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.

Nala has been fine on the Burns puppy food, I am liking the look of Eden though they don't do any puppy varieties yet though.

we are starting to introduce Meg onto Eden, she needs something good; she was the smallest in a litter of 11, came to us weighing just under 2kg at 10 weeks.

How long does the biting stage last? Awful at the moment- nothing to do but put in crate.

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
DaftAda, Chloe, lab cross, 13 June 2013 15 weeks
Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks

Thanks for the feeding advice. I do recall looking at the bag now, but DH has thrown the last sack away and unloaded all the food into the hopper. We are doing 3 meals a day (plus lots of treats as trying to teach LLW) of about 100g. She looks a bit skinny imo, but I have a paranoia about a big fat unhealthy dog.

Ah yes, the dressing gowns! DD1 is can't stand that behaviour. The nipping has improved with a combo of yelping like a puppy when nipped, teaching 'off' and 'leave it' and teaching the DCs to stand still rather than race about like they are trying to dodge a crocodile. The biggest problem at the mo' is that Chloe thinks DS2 is her litter mate and bundles him to the ground at every opportunity. It is the boy that needs training, for example, I found myself telling DS2 to stop poking the dog with the loo brush this morning. I think DS1 had got the dog brush out and the 2yo brain just found the nearest equivalent to try and join in.

mintchoc have you tried the lead yet? It is taking me forever to get Chloe to walk to heal - I think because DH doesn't bother so much. I need to find some ducks and some horses too I think. I was considering a train ride tomorrow to the big bit of river with lots of birds, but the reality of 2 small boys and a puppy makes me think it could end badly...

Heifer, Pepsi, English Springer Spaniel, 29th June, now 12 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
DaftAda, Chloe, lab cross, 13 June 2013 15 weeks
Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks

work? hollow laugh ... just trying to do some now (at a quarter to midnight ...)

BB- oh dear, not sure id be up to anything beyond 10pm! But then our days start at 6am with a Zebo wake up call and floor mopping.

SallyBear; Toby - yellow Labrador 23 June 2013 - 13 weeks
Heifer, Pepsi, English Springer Spaniel, 29th June, now 12 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
DaftAda, Chloe, lab cross, 13 June 2013 15 weeks
Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks

Found you!

Can I ask those of you who have taught leave it how you are doing/have done it?

I have also booked a dog walker to come in during the day whilst I go back to work 3 days a week (5hrs a day) my plan was to pop back at lunch but this way he's not alone for longer than 2 hours just until he's older.

Looking at what all your pups can do makes me realise we need to practice more than sit and down and off!!

Heifer, Pepsi, English Springer Spaniel, 29th June, now 12 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
DaftAda, Chloe, lab cross, 13 June 2013 15 weeks
Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks
Dharma, Ollie, Golden Retriever, 19th July 2013, now 9 weeks

Puppy collection day today!
Don't know his DOB yet so will update that when I get him home.
Heifer, Pepsi, English Springer Spaniel, 29th June, now 12 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
DaftAda, Chloe, lab cross, 13 June 2013 15 weeks
Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks
Dharma, Ollie, Golden Retriever, 19th July 2013, now 9 weeks
Lifeisontheup,Finn, Border Collie 8 weeks

I've been taught to walk him on the lead up to something you want him to leave (bowl of treats) on the floor. Let him get to within a few inches, call his name and say leave and then come!! while holding a treat. It's worked on the lead definitely. Just trying to get into practice. I suspect this is where clicker training comes in handy.

So I felt a bit daft out in the garden calling "Heisenberg" and the kids couldn't even pronounce it so we've gone for George.
He only woke up twice during the night and went straight back to sleep when I put my had in his crate, so I didn't get up to let him out. This morning he woke up at six so I took him straight out to the garden where he did a pee and a poo then after a little play we both went back to sleep on the sofa.
Today we're going to stock up on proper toys and a basket (currently just a pillow) and start some kind of training.

Heifer, Pepsi, English Springer Spaniel, 29th June, now 12 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
DaftAda, Chloe, lab cross, 13 June 2013 15 weeks
Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks
Dharma, Ollie, Golden Retriever, 19th July 2013, now 9 weeks
Lifeisontheup,Finn, Border Collie 8 weeks
VikingVagine, George, not a chihuahua, 10th July

Best way to teach 'leave'. (Top few videos.)

Good luck today Lifeisontheup.

