New Puppy Mummies, Part 3

[DharmaLovesDraco]

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

My Springer lived until 14.5 and died of old age. Don't think spaying had any effect on her personality. I'll be getting Finn done because I don't want him taking off across the common in hot pursuit of a bitch on heat.

The general guidance used to say to spay at 6 months - prior to first season to completely eliminate the risk of any of the 'female' cancers, but I understand new studies have suggested spaying too early can cause other problems. I think neutering is one of those things that there will always be a lot of controversy and difference of opinion on and at the end of the day you have to do what feels right for you and your dog. What spaying does prevent is the truly horrendous womb infection called Pyometra that can kill bitches before you realise there's a problem and is surprisingly common in older entire bitches. My first dog, a GSD bitch, was entire when we found her and developed Pyometra a couple of months later. She became so ill, so quickly it was terrifying - I have had all my bitches spayed young ever since as a result.

The rescue we got Pip from states all pups must be neutered by 6 months or they will reclaim them. You have to get your vet to sign a form saying they would be willing in principle (unless there is a medical reason not to do so) and you also have sign a contract to agree to it - and they do check.

Pip is 7 months now and we went to talk to our vet about it when he was 5 months. She felt he was physically underdeveloped - due to his bad start - and that neutering while he was fearful of dogs was asking for trouble, as it would probably escalate to the fear to fear-aggression due to the hormonal changes. I contacted the rescue explaining and they were lovely about it and put back his neuter date 3 months, saying to contact them again a month before that date if the vet still isn't happy and they'll consider it again. Ideally I would like to hang on until he's skeletally mature, as by then I feel he will be so much further on from his fear of other dogs and there's no potential for osteo problems with extended leg bones as well - Lord knows his legs are long enough!

All but one of my bitches (barring the first one, obviously) have been done at around 6 months and the one that was left until after her first season, did develop mammary tumours in later life - although none that were life threatening. None of them have had any personality changes due to spaying, but my Wheaten girl's coat changed significantly - not that that mattered to us.

I have less worries about spaying than I do about neutering, as going through regular seasons can be horrible for bitches, they are often all over the place emotionally and their behaviour changes around those times. Between that and the potential for Pyometra in later life, I just feel it's kinder - but that's just my take on it, based on my own experiences with my dogs.

Thank you all, and thanks to Moose for being so reassuring. I can see why you are waiting with Pip, the more confident the better. We are lucky that Meg sees all the world as friends, despite one or two bad experiences. Vet has already checked her and said she is ready so we will book her in. I suppose she still seems very young to me- she has been tearing off lead through the windy forest for the last hour and she looked so sturdy and merry it seemed a shame to change her in any way. By the way, she is much naughtier these days- even basic commands like come and sit are often answered after a bit of a 'yeah, right,' look from her.

Ah yes, Pip started the 'yeah, yeah - in a minute' and 'I'll come when I'm ready' at around 6 months as well.

Think Mint might be right - we need a teenage dog support thread.

Meg is booked in for the 17th. I wish I felt better about it, and knew how to keep her quiet for the post op 2 weeks because she is the bounciest dog I ever knew. She is also trying a night in kennels tomorrow- no choice about that, no one who could possibly look after her when we cannot.
Just managed to put some blurry photos on.

Eek neutering! Fitz is 5.5 months and still seems like such a baby when we meet grown-up dogs but last time he was at the vet they said any time from 6 months .. However he met his first bitch in heat today and was VERY interested ... So suppose it will have to be done soon.

I need some advice about something Fitz has started doing - he got given a stuffed toy for Christmas which for some reason he absolutely loves. He likes carrying it around in his mouth to the extent that we've called it The Precious .. However it's started to cause him a lot of anxiety - he is obviously very worried that something might happen to it and wants to bury it - he was completely unable to settle last night as he kept hiding it and then getting it out of its hiding place and eventually we took it off him thinking out of sight, out of mind. Anyway today he got given a large chew (far too big for him really) and he's started to display the same behaviour - wanting to bury it in the garden, pacing around the house holding it in his mouth and crying. I'm a bit upset that things which were supposed to give him pleasure are causing him so much angst - I'd really rather he didn't bury it in the garden as it's a mudbath out there and the house is filthy enough already but am I being really mean? Wwyd?

I feel the same BB - feels so soon to be doing! We've just recovered from a bout of puppy illness so I need to make sure minty is back up to a good weight and fighting fit before we do it. He lost 1.2 kilos in weight and is skin and bones ( covered by thick shaggy hair!).

Can't think what to do about the hiding of a toy. I'm sure someone will help.

Sorry I have no ideas either about hiding toys BB..........

As for neutering, I'm leaning towards not doing it at all for Legend (GR, 6 months), but I am taking advice from our behaviourist & vet. We are certainly not thinking of doing it yet anyway.

