New puppy thread part 2

[belindarose]

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!

Clam! What a pain - just when you think you are getting somewhere!

Our springer doesn't really bark - our neighbours have yappy terriers/chihuhuaua (sp?!) and they can yap away at everything and thank my lucky stars she doesn't yap back! So don't worry too much!

Oh dear! He's had his op, and has come home with a lampshade!

All the other dogs will laugh at him!!!

cone of shame.

Hi all,

Apologies for deserting the thread, been a busy few weeks.

Tooearly I bet he's just not taking you for granted, you are the goddess who brings dinner, he can't hate you. .

Oh Clam, poor pup.

Ours is doing well, started training classess which send him into a frenzy of excitment so he doesn't actually learn anything in them but he picks the stuff up well when we try it at home.

Does anyone else have trouble with the "aw, he's just a puppy, he'll grow out of it" brigade? Obviously sometimes this is true but there are some people who say it to everything and really don't like it when you say that actually puppies do have to be taught stuff! Interestingly one of the worst culprits keeps saying that about her kids as well, whose latest fun past time is thumping each other in the goolies.

The case in point for us is bite inhibition, our pup when over excited nips, if the nipped person trys to shake him off or shout he nips harder. The "oh, he'll grow out of it brigade" ignore my requests to yelp the second his teeth touch the skin and ignore the puppy because even though we can prove this works, they know better, then I have to get assertive (politely), then they sulk. The Mother of the gooly bashers was huffy with me this morning, she hadn't handled the pup, she just did the "aw he'll grow..." thing when I mentioned this this morning for the benefit of her kids who like to fuss the dog.

Wow. I did not realise how annoyed I was about this until I started typing.

Anyone else having this kind of issue?

Hi just wanted to say hello as will be joining this thread properly in three weeks when my pup arrives.
I am rapidly reading and trying to learn as much as I can from you guys as I have not had a puppy for 15 years now! My dear old springer had to be put down in the summer (she was 15!!!) so will be making the transition from old dog owner (where dog did not need walking anymore!!!) to full on loopy pup owner ;)

Just thought I would bump this back up. How is everyone doing now? We are getting into more of a routine, less barking, virtually no nipping, peeing and pooing in the garden

Current challenges for us are pulling on the lead and refusing to go in the kitchen/bed when he knows he is going to be left. he skulks around the house instead, hoping I will forget about him . Fine at the moment as I can pick him up, but I don't think that will work for long.

Jammygal, glad you have joined us, yet another experianced person we can pick the brains of

Well, despite the "cone of shame" he's still managed to fiddle with his bits (what's left of them) and it's all very red and sore down there. He's just been prescribed a second course of antibiotics, which he'll be pleased about because he loves them and sits for them as he does treats! Unfortunately for him, he's also been given an even bigger lampshade so he can't reach his bits. He keeps miscalculating the width of doorframes and bashing into them!

Aw clam that sounds hysterical Jake was on antibiotics the first week we had him, and he loved them too.

Just got back from collecting my youngest from nursery school. Pup walked well, very little pulling. Everything was great until we had to pass a man with two Jack Russells. "watch them" he said, but didn't move out of the way or hold them back. We walk past, Jake on his lead at the opposite side of the pavement, and they both launch themselves at him snarling and snapping

They couldn't get to pup, but one grabbed the top of my leg and wouldn't let go. Luckily I was wearing jeans, so they are ripped (only bought on Saturday too ) but my leg wasn't cut just bruised.

I really hope this doesn't make Jake afraid of other dogs, or aggressive towards them.
He didn't even help to get the dog off me, just said, "it's because they are on the lead"

What???? You've been attacked by a dog who ripped your jeans???? And if you hadn't been wearing any ( you know what I mean) that would have been your leg! Or your child's head??
You sound very casual about this!

