New Puppy Mommies in here *blerk*

[Awks]

Got our new puppy on Saturday. I was in tears this morning and I'm a pretty experienced dog owner. Its just so hard moaning cow that I am He is a 9 week old cocker and is a beautiful, cuddly boy but is a massive shitting machine. And not in the garden either.

So any new puppy owners want to weep in here then please do.

That's great Moose.

I've started training commands but have found this only works with just me in the room. If either DS or DH are present Zebo doesn't concentrate and it all goes to pot! He can 'sit' and responds to 'off' when I hold a treat. Needs a lot more work but started well. We have a low coffee table in our sitting room and my aim is to get him secure enough on the 'off' command so that I can put a plate of cupcakes on the table and he will leave them alone. We've got a birthday end of sept in the family, so Zebo's party piece could be to leave the cupcakes alone in return for high value treats of his own. It's worth aiming high!

Glad pip is a bit better, that's a relief.

This perfectly trained pup I was going to have is fast becoming a pleasant daydream - he can do sit and lie (as long as there are treats) but much more and he's stumped. God love him.

A quick q though, how long do you all stay in the garden while they wee - when can I just open the door, shove him out and leave him to it? He wees on command when I am there but if I shut the door on him he sits on the step, crying......

Awks, Pip has been going on his own for a couple of weeks now. He just takes himself off when he needs to go and I watch him from indoors. I only take him out now if I think it's been a while since he went and he's being a bit ditsy and distracted or if he's just woken up and wanders anywhere but straight to the back door.

Good news! Pip was quiet on the school run this afternoon and was still eating his kongs when I got back. I was amazed as ds2's teacher kindly decided shesimply had to hold the juniors back ten minutes to finish their lesson, as it had been interrupted by a fire drill - despite the torrential (and I mean buckets of water comin' 'atcha torrential) rain that all the parents and younger siblings were standing in while they waited. . I was out just shy of half an hour and there wasn't even a squeak from him the whole time, so this morning must have been to do with him still feeling a bit under the weather I think.

He's definitely better now and in rare form tonight, doing greyhound impressions round and round the house, leapfrogging off poor old Lurcherboy's head, chucking his toys around and leaping on them over and over again.

Dh decided that it might calm him down if he took him out for some socialisation in the dark, not far, just a little carry to the local shop. He said he was fine on the way there, happy enough stuffing chicken pieces while dh stood outside the shop letting him watch cars, people, bicycles etc but on the way back he started shaking again.

Also watched a video of some gorgeous rescue lurcher pups playing together earlier on. Pip stopped what he was doing, sat down and cocked his head on one side, then tucked his tail between his legs, shot into his crate and hid in his bed.

I've decided not to fret about it though. Worst come to worst, if he does really struggle to get along with other dogs I will book an appointment with Dog Communication as although they're a long way away from us, the work they do is incredible. I am convinced that had they been around when I had my fear aggressive boy they could definitely have turned him around. (One of the biggest problems we had was finding suitable dogs to introduce him to in order to desensitise him).

Ah, he's fallen asleep. Peace at last!

Sorry, Awks, meant to say. Sounds like he's just got used to you always being out there with him and just needs to learn that it's ok to be outside on his own.

I started retreating while he was out there to start with, so he got used to me not always being close by. First I just stood a few feet away, then waited on the patio, then moved to the entrance and finally just stepped out the door, then back in as he shot up the garden. As soon as he realised he could still charge around the garden being loopy without me tagging along he was happy to go out on his own. The only time he doesn't like it out there now is if he can hear a dog barking in the park or on a Sunday when the weekend football clubs are playing.

Moose that sounds as though you've got Pip back in good form! Great if he's well enough to have that puppy mad 5 minutes.

What a good idea about socialising at night, I hadn't thought about that. It's tough when they're limited to the house.

We had 3 of DS1 friends round for 5 mins. They all played in garden with Zebo until one accidentally stepped back on him and squashed his foot. Cue loud squeal and Zebo limped off into the bushes with a sore foot. Seems OK now, after some leftover lamb, and no long term damage. A puppy is going to have to be hardy in this house with 12 yr olds who are massive and boisterous!

I've made the mistake twice today of bringing Nala in too early cue poo on the floor, it's very easy to clean up which is a bonus.

She knows sit, dinner, pee and her name. She's also discovered the source of crumbs under the dining room table.

