New Puppy Mummies Part 2

[SallyBear]

Just thought I'd start the new thread!

Toby (foxy coloured yellow Labrador) is now 13 weeks old. Long, lean and lanky. Still wonderfully tempered and is sleeping through and no longer messing in the house.

As a grown woman, I'm far too excited about picking up our new puppy tomorrow, not sure how I'm going to sleep tonight but must have a good night as I fear the next few nights might not be very peaceful!

It's very exciting and then you worry about everything when they're here!! Have you puppy proofed everywhere? Cables, kids toys, shoes away, raisins etc.

Kids at home are 17 and 21 so hopefully no toys. Puppy won't be allowed upstairs so their rooms are safe. Shoes may be a problem, you never know it may teach them to not leave huge trainers lying around.
Must go round and clear stuff off the radiators.

Just checking in

I have Nala a 9 week old Rhodesian Ridgeback bitch.

She's very skinny as well, on the advice of the breeder we upped her kibble (she's on Burns Puppy) she also has chicken, cheese, ham etc in her kong.

I'm switching Toby over to people food. I honestly think that Burns Puppy doesn't agree with him - blood and mucous in his poo since we got him. Since I've started introducing meat into his food the poos have improved.

Good on you for starting a new thread Sally.

Lifeisontheup, it is really exciting, I was unbearable while I was waiting to pick up Pip.

Pip has a penchant for shoes, wellies, shoe laces, socks - anything that goes on feet really. He's not allowed upstairs either though and we keep shoes in the hall, so he doesn't tend to get access. He still runs off with my slippers and dh's crocs if we dare to take them off and put our feet up for a few minutes though!

He's very interested in cables, but we're in the habit of keeping them out of the way already, so that hasn't been a problem.

He's fruit loop today, charging about and leaping like a little gazelle! He can go out for his first proper walk tomorrow though - can't wait!

Someone told me on another forum that Burns were bought out and lots of people have had problems with their food since the take-over.

Some people have suggested it's down to them using cheaper ingredients, but it's worth considering the fact that pet-food labelling isn't all that strict and is easy to circumvent if companies have the inclination, by jiggling the ingredients to alter the protein content etc.

Just booked Finn in at the vets on Friday for first vaccinations etc. I've worked out he can go for his first walk on 1st November if it's a week after his 12 week jab. I've also seen that I'm on nights so at least I'll have some time during the day to walk him. Can't let DD have all the fun.
Puppy classes booked and start on 24th October.

Moose I know that Toby's breeder has moved Mavis onto Skinners. We have leftovers most days, so as long as its dairy, onion and garlic free with some crunch in there for his teeth and gums I'm swapping him over. Leftover roast lamb and veggies went down very well at lunchtime! Cue much bowl chasing!

Ooh can I join in while the thread is all new and shiny? We have a nearly 15 week old black lab cross called Chloe.

She is doing really well, but sometimes overnight she fills the dining room with diarrhoea for no apparent reason

Puppy classes start on Thursday, but they are late so I think dh will go with the dd's and I'll stay home with the little ds's

Can people share with me how much/often you are feeding? How am I supposed to work it out?

VV that's a cute pup, looks like a cute gremlin - het he will get away with absolute murder when he looks at you with those massive eyes

Jarvis likes shoes too - takes them out into the garden and hides them.

I think at 15 weeks they are still on 3 meals and you look at the grid on the back of the bag of kibble and divide the daily amounts by 3, that's what I do anyway

Toby is now on 3 meals a day. I feed him at 5 hourly intervals. Seems to be fine on it and not too starving. He's on about 240g a day at the moment.

Found you all!

I've been a bit wrapped up in work things so puppy training has taken a back seat. I need to get back on track with that.

So far with Zebo who is 10 weeks we've taught sit, stay and off (for when we're holding a treat). Not sure what to do next - to be honest, I've been too tired for much training but we are getting lots of biting with kids and the best thing is when I intervene say sit and do a bit of training - seems to really calm behaviour down - off both puppy & kids!

In terms of socialising we've been to see 2 dogs, 1 puppy, been on a bus, outside a cafe and near busy roads with buses, cyclists.

I need to visit a park, horses, livestock, ducks, more bikes, another few bus trips, grooming parlour?