Yep I know , not the way i thought i would react. I was 2 minutes from the school, so my daughter was not with me, and he had a little boy of about 2 with him who started crying, so I didnt want to stop and make things worse, I just wanted to get away from them :-( All i actually said to him was that i hoped he was not left off the lead. It was a small jack russell and did not break the skin, so not a lot i can do except thank god the kids were not with me

too early - what a nightmare hope you are okay?

Clam - sorry to hear about your pup's cone of shame - bless him!

Lot's happening here, Maggie is 30 weeks old tomorrow and got her first season last night and seems to also have kennel cough! So I haven't walked her today and I feel so guilty about it but she is just so out of sorts bless her.

I have stupidly created a rod for my own back....can't really believe I have done it but there you go. Saturday night husband and I had a night out as daughter was away so I thought I really couldn't bear being barked awake at 7.00am Sunday morning so let Maggie sleep up on the bed with me - have done this a couple of times on holiday and at other people's houses and she just waits for us to wake up and is not our alarm clock. All was fine I woke at 8.00 and let her out, I do like having her little warm body on my feet so last night let her do it again. However as I say she has just got her first season so tonight I thought back to the crate for you my love and she has been crying solidly now for 25 mins!!! It is like being back at square one whereby we are trying to furiously ignore her and praying she is not going to wake up my daughter - arrrgghhh

all going ell here puppy wise, just abot house trained and doing really well at walking on and off lead. is an angel as training classes. One thing I am strglling with is keeping the walks to 15 mins, he is so happy and lively when we are out that it is so tempteing to just keep going.
Hvaing trouble with cherry though, she has developed dog aggression and now wears a muzzle, we are walking in the middle of nowhere where we are unlikely to meet many other dogs and working really hard on training this issue. We are off to the vets today to check there are no physical problems.
too early hope you are ok sounds really scary.
clam, hows it going with the cone of shame?

spam spam, put her some pants on and let her slepp with you. i wish I could have the dogs wih me, but I alrady have the cats with me and dh so think we would run out of space.

Have put a pic on my profile. Can't rotate it, unfortunately.

Good to hear everyone's updates. Wyrd, we have a similar problem if he jumps up excitedly. Trying really hard to wait till he sits before he gets attention and he can do this really well at times, but well meaning 'dog lovers' say 'it's okay, he's only a baby' and encourage it. A minor problem, but annoying!

Mostly going well here. Off lead is great, on lead improving but very hard work. He's fine to be left, in his crate. Main problem is still worms, and now a tummy bug I think. Trainer at our class said it's doing the rounds and one dog there last night had diarrhoea in the training hall. Ours vomited up lots of undigested kibble (and worm treatment) last night and poo looks like it's going to be hard to clean up - fortunately in the garden! I'm boiling him up some rice for the day now!

Hello!

I haven#t posted for so long I am a bit lost with what everyone is up to!

Here things are going OK although this morning DS (2) was playing with an old mobile phone which I was planning on ebaying - Pup has got it and chewed it - manging to crack it, get battery out and chew it! Great!!!!

Other than that - All is going well. Walking off lead is getting more and more fun and she is getting more adventourous which means regular baths! On lead walking is still a bit hit and miss - She walks better for me or DH than anyone else.

She stayed with my FIL for a night when we went to a wedding and he let her sleep on his bed - the night after she howled when she went to bed and woke us (well me) at 6.30 the next three mornings by barking! Im glad that she is now back to normal!

We have signed up to the next 6 week dog/puppy training classes - I am hoping that we can use these (and the next courses after these) to see us through the 'teenage' stage.

clam Cone of shame is brilliant! Monty is very cute!

Dita I hope cherry grows used to the muzzle - it sounds from your other thread sthat you are really working hard

tooearly I can't believe you got bitten! Dread to think what could have happened if your DCs or the owners DC was in the way!

Wyrd Our pup was like a firecracker on a lead at training class - other dogs would sleep (!) but ours was a loony! Also I do get annoyed when others do what they think best with our pup - The DCs (well the 8yr old) know that I walk her on the lead as we are trainign her, don't blow the whistle randomly etc as we need to train her properly. My friends mum wanted to hold the lead the other day as to help as I had pushchair - She has had a springer before so came as an expert - She allowed pup to pull all the way to the woods, so much she was alomst choking herself and then said - can you still get choke chains? that what we used.........

