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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

New puppy thread part 2

127 replies

belindarose · 06/09/2011 13:03

Previous thread too big for more messages! Amazing we have any time at all to post.
Wyrdmother, hopefully his tummy will be sorted soon then. Pop finally firming up here (sorry!) so I'm almost confident we can buy a huge bag of food. We still haven't offered much in the way of treats, just his normal kibble. Will need something more exciting for recall off the lead!

First puppy class last night went well. Got a babysitter so DH and I could both go. Makes it expensive but I really want him to feel involved as he's quite good at letting me do everything (and I'm quite good at taking over!). We all enjoyed it and pup showed off his 'sit' and 'wait' beautifully. His lead walking, however...! Oh well, lots to work on anyway. The other two puppies were much older, I think they'd mixed a couple of classes as people were away. We can't go next week but there are some younger puppies starting then. He fell asleep in the car on the way home and slept all night! Had to force him out to the loo.

Not sure how to get out for lead practice this week. DH working lates then away for the weekend. I can't walk with pushchair or free toddler. She'll have to go on my back in a sling I suppose, but can't in this foul weather! Or I'll have to force myself to get up in the mornings before DD wakes up. Just couldn't this morning!

OP posts:
clam · 12/09/2011 11:59

Dunno about the ears, but mine has floppy ones anyway.

tooearlytobeup · 12/09/2011 14:03

I'm the same, pups ears are already floppy, so nothing has changed

Pisky · 12/09/2011 19:26

Another floppy eared spaniel here as well.

gomez · 12/09/2011 22:16

Evening. Hoping for some advice. Proud new owner of bouncy, active, happy 8 weeks old Working Cocker Spaniel. Family house, adult at home all day (working from home but happy to make time for puppy). Three children: aged 5, 7 and 11.. Eldest is engaged sensible and really doing well helping in toilet training and general fun.

But how the hell do we keep pup amused, exercised and stimulated until we can take her out of the garden after 2nd vaccination?

She loves being outside, picks up and hunts down scents and is starting to show some some signs re: training. But is also clearly desperate to go further - totally appreciate she is still a baby but she will be tearing around the house before we can take her out.

Any hints, tips, suggestions, please?

ditavonteesed · 13/09/2011 06:44

dont remember cherry (also a border terrier) ears ever going floppy.

car sickness, my old dog nelson was and my mum used to give him half a sea legs every time we went on a long journey.
Havent been on for a fe days aswas getting a bit grumpy with the sleep deprivation again. the police helicopter woke eric up about 6 nights ago and he has been waking up and barking llike mad at between 2 and 4 since then, I have been going and letting him out and I think he has lernt that he is calling us. ignored last night and he went back to sleep after about an hour and didnt bark again until 6.30am. So thats it I am being hard no more getting up in the night it is making me very grumpy.
last injections today. yay.
Another mistake I have definatly been making is letting hm zonk out in the evening, he has just been curling up next to cherry on the sofa and we cant get him back into up mode, think this is probably why he is waking in the middle of the night.

ClaireBear54 · 13/09/2011 09:25

Thanks re ears. Will keep a vague check on them. They do prick up again at times, but she does sort of fold them over too! Odd. First puppy class went better than I was expecting last night. No accidents on the floor, and was generally very interested at what was going on and all the other dogs. Too sweet really. We have homework for next week, but it was fun to see all the other puppies snuffling about too!

clam · 13/09/2011 10:19

Our vet said to wait only one week after 2nd jab to go out. Are others saying 2 then?

Original poster
belindarose · 13/09/2011 13:14

Our vet said 5 days!

OP posts:
Pisky · 13/09/2011 16:58

Mine said 1-2 weeks so I talked to my sister who explained it (she is also a Vet).

The manufacturers say 2 weeks to cover themselves but many vets suggest earlier than that so that the puppies don't miss out on socialization.

If you have friends with fully vaccinated dogs you are probably fine to socialize with them earlier.

tooearlytobeup · 13/09/2011 17:01

One week after Jab for us too.

dita Jake is being awful at night too. Last week he was sleeping from about 10.30 to 6.00-6.30. Since friday he has been getting gradually worse culminating in 10.15 going to bed last night, waking at 12.45. Went quiet at 1.30. Barking again at 2.15. I was taking him out to the garden each time, but he was not weeing, just rolling in the grass Angry At that point I put him back in the crate, shut every door in the house and left him to it Sad It felt worse because I had deliberately worn him out, hoping for a better night!

I am not doing that again, and so have moved the crate to the kitchen, which is the furthest room from the neighbours, and I am not going down to him tonight, however much noise he makes. Thankfully my kids are sleeping through it, although my poor neighbour is being disturbed Sad

clam · 13/09/2011 17:53

tooearly we had a bit of that, with him waking and barking at various points. He'd done it the first few nights he came home - fair enough - and was very distressed, but after that he was just taking the mick and just fancying a chat, so we ignored him. Hard to do but does work.

tooearlytobeup · 13/09/2011 20:06

Thanks clam, it's good to know it worked for you Smile I sooooo need some sleep

ditavonteesed · 14/09/2011 07:41

well super good doggy slept from about 9pm (we were very tired) until 7am with barely a peep so ignoring him must have worked.
different vet yesterday and she said 1 week so thats better.

