New Puppy Mummies, Part 3

[DharmaLovesDraco]

New thread, because quite frankly I can't do without you all :)

New puppy mummy here!

We picked up 9 week old male puppy on Saturday 21st.

He has been a delight and loves his crate.

He has slept through the night without any mess from the beginning and have only had one accident during the daytime over the past few days.

He is good with the cat and the cat is starting to tolerate him already.

He is however a bit jumpy and nippy.

These are the things I'm struggling to stop at the moment, but hopefully it's just early days and not bad technique.

He goes for his last jabs on Friday so will be out for his first walks after that.

Happy Christmas to all puppy mummies & pups!

My puppy is getting a lot of attention from the DCs and I'm wondering if you can cuddle them TOO much... apparently you can, but as it's Christmas perhaps we will make an exception.

Beaverfeaver your puppy sounds like mine - jumpy and nippy. I think it's just early days and doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong (I hope, as we are in the same boat although he's 13 weeks now).

On the other hand, toilet training is interesting. I take him out regularly which he loves of course, but promptly wees and poos when we come back in again, no matter how long we've been out. He does it outside first thing, to lots of reward of course, but doesn't care to repeat the performance throughout the day

However, he's coming when called and will "sit" and "drop". He walks very nicely on the lead. He sleeps through the night in his crate and happily goes int there of his own accord. Swings and roundabouts? (I would forfeit one of the above skills in return for an outdoor toileting pup though)!!

Needa, I'm probably not much help, because I've had a similar problem with Lurcherboy in the last month or so. He's never so much as grumbled at another dog before, but he had a spat with a very rude Labrador adolescent that first wouldn't stop repeatedly jumping on his head and then stole his tennis ball when Lurcherboy dropped it whilst being jumped on. He's 8 and I've never known him so much as grumble at a dog before, he's such a placid sweetheart. I have to admit it made me worry so much I've stopped taking tennis balls out with us anywhere where there are likely to be other dogs. Not a solution, but I couldn't think what else to do, especially as with Pip being nervous around other dogs as it is, the last thing he needs to see is Lurcherboy setting a bad example.

Juice - excellent name, not least of all because it was my maiden name!

Welcome Beaverfeaver. What breed of puppy do you have - we neeeeed photos y'know, especially those of use whose puppies are turning into the canine version of Harry Enfield's Kevin! Sounds like he's doing really well.

Quiet Christmas here, which is good. Pip keeps going lame on his injured leg, so he's had to have complete rest, but is now officially stir-crazy as a result, so is going for a lead-walk this afternoon. Think I will have to take them separately though to stop him jumping around on the lead when Lurcherboy is let off.

Dh gave me the best present. He had a picture of Pip painted by our favourite local folk artist. It's tiny, but absolutely perfect and captures his personality to a tee. I absolutely love it! It's on the shelf opposite the sofa and every time I look at it it makes me smile. Dh says he now want to have one done of each of our dogs over the years, but they are pricey, so will have to be done very slowly.

Our ferry to Ireland has been cancelled due to the incoming storm, so not sure if we'll be going now. It's the second time this holiday has had to be bumped (last time because we found out too late the dogs need Pet Passports to go ti Ireland now) and it's starting to feel like it's fated.

Hi Nigella.

Sounds like lots of things are coming along nicely. With the toiletting as soon as you come back in, if you know he does it pre-empt him, interrupt the second he starts to go and take him straight outside, then wait again. It sounds like he hasn't made a strong enough association with the outdoors being the place to go.

Also, what are you using to clean up after him? You need a biological cleaner, preferably something like Simple Solution from Pets at Home or if you can't get any, a strong solution of biological washing liquid or powder. You need to thoroughly remove any waste, so really squish it out of the fibres if it's on carpet, Then copiously douse the area - again, work it in really well if it's on carpet, a scrubbing brush will help - and leave to work for a few minutes before blotting off the excess moisture. If you use anything other than a biological cleaner he will still be able to smell it, even if you can't and will just keep toiletting where he's picking up his scent.