Moose - am so glad Pip is feeling better now

Thanks moose! Great to hear pup is feeling better - even if he is being a noisy monster!

Just realised my comment is a reply to a couple of pages ago!

Wishing we had a garden and a house or ground level flat now...still, all this lifting must be good for my arms! Haha. Floyd pees and poos outside and never in his crate, never poos inside but pees everywhere still! Should I reward him more outside? He had a properly round belly developing! Vet gave me worming tabs but don't see any worms, could just be a tubby little fellow! Definitely gworing outwards but not upwards yet!

Had him off leash today in the car park and he is now responding to come, sit and lie - as long as there's the prospect of food at the end! Off and down are tricky, and he is still going totally berserk when he sees his meals coming three times a day!

Been carrying him around town today - much to the delight of others in leith! He loves the attention! Less than a week till he can start walking and developing those muscles! :))

Sweet kitty, what a lovely name! Did I see she was a Rhodesian ridgeback somewhere? Such beautiful dogs!!

Any advice about stopping barking? Our previously quiet puppy has just come out of himself and is barking like mad- at the kids getting their school bags ready, at me getting his food bowl washed, at DH when he was just standing still!

He also barked for nearly 2 hours when we left him at bedtime last night, despite him settling really well in the kitchen for the past week. I'm wondering if we need a dog trainer in to give us to quick advice before this sets in - our puppy classes don't start till end October.

I'm feeling really low with it today, was just thinking we were getting a routine, good house training, happy kids & dog and now feel exhausted.

Today's questions ...

Food - Fitz has absolutely zero interest in kibble .. He was on a mix of raw meat and wainwright's puppy food at the breeder but he will not touch the kibble on its own and even when mixed in with a bit of gravy and mince or chicken he'll eat all the meat and lick off the gravy. If I try to hand feed any of it he'll take it politely then spit it out. He is interested in the cats' kibble of course

So what can I feed him? I'm worried he isn't eating enough and don't want to put him on a complete fresh meat diet partly because it would be just too expensive! He's also turned his nose up at samples of fish4dogs puppy food and hills vetessentials puppy food. He got weighed at his new puppy vet check yesterday (and had first set of jabs) and is 5.5 kg which the vet said was perfect (in fact he was just an all-round star, perfectly behaved and charming the pants off everyone there, he is such a chilled puppy), but if he doesn't start eating soon he's not going to carry on growing. I just can't get my head round the idea of a retriever who could turn his nose up at food

Next question is what can I put in his crate to make it a bit more inviting? At the moment he's got some vet bed in there, an oval padded bed and at night I put a snuggle pad underneath, he always has water and has his food in there at meal times, he's got his favourite goose toy in there with a couple of chew toys and a pair of dd's socks which she donated! The times I've had to leave him I've left a stuffed kong but he's never stuck at it - dd had hideously early swimming training this morning so I left him with kong in the crate and he'd barely touched it. Any other suggestions?

moose thanks for encouragement re positive interrupter - will keep persevering

Oh bugger - he's just thrown up all the chicken from this morning :(

He's trying to sleep but is very restless keeps getting up and wandering around and then flopping down somewhere else - he's obviously not comfortable

mintchoc sorry no advice re barking although I think a trainer would be a good idea anyway as this is the age when he'll soak up new ideas

I was wondering how your working at home is going? I'm supposed to be working from home this week and next and so far have managed to do sod-all ...

BB. I suspect he's not feeling too well.
Any reason apart from expense that you stopped what the breeder was giving him? Were the biscuits the same or is it a different type all together?

Mint - can you reinforce with treats the "good quiet" behaviour?

I was always taught to praise the good behaviour and ignore the bad. You're still rewarding the bad by reacting as its attention that he wants. Of course I could be talking out my arse, but that's how I've always done it.

Sally - I've not stopped what the breeder was giving him - I'm still trying him on a mix of wainwright's and meat but he's refused to touch it since we got home

He's obviously not feeling 100% this morning but was right as rain at the vet's yesterday

Thanks Moose for the tips. I'd have been stood out in the garden for the next 3 years . Re the barking, if you know it's attention seeking barking then I guess you have to teach a cue for stop barking. My mums westie was a barker and my mum used a clicker and used to put her hand right in the dogs face like a policeman stopping traffic. When he barked she did the stop sign and said quiet, that startled him a bit to stop barking so she clicked and treated him. At first she then used to stand really still and he'd start barking again and she did the stop sign fast and quiet command, clicked and treated. She used to do this over and over again whenever he had a barking fit and he soon kopped on that shutting up got him hot dog pieces.