Lovely to hear everyone's news and lots of new puppies!

How you feeling ohalvo? Hope things have settled a bit for you

Hi all

Pepsi, 12 week old, black and white English Springer.

TBH still having a nightmare re biting, and still having the "what the hell have we done?" worries, although to be fair we have some good days..

Guess we are worried we have the dog that won't get better, you know the one you don't want to meet in the park.. Although had no problems with other dogs at all. She has met her mum who she was very rough with.

Things are much easier now we can finally walk her, and she is fun to play with, but suddenly she just starts nipping, jumping up grabbing clothes and growling..

Still love reading all about your lovely pups, and it does help to see when other people have the same issues, and some great advice re feeding etc.

Sorry to read some have been poorly, hoping that all better now.

One idea about the biting - try bitter apple spray on anything that gets chewed.

I was in despair about this a couple of days ago, especially bad in the morning - DS and I are in the kitchen in dressing gowns/ slippers at 630am ( too early to get dressed!) and it's a nightmare keeping puppy away from biting us. Horrid. So I phoned the dog trainer we are booked in with and she said to spray bitter apple or bitter cherry spray all over these things and he will learn to avoid them really quickly.

Hasn't properly sunk in yet but trainer also said I needed to supervise much more closely if the morning is the worst time and try and keep calm, keep DS away from the puppy. So I had him doing a spelling test at 7am with offer of brownie in school lunch just to keep him away form the puppy and sitting still! Not really a long term solution.

Mintchoc, you had it right in your first post re biting. Asking them to do an alternative behaviour and rewarding them for that really helps to distract them and once they're focussed on trying to offer the right behaviour, it helps calm them down as well.

It doesn't have to be a concerted training session, just a quick two second thing. Try spontaneously give him a cue and if he gets it right chuck something tasty his way or even better, use your clicker to mark the behaviour, as usually they become really focussed the minute they hear the click.

In the mornings I would keep treats on the work-top, a clicker in my dressing gown pocket and click every time he is calm and not biting or hanging off dressing gown cords. Just click and treat every time you notice him doing the right behaviour and he'll soon get the idea.

It's very common to be so focussed on rewarding pups during training sessions that we forget to capture and reward them when they are being quiet and well behaved, which is a shame, because that's probably the behaviour we most want them to repeat.

Bloody dressing gown cords are the bane of my life too!

Shall we have a C & P list of pups as this is a new thread?

Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks

Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks

I'm on the iPad so rubbish at cut and paste so can someone add me

Sweetkitty Nala Rhodesian Ridgeback 18th July 2013 now 9 weeks

Oh when does the biting get better? She's a complete nutter hound first thing in the morning, the DC hide in the playroom with the doors shut they get dressed in there too. She's not allowed upstairs but the minute the door is open she's off.

But then there's times like tonight she comes over and snuggles me, just now I have her cuddled into my left and a large tabby cat on my right, doesn't get much better.

Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks
Mintchocchick, Zebo, old English sheepdog, 15 July 2013 now 10 weeks
Sorry Sweetkitty & Nala (lovely name) I tried copying you but would only do one word at a time!

Basildonbond Fitz Toller 16th July 2013 10 weeks today
Sweetkitty Nala Rhodesian Ridgeback 18th July 2013 now 9 weeks
Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks

Mintchocchick, Zebo, old English sheepdog, 15 July 2013 now 10 weeks
Basildonbond Fitz Toller 16th July 2013 10 weeks today
Sweetkitty Nala Rhodesian Ridgeback 18th July 2013 now 9 weeks
Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks

Sorry mint!

Moose - thanks for ideas there for the mornings. They really can be stressful but I agree that a bit of attention on good behaviours would be well worth doing.

I am guilty of ignoring good behaviour in my keenness to get dishwasher emptied or packed lunch made or child set up at the table without injury/shrieking!

I also find the evenings really manic. Tried watching bake off this evening with DS1 - we got set up on sofa with all puppy toys, 8 of them at the ready and Zebo went crazy, grabbing cushions for humping, growling at toys, leaping on top of everything!! I had to restrain him using his collar and force him to sit between my feet while I firmly stroked him. Seemed to help but I had to keep repeating it and missed most of bake off!

Thanks BB - did you manage to get started on any work yet?