Welcome to the thread beaver - photos are obligatory you know!

we had a good Christmas - Fitz was about as well-behaved as you could expect a 5 month old puppy surrounded by food, wrapping paper, lots of extra people etc could be ... he got so hideously filthy on his morning walk that he had to have his first ever bath before taking him round to my parents - I was expecting utter chaos but he was really calm and even seemed to enjoy being rinsed off with the shower. I made sure I enjoyed how clean and fluffy he was as I knew it wouldn't last ... He's also a lot thinner than I thought he was underneath all his fur!!!

nigella - we spent the first few weeks watching Fitz like a hawk - as soon as he started sniffing or circling he was out in the garden - plus we just kept taking him out every 20-30 mins at the beginning - hang on in there, it does come eventually - he's now 5 months old and I can't remember the last time he had an accident at home (still have to scrutinise him v carefully at other people's homes though as he gets confused ...)

moose - sorry to hear about your ferry - I hope you get there eventually

Pip's painting sounds lovely :)

We bought Finn a food maze for Christmas as I thought it would keep him busy, it did, for about five minutes! It's supposed to be one that is hard for them to work out but he had it sussed within seconds.
Gave my DD a book '101 tricks to teach your dog ' so will have to work through that. I'm particularly looking forward to teaching him to tidy up his toys, have failed miserably with the DC's so perhaps will be more successful with the dog.

Oh moose fingers crossed you do get there and hope Pip feels better soon.

Yesterday afternoon DH and DD went to MIL's for a few hours leaving Murphy and I on our own (I don't speak to SIL who was there so I didn't want to go). This gave me the perfect chance to have a bit of one to one time with Murph and concentrate on toilet training. With the aid of cheese, lots of patience and an entire afternoon following him around we have now managed several wees outside.

I don't get up in the night with him and he has free reign in the kitchen so he uses his paper in the night, but so far today we've had no indoor accidents
Early days, but it's progress.

Nigella - not sure if your saw my response to you re toilet training, I've copied it below anyway just in case [smile

Your dog can go in the garden, just not into contact with other, unvaccinated dogs.

I actually think that puppy pads make the process of toilet training longer and more confusing for the dog, but understand others may find them useful. Crate training should help, as he shouldn't want to dirty his bed area, which is why you get a crate that has little room for anything other than a bed and maybe water.

You need to be taking your puppy out into the garden basically as often as you possibly can, and certainly after food, sleep, play, about every half an hour at least. Its a pain in the arse at this time of year but the more committed you are early on, I am sure it will reap rewards. Use a command, we use 'wee wee', others use 'potty', or 'be good' etc. When he does go, praise profusely just after the event and/or give him a treat (use some of his food allowance for training initially).

If he does go in the house, just ignore and clean up, pop him outside if you catch him in time.

He will get it, but some dogs get it quickly, others not so quickly, bit like babies smile

Personally, our dog doesn't ask to go into the garden even now, but that suits me, as he does go if I take him into the garden and ask him to toilet.

Poor Moose - I think I read about your cancelled trip last year, bloody bad luck. Love the picture pressie from DH though.

Juice - good news re the toilet training, this is what I plan on doing with Hector, just basically stalking him for the first week, it worked for Harry

We had a busy day yesterday with lots of folk here for Christmas but the dog was very calm and happy, the difference with being one year old instead of a few weeks old

We are going to visit relatives for the day tomorrow, their dog is not dog (or people) friendly at all tbh (their own fault, poor thing is hardly ever allowed in the house), so Harry is staying with our friends for the day, they have two fab dogs so he will be fine. Giving them a key, so they can pop him home in the evening and we will be back by 10pm.

Thanks Moose for the reply also, I think I will be vigilant and just stop the playing with the toy if I see other dogs. Half of me does 'blame' to other dog/owner and think our dog had every right to defend his toy (sort of like a young child would do), but I don't want to develop a habit of resource guarding either.

Thanks.

Just had a family meeting, debating whether to just give up and reschedule - which will probably mean pushing it back to our usual summer holiday now - or press on and only have a couple of days there ... it was a hung vote.

Needa, that's how I felt at the time. The other dog is a real pain in the proverbial, totally untrained and has a particularly ineffectual owner to boot. If he hadn't been out of control and repeatedly charging at and jumping on Lurcherboy, the ball wouldn't have been dropped and Lurcherboy wouldn't have got so stressed, but at the same time, I don't want him started to rescource guard, so feel I have to nip it in the bud.

Daft thing is, he'll let Pip take toys off him no problem at all - in all honesty, I think he'd just had enough of that particular dog. Usual behaviourist advice is to leave them to it, unless it escalates into actual physical fighting, as dogs are much better at sorting these things out than we are - but the other dog had such poor social skills I could just imagine things escalating if I left them to sort it out themselves.

have to agree with you about the pads need. we seemed to get the break through as soon as I picked them up. we had one in the hall so I could follow him to it and try and catch him in the process but it didn't work.
I've had no pads down in the day since yesterday and its working. I do put them down at night, as I say he has a small kitchen to himself and I don't want to get up in the night so he uses them overnight.
he's actually been heading for the back door for a wee today which is brilliant.