Thanks for advice re: barking. I need to try clicker training I think.

BB - did a couple of hours work one day when Zebo had slept really well and I felt normal! But not today - just made a banana bread to distract myself from what I really want to do which is cry - hormones, tiredness!

I'm hoping week 3 will be when I can manage work tasks. The sort of work I do means I have to be mentally alert so I'm putting things off till then. Better to be late with something that not concentrate.

When will you try to work BB?

Ohalvo - yes Nala is a Rhodesian Ridgeback she is utterly gorgeous I will get photos up one day.

She was good last night I went to bed as opposed to the sofa, she howled for 5 mins then slept, I let her out for a pee at 3am then she had a 10 mi howl but settled down.

She gets a treat if she goes in her crate and settles herself and her kong if I have to go out. She gets her dinner in her crate too. She's looking a bit skinny her breeder said increase her food as you can see her ribs, I think she's growing every day, her legs seem longer every day. She's on Burns Puppy and it seems to suit her well, she gulps it down, coat is shiny poos are firm and not smelly.

She's a typical hound and RR sleeps loads in the house then is crazy outside.

Need to knock this play biting on the head though.

Sweet kitty you sound like you and nala are doing really well! If you find a solution that works re play biting, please let me know! I've heard many grow out of it too!

Pouring here today and floyd is not happy with it! Haha. Waterproofs on and some stubborn standing in the rain coming up!

Evening all! Not been on here for a few days, have just caught up with all the puppy news!

Stanley is 13 weeks old today, and is an absolute delight. The whole family adore him, he's just so damn cute . He's quickly leaning how to walk nicely on the lead, and goes into full bum wiggling mode at everyone we meet on walks (while looking utterly perplexed if anyone walks past without fussing him!)

I've never clicker trained before, but I'm getting great results with Stanley, today he learnt to give his paw in the space of about 5 minutes.

Stanley looks gorgeous!

I've bought a clicker today so going to make a start tomorrow. Hoping it will help teach 'down' - ok to have a puppy jumping up while we're on the sofa but a fully grown old English sheepdog is another matter!

I know what you mean ohalvo - rain not popular here either! Would it be too precious to get a raincoat?!

Zebo was sick tonight a few times bringing up what amounted to a whole days worth of food. Bit worried about him but since then he's seemed happy and no whining or distress. Maybe just a random puppy sickness.

Hi all, been awol myself for a few days as I've been quite poorly. Pip has been an absolute star while I've been snoozing on the sofa though. I'm still on the sofa today, but feeling a bit better. Dh is working from home this afternoon, so I'll be back off to bed when he gets home.

Pip had his final jab with dh on Wednesday and is allowed out as of Wednesday next week. Can't wait, he really needs more stimulation and exercise now. Not to mention lots of socialisation with other dogs.

We've been invited round to meet my Mum's friends dogs next week, so it will be interesting to see how he copes. He appears to be going through a fear period at the moment, so it's crucial he only has good experiences.

TMB, I've taught Pip to do high-fives using the clicker and it makes everyone who sees it go totally soppy!

Mintchoc, if you want to teach him not to jump up or onto things and/or people, it's best to use the word 'off' so it doesn't get confused with 'down' for lie down.

Pip now knows, come, sit, down, leave, positive interrupter (whassis), quiet, close, give, settle down, in your bed, out your bed, paw, touch, high-five and also comes to his whistle. I want to really start working on recall next to get it really strong before the teenage phase sets in.

Am going to buy him perfect fit harness and keep him on a long line until I'm confident he's reliable, as although our park is mostly enclosed, I know how fast these lurcher pups can move and put ground between you and them if the mood takes them.

Moosemama - I'm the same lying on the sofa ill, have a puppy wrapped around my neck too.

So clicker training is good then? Will have to watch a few YouTube videos, I've started teaching down but to be honest I've been so ill everything's a struggle.

I can't wait to get her out and about, I'm bored never mind the poor puppy.

Play biting is still a problem, have tried ignoring/turning your back on her, yelping like a puppy, saying no biting, using distraction toys

Sweetkitty, sorry to hear you're ill too.

Kikopup is a great person to watch on YouTube to learn how to do really positive clicker training. She has a website called Dogmantics as well.