Dharma - are you going to get the dog walker to take him out? When will he have had all his jabs? I'm just pondering what to do about my work (also 3 5 hour days/week). The woman I work with loves dogs and has said she'd love me to being him into the office and there's a large enclosed field there so could take him out at regular intervals .. However she has a very romantic idea of dogs (has never had one herself) and I took Fitz in briefly one day last week and of course the office isn't puppy-proofed so he was into everything and refused to go to sleep do I really can't see that working until he's older and calmer - at the moment I'm thinking of splitting my day into two chunks and coming home in between plus taking work home .,

VV I did wonder how long Heisenberg would stay as a name - it's like the sainsburys baby name test - if you can't imagine yelling the name as your toddler disappears down the next aisle at the supermarket then choose another name

Glad he slept well though - no basket for Fitz yet as he'd just chew it .. Vet bed and a v cheap cushion for now - he seems v comfy though

Hello. Mind if I join? We picked up a 14 wk old rescue pup on Saturday. Not sure what she is (everyone has their own opinions!) but has huge webbed feet so obviously some sort of water dog in there. She's very sweet natured and gentle, and great with the kids, but has regressed big style on the house training front. She won't go if we're anywhere near her, which is a problem today as she's found a tiny gap in the garden fence she can squeeze through (missed by both us and the home check person!) so we can only take her out on her lead (which she's only just getting used to). We'll sort the gap today though which will make things easier. She's a bit of a blank slate in terms of training, and we'll be starting classes next week hopefully.

Oh - can I ask what treats you've found to be irresistible for your pups? We've tried a couple and she can take them or leave them, which isn't much good for a training reward.

Ham! Obviously not very nice to carry round in your pocket, but good for training when you're near the kitchen.

Thanks - yes I think we'll have to bite the bullet and go for something like that - obviously a nice, neat package of dried stuff is far too easy!

I've used a few things for training:

tiny bits of cooked chicken - fine in terms of poos
Tiny bits of cheese - causes runny poos
Puppy treats from pets at home - causes really runny poos
Usual kibble from daily allowance - good but chunky so have to be chewed which slows down training.

My friend uses a tube of primula on walks which she carries in her pocket and squeezes tiny bit to end for dog to lick! Going to try this when older but you'd have to make sure everyone one in family knows it's the dogs treat!

diplodocus Stanley adores cooked chicken and will work really hard for it, so I keep that one for recall training. Other successful treats are ham and cheese. My trainer says to cut the treats into teeny tiny pieces, then the dog will work harder to get more, which makes sense.

Lifeisontheup good luck today! don't forget to post pics when you get him home!

Re puppy biting, we've really noticed Stanley play biting a lot less this past week, so I'm hoping he's growing out of it...although dressing gown cords/pom-poms on slippers are still fair game it seems .

Heifer, Pepsi, English Springer Spaniel, 29th June, now 12 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
DaftAda, Chloe, lab cross, 13 June 2013 15 weeks
Awks Jarvis working cocker spaniel 4 June 2013 now 15 weeks
Moosemama, Pip, rescue Lurcher, 1 June 2013 no 16 weeks
Dharma, Ollie, Golden Retriever, 19th July 2013, now 9 weeks
Lifeisontheup,Finn, Border Collie 8 weeks
VikingVagine, George, not a chihuahua, 10th July
TooManyButtons, Stanley, Cocker Spaniel, 21 June 2013, now 13 weeks

Thanks - yes can imagine DD making and serving me a primula sandwich as a "treat"!

BB - could you take the crate in to work with a stuffed kong and try leaving in crate for 45 min chunks before run around outside and back in crate?

One reason I can't get my head round getting much work done since puppy arrived is the amount of cleaning I'm doing each day.

I start the day mopping the most needed bit of kitchen floor, then after kids are at school I Hoover downstairs and mop properly, vet bedding/puppy blankets in for 20 min wash while floors dry - takes till 10ish and only then do I feel ready to start day. I also Hoover at 7ish most evenings. I used to be a real slattern but just hate doggy smell - I think I need to get a grip!

Welcome diplodocus - any photos?

Training treats:

Chicken - you can cook breast/thigh it until it's quite dry then chop into small chunks
Fish4Dogs Super Star Training Treats are hypoallergenic and most dogs love them, as they're really fishy.
Some dogs can tolerate cheese, but best kept to small amounts
Hot dog sausages are popular - I buy the gluten free ones from Tesco - but only use them for my adult dog and only for a top grade reward
Small bite kibble
Liver cake - just whizz flour (rice flour if you want it to be hypoallergenic) an egg, liver and for added attraction - a bit of garlic - up in a blender and bake - there are loads of recipes online and it's absolutely irresistible to dogs.
Squeezy cheese - as mintchoc mentioned is also great for when they're older.

I highly recommend the Velida 1-2-Spray mop with a couple of spare mop head recharges (you can chuck them in the washing machine). Then you don't spend hours cleaning.

That's it - perfect solution to kitchen floor problem, thanks Viking. We don't use a crate so have wee in the floor to clean every morning, but puppy has to go out in the garden while I mop as he loves playing with the mop! The vileda looks much less appealing for a puppy.