Anyway - must go and retrieve more toys from garden.........

Thanks everyone for your concern. I am fine, pup was very clingy all day, but totally fine in puppy class that evening, and not at all nervous. We haven't seen another Jack Russell yet though so will have to seek out a friendly one.

Dita, I hope things improve with Cherry soon. It must be stressful for you. Is he OK with Eric?

Wyrd & Alp, Jake is like that at puppy class too. They are meant to sit quietly on our laps but he wriggles so badly, he is the only one allowed on the floor

Clam, How cute is your pup!

Belinda, I hope his tummy is better soon

Hello! Can I join? We pick up our show cocker pup in six weeks. Been reading the other thread, but had to take a break as it's so loooong!

Feeling apprehensive and want to make sure the pup settles in as quickly as possible. We have an almost 5 year old DS and a loopy 2 and a half year old DD.

There is an option to go and pick her up on my own, mid-week. Is this a good idea? It's 50 minutes away and then I thought I could let her find her feet without the chaos of the kids.

Anyway, I'm sure you've all got tons of advice. I'll try and catch up on the other thread....

As long as you have the means with which to transport her home safely without help, I would say go without them. A car crate? Although not sure how much help DCs of your age would be even if you took them, or how long the journey.

Is 5 months-ish too old for me to qualify to join? Its the pup thats 5 mos, obviously, not me

We got him (Mouse: Labrador crossed with bits of Staffie? Beagle? Something else?) on Saturday, from a MT foster home where he was living with loads of dogs, cats, chickens....now he's a single doggy and follows me like a shadow from room to room, bless him. So far not too many problems, he's very good (probably for all the wrong reasons, having started life in a dustbin, then a pound, then a rescue, then foster...) and surprisingly settled.

Of course, adolescence is yet to hit...

AllOverIt, meant to say - I would definitely go for the quiet, no-kids pick-up, if you can. My youngest is nearly 5, and we were ok - but it was pretty manic once we got home.

I'll go for the chilled pick up. We're going to crate train her, but might pick her up in the cat crate so I can have it on the front seat next to me (secured, so safe if an accident) but she'll be near me rather than in the boot. It's only 50 mins away and no motorways so I can keep stopping if I need to. I can then let her explore around without the kids bothering her.

So excited these six weeks are going to go so slowly . The breeder is lovely and emails photos every other day. She opened her eyes today!

Can I join in? We acquired Jasper, a springer/cocker cross, two weeks ago. He is now 14 weeks old. We're getting there slowly with the house training, and he's mostly well behaved. I enjoy having him during the day, and in the evening. But the few hours between school ending and bedtime for the DC is driving me crackers. Pup is all excited and wound up, and interferes as I make dinner etc. His favourite game is getting in to the dishwasher and licking all of the crockery clean. Lovely. Our house is quite open plan, so shutting him in to another space doesn't really work, and if I put him outside he barks and howls in indignation. We do have a crate, but he tends to complain if left in it

chickens my sister's chocolate lab is called Jasper!

What is it with dogs and the dishwasher? And, sharp knives aside and forbidden foodstuff residue aside, is there any real reason why they shouldn't lick the plates in there? Would be so much easier not to have to police this one.

Welcome, new puppy owners.
Ours is 5 months now and getting easier by the day (until adolescence strikes, I know!). Still dodgy tummy problems that I find difficult, but apart from that he's great. Fewer attempts to chew 'illegal' objects (DD's toys etc), despite obviously teething (blood everywhere!). lead walking is much better (although i still don't do it with DD) and no problems as yet off lead. He was an absolute star at puppy class last night and will be staying with our trainer for a week at half term (MIL hates dogs) so I expect a genius perfect dog to be returned! He's getting more affectionate and cuddly too (has always been abbit aloof unless food involved!)