Moose thank you for the advice, yes you are right, he hasn't made a strong enough association with outdoors being the place to go. Will keep at it. And I will also buy some of that cleaning stuff from Pets at Home (there is a branch fairly close by). Luckily most of the ground floor here is lino or wood so relatively easy to clean. We do have a large rug in the sitting room, and he did a wee on that just once. Ever since, it's been just on lino or wood. Nevertheless, the smell could still be smellable to him (despite me being VERY vigilant with the mop and bucket to the point of obsession)

need - thank you for re-posting your post! What with Christmas etc I managed to miss it the first time. Puppy pads used up and we will not be re-purchasing. He did use them a few times overnight in his crate but never progressed to using them by the backdoor - you are right - why should he??!!

So happy - whilst typing this post, pup did a wee outside for DH. Cue bits of turkey for a reward!! Lots more successful that first thing this morning when I took him out, he performed, but I was half asleep and dropped his treats and he didn't associate them with toileting outside, because it all got a bit chaotic.

Onwards and upwards!

PS I love him so much!!

I don't know how to post pictures.

He is a Hungarian vizsla.

He sleeping soundly right now in front of fire.

Poor DH has been looking after him and doing all the work for the past few days as I have been bed ridden with illness.

DH not had prior experience with puppies and is getting quite stressed with him.

After growing up around dalmatian puppies, this vizsla is a saint in comparison though

Belated Merry Christmas to you all and your pooches, I'll catch up proper tomorrow x

Its all going well here. He sleeps a lot including all through the night in his crate. Getting about 60% of toileting outside. He asked once to go out and we were very excited. Then he had an accident later!

He can sit, sort of knows his name, he can fetch but not give back and we are working on stand and down.

So what's the best way to stop him chasing, nipping etc. He's more into his toys now so that's helping with his furniture chewing.

Here are some pics of Louis our now 10 week vizsla

thumbsnap.com/f/nlHspoRl

thumbsnap.com/f/PB5KsBFQ

He's gorgeous Beaver !

Very cute.

Hi all and especially beaverfever, I've posted a photo of our vizsla, he is 8 weeks old.

yourcallisimportant your vizsla is absolutely adorable! 8 weeks is the perfect cuteness age.

Girl or boy?

My boy came from a litter of 10 pups, so expecting to see some other Vizsla pups pop up soon.

Hello everyone! Lovely to hear about new puppies some of you have, happy days:)

Moose, I can't believe your bad luck about getting over to Ireland! I hope you make a choice that everyone is happy with. We are going over for a month in the summer, and because of you, I know I need to sort Legend's (GR 6 months) passport.

Moose your painting sounds like the perfect pressie:) I am aiming to paint a pic of my sis in laws dog for her birthday, I haven't told her Im doing it yet in case it turns out badly. Can you post a pic of the painting you got?

One of my presents from DH was a book called 'The Genius of Dog', it is excellent, I highly recommend it to you all.

We're having a lovely Christmas. Legend has been so good. He hasn't chewed one thing he isn't supposed to, mainly because he got some great new chews and toys himself from that antler website. He has also been so good with all our guests and it has been great socialisation for him. We've had 2 parties with house loads of kids and also people on xmas day and boxing day and he hasn't growled or barked at one person! I'm loving our first Christmas with him. He watched 101 dalmations with all of us yesterday......so cute! Oh yes he also keeps naughtily jumping up onto my lap when I'm on the sofa. Its supercute & I hate to push him off, its just lovely that he wants all these cuddles now:)

I might not be on here again over the hols, so happy new year everyone!

Moose - you have had such bad luck with your holiday to Ireland, I'm really sorry you're back in that situation. The holiday sounded great so I hope you are getting even a couple of days.

Mintys illness returned on Xmas day With upset tummy. Seen vet who thinks May be Giardiasis which is highly contagious to humans so we are madly hand washing and bedding is being boil washed etc! Poor minty though, he is lethargic, off food and has the most awful smelly hair around his bottom. We tried cutting hair yesterday as there is matted poo in there but he cried so much and vet said his bottom area is very sore. (I love hairy dogs but am beginning to re-think this!)

Stool sample has gone in today for analysis so hopefully we'll get the right treatment for him.

Hi beaver, my Vizsla is a gorgeous boy. He is so well behaved, pretty well toilet trained, and sleeping all night. Couldn't ask for more really at this stage. We had him at the vet for first vaccination this morning, and a bit of a check up. All went well, nice and healthy. He was one of nine - 7 boys and 2 girls. Where in the country are you? I'm near Glasgow.

He ran headfirst into the patio doors 10 mins ago and gave himself a bit of a fright, but he's OK now.

mint, poor you & poor minty, that sounds horrid:( I hope the stool sample means he can be treated and get better soon.