Another question, Legend has taken to following me everywhere around the house. If I go out and DH and the kids are home, he apparently lies by the front door now until I get back. Do your pups/dogs do this at all? I suppose its inevitable that he was going to be more attached to me as I do more of the walks etc, but its becoming more extreme as time goes on. He also likes to jump up onto my lap when I sit down, which is sweet but he now weighs 20 kilos and he's only going to get bigger! Im not really worried about any of this, unless his attachment to me starts to cause him distress. How can I make things more balanced at home? He will also sometimes ignore DH (eg whilst out on walks) but is very obedient with me.

picnic - I think it's very common for dogs to bond strongly with one family member. I spend the vast majority of my time with the dog, walk his in the main and am responsible for his day to day car, yet he adores DH with a passion and will wait patiently outside which ever room he is for his return. He's perfectly happy until he does return, but loves DH the most.

No advice re the toy thing, sorry. What breed is Fitz Basildon?

Poor minty! I hope he starts to gain weight soon, we had one thing after another when Harry was little, from a serious eye injury, severe sickness and a tumour on his toe, I know how stressful all this stuff is.

Ok, am officially fed up of mud. When I put it into context and see the pictures on the telly of folk in terrible flooding situations, of course I am not really fed up of the mud, but, in my own selfish world, I am fed up of the mud

The dog is bad enough, but the pony....... OMG

Any tips for stopping him running and biting trousers when we walk?We distract him with chews toys but that's not so easy when walking.

Any tips for stopping him running and biting trousers when we walk?We distract him with chews toys but that's not so easy when walking.

I use the 'leave' command when Finn heads for our trousers, then praise when he backs off. Don't want to use a toy on the walk as once he sees the toy he is obsessed for the rest of the walk.
Just had an hours wet and windy walk with him. It's the first time I've walked since Christmas as DH has been at home and I've been at work. Really pleased at how good he was, happy with other dogs even those who were a tad over enthusiastic and stayed close to us and had good recall.

What is it with Labradors eating cat poo?! What is it with cats crapping in someone else's garden.

Needless to say there was a disgusting stench of poo coming from DH's home office this morning. Toby had an accident in the night. Why can't they just use the hard floor as opposed to carpet, to be revolting on?

Oh dear SallyBear, I assume not crated?

We met our next bundle of fun again yesterday, now 6 weeks old and easily the chunkiest and biggest of the litter

All the pups were fab actually, bold, bright, healthy, confident wee souls. Breeder already has them in some form of routine, and their area was spotless. Interesting trying to have a conversation with 8 pups hanging off you!

We also took Harry, and then went for a walk with him and the breeders 6 working cockers, plus a whippet he's looking after. So well trained, none went more than approx 20 metres from him and all recalled perfectly. He was explaining that this distance is their invisible boundary, as they are used for beating work, whereas a Lab, for example, trained to retrieve, would have their boundary trained much further away. All very interesting.

All very very lean dogs too, given they work, but he was also emphatic they should be like this, the first person who has judged our Springer to be 'spot on' rather than skinny Their eldest, at 11 is still working now!

Harry behaved brilliantly, played brilliantly and recalled fabulously, I think we were both mutually pleased with finding each other. DH has been invited to joined them next season and is chuffed to bits

Needa. Toby is 6 months old now and generally is very good. He's not well and has been outside to try and poo several times this morning already.

I bet you're all excited about the new puppy!

Ooops - Sorry Sally, didn't realise. We ditched the crate around 6 months too Hope Toby is fine soon.

I feel chilled about this puppy, I feel a bit like I did with my DC2, been there and done it. He'll slot in, we will train him well, it will be chaos for a few months then will be fine

There will be moments when I think wtf did I do this for? But not the pfb thing I had with Harry where everything had to be 'right'.

Sorry, been awol again - still in chickenpox hell here. Dd is at the 'still contagious but no longer feeling poorly and most definitely feeling very bored' stage and it's looking increasingly likely that ds1 is coming down with it now - not great for a child with sensory processing problems. Not to mention he'll already have been home for 4 weeks by this Friday and is supposed to go back on Wednesday.

Still, 1 out of 3 (ds2) went back to school today, so I've managed to reclaim a fair proportion of the house and give the downstairs a thoroughly good clean. I would give anything for a nice long dog walk in daylight hours though.

Sorry to hear Toby isn't well Sally. Hope it's just a blip and he's better soon.

Needa, stop - you're making me broody! Pups sound gorgeous and it seems like you've found a great breeder there - it's lovely when you are so like-minded.

Interesting you saying how you feel so much more laid back with dog number 2. I feel like that with Pip about his fearfulness - we're training him, making sure he meets plenty of other dogs regularly and