wife, but as much as the kids whined about wanting a puppy, he was just as bad. Now I'm the one who resisted resisted resisted and I'm the one who understands that this is part of the 25% spawns of satan that puppies ARE!!!! You cannot sugarcoat this ... Puppies suck for those of us who have young children and cannot devote 100% of our days and nights to one creature. I know this would be easier if we didn't have kids. I knew getting this dog would turn our lives upside down and ruin our summer ... He has ... Again, I'm not sugarcoating this. I'm venting. but this is what it is, our family has the cherish the75% times when he's an angel, when we can pet him without biting or jumping ... It's this25% devil dog that makes me want to scream at my family, YOU'RE THE ONES THAT WANTED THIS, NOT ME!!!!!! it just bothers me to no end that DH can't get it through his head that puppies nip and bite and jump. it doesn't go away overnight, in a week, in a month. This is going to go on and on and on for MONTHS!!!! DUHHHHHHH!!!!!

I hate being the only one who gets that.

Ok, vent over. I know I'm awful.

Your not awful you are normal!

I very often shout at the kids about pup although as it's only my DD (8) who can understand it's her that gets the brunt of it on occasions.

We've had a Bit Of A Week here chez clam.
Saturday: dog wolfed half a slice of chocolate cake.
Monday: bolted across a main-ish road when spooked by another dog and narrowly missed being run over.
Weds: went digging in a large flower pot full of wet, peaty compost (see profile pic)
Weds: wolfed half a dozen home-made chocolate fudges/truffles and had to be rushed to the vet for £200 emergency treatment
Today: discovers a blocked kitchen drain and snuffles his nose and paws right in to all the gunk blocking the grate! Nice! He has been scrubbed to within an inch of his life but still stinks.

Any potential newbies still wondering if a puppy is a good idea?

I know that I will never ever do this puppy again. I honestly don't understand how anyone can say they miss the puppy stage.

There's supposed to be an expletive between "puppy" and "again" ... Let's just say puppy doo doo again ...

No magic touch just re reading this thread endlessly trying to work out what to do right from the start and all your tips seem to be working. (Was having nightmares and panic attacks before she arrived thanks to this thread though!)

Most probs are when she is overtired and like the looney I am, I am now sitting on the floor next to her mat with the laptop balanced on a chair, classic fm playing away and getting her to sleep with her head in my lap (hoping I can then sneak away for a comfier seat!)

Mumsnet does make staying in one room most of he day more bareable.

I'm sure the fun will come next week when my MIL and FIL are up and DH off work and the novelty will wear off for the kids.

Clam You have had an eventful week! Goodness me! Let's hope for a relaxing weekend!

We have yet to bath our pup (Is that a bit nasty?) She doesn't seem to smell...unless everyone else can smell her?!

Stressed You have a lot going on with a DD having surgery if I had all that happening AND a puppy. I don't think I would be up for a repeat!

We've be practising lead walking and pup has really come along! I am shocked. It seems that those dog trainers do know what they are doing after all.....

Homework this week from dog trainers...wait and stay. I have a very lively and springy springer spaniel....this will take more efforts on all our parts!

Hi everyone, I thought I had best join in since I brought home Shadow yesterday. he is an 8 weeks old GS.

He is at me heels like a little shadow at the moment, seems to only want to be outside and whines if he isn't.
Not to many accidents so far.
I ended up asleep on the sofa last night with 3 hourly bouncings to go out.

He is a big bundle of fluff atm and quite big for his age.

I could do with showering and hoovering but I'm not sure I can ris showering without accidents and he has already gone nuts at the washing machine so not sure how he will react to the hoover.

How long do I wait before basic training, sit. stay ect?

Titsalina, do you have a crate for him? I always crate my puppy if I am busy, and he has never had an accident in it. He's managed all night since we got him at ten weeks.

No, i was looking at them but i didn't know whether to get a big one now for when he is fully grown or get a smaller one and upgrade as he grows.

Well all those of you who were be envious no longer - the honeymoon period has ended .

Didn't help that dh is away for two days so as pup was calm I left dd in charge (pup on long lead) while checking on dinner - cue screeches from dd as pup decides to "play" and gets teeth caught in her leggings, scratching her leg and making holes in said leggings.

Had had a good day till then - even managed to do some weeding with pup asleep outside (again on long lead so I could turn my back!)

Hoping that manic evening means she will settle down for the rest of the evening and I can get an early night - ready for a 6am start again tomorrow! (Will be glad when DH back to share the load).

Don't think the food pup is on is helping - seems to send her hyper and her poos are very stinky! (Even for dog poo + she seems to struggle with it a little and seemed to be trying to wipe her bottom along the floor after - sorry if too much info ). DH got a 15kg bag for less than £10 so won't be the best (only size available) but was what she was weaned on to. How soon can we start switching her to something better?

Well - pup now curled up asleep at my feet and DD (& DS who sensibly keeps away as soon as pup getting silly) both in bed hopefully sleeping so hoping the peace lasts.

Tits You have to teach him he's OK on his own by just getting on with things. By soothing him and sitting with him you're teaching him that whining/barking/howling is the right thing to do.

Take him out then put him somewhere safe - play pen or gate off an area - with a few toys and his bed and get on with hoovering, showering, cooking whatever needs doing. He'll probably make a fuss but if you ignore him completely - not a word to him, no eye contact. Nothing. He will eventually stop. And will learn that it's OK if you hoover, wash, iron, whatever.

He has to learn, otherwise he'll be a stressed, horrible, hard work grown up dog.

We're HOME!!!! DD is safe in our basement watching tv ...

Other DD told me the dog was the devil while I was away. I don't know if he was that bad. He was really excited to see me ... Which was cute, but man, he's getting so big! he's easily over 20 lbs ... 13 weeks old ...

DH has a greater appreciation for what I go through ...

Stressed I'm all for DHs having a greater appreciation! My DH has the next week off, so after me being in sole charge this weekend of pup DD and DS (whilst he went to pick up his parents who are staying for the week) he will be in charge of the early morning wees!

Guys look at this link great youtube link on training calm behaviour with your dog

Any other links by kikopup are great - hopefully you will get great behaviour and have fun time with your pups.

Great video!!