I have been jumping at every little sound as some of our neighbours have had the lead nicked off their bay windwos and I am paraniond am wondering if this is why he hs been barking.

Thinking of getting a beware of the dogs sign with a picture of really big scary dogs on it, he has got a very manly bark noone needs to know it is a border terrier and a cocker spaniel.
tooearly - buy your neighbour some ear plugs and a bottle of wine :) I feel like we are on the same path at the moment.
cant wait to start puppy lcass although not sure if I am going to take both dogs or take eric and then bring him home and swap dogs, not sure about her going to off lead puppy bit, but swapping dogs while it will only take 10 mins, will interfere with my beer time. Hmm

Original poster
belindarose · 14/09/2011 08:04

That's good news about your night, dita.

I'm braving an off lead walk with my friend, her springer and both toddlers this morning. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger...

OP posts:
ditavonteesed · 14/09/2011 08:14

bet pup wont leave your side. cherry never did until she hit teenagerhood.

Original poster
belindarose · 14/09/2011 08:18

Thanks for the reassurance! I'll update if I ever make it back!

OP posts:
tooearlytobeup · 14/09/2011 08:41

Good luch Belinda! Sure it will be fine Smile

Dita, congratulations on your sleep! We were better last night too, Bed at 10 with no barking Shock No noise until 4.15 this morning. I left him bark until 4.50 when I got up with him, he ran to the garden at this point, desperate for a wee and poo Blush

Immediate neighbour is fantastic, and I sent her a bunch of flowers last week Smile
Wine and earplugs have gone to the shift worker who was kept awake all day last week Grin

We have also had an improvement this morning, as pup normally barks when I go upstairs to dress, and get the kids ready for school. This morning we only had one small yap, which is a huge improvement Smile

Original poster
belindarose · 14/09/2011 08:52

I'm a bit worried by all your barking tales, although you're all makin progress. Mine hasn't done this yet. I've only heard him bark twice - once at the neighbour late at night in the garden and once at the cat. Does the barking habit start later (he's 16 weeks)?

OP posts:
tooearlytobeup · 14/09/2011 09:21

With us belinda, it started from the first day, and got worse when i returned to work, so I'm sure you'll be ok :-)

ditavonteesed · 14/09/2011 11:07

belinda, eric has barked a lot since the day we got him, in fact when I spoke to the breeder she said she knew one of them was loud but not which one. cherry never barked till she was about 6 months old and still only barks when playing with other dgs, she has never barked at home.

Original poster
belindarose · 14/09/2011 12:29

We'll see what happens with his barking then. Fingers crossed he'll stay quiet! Our woodland walk was brilliant. He just played with my friend's dog, ran ahead, explored and mostly came back each time I called him for a treat. It was great to watch him having so much fun. He got utterly filthy, of course, and I had to use the hose in the back garden. What do you all do about muddy dogs? I'm not houseproud, but there are limits! I'm definitely going to get a car crate, maybe this pm. He had a kong in the footwell on the way there but was on the front passenger seat on the way home. Better go and clean that now actually.

OP posts:
Pisky · 14/09/2011 14:55

My lap is getting too small for pup to curl up and sleep on - not that she is letting that stop her!

Anyone else with a cocker know what weight they were at 16/17weeks? Due to broken wrist can't get her to vets to be weighed and need to worm her this weekend. She was 3.5kg at 10 weeks.

ditavonteesed · 14/09/2011 17:54

cor thats diddy, eric is 5kg and he is just under 11 weeks. no idea though sorry, 15kg is average fully grown I think.

clam · 14/09/2011 20:19

tooearly, after having reassured you that this waking early would soon pass, would it make you feel better or worse if I told you that mine, at the grand old age of 5.5 months, woke at 5.30 this morning, peed on the floor and then barked loud and long to tell us about it! Angry

tooearlytobeup · 14/09/2011 21:07

Um clam I'n not sure Confused

Actually he has been better today. He seems to be upset when he is first left, so yesterday and today I left him alone for the whole time I was in work (5.5 hrs including travelling time) Up until now, I have had a neighbour going in half way through to feed him, let him out to wee and play with him. Amazingly, he has been much better, and rather than barking for 15-20 mins when I left him, and the same when she left, he has been quiet all through. We have had a poo on the floor, but thats a small price to pay Smile

He has followed me around the house less, he seems calmer and has not been barking when I leave the room, so I am hoping that will make him more settled at night too.

Actually, thinking about it, perhaps he just hates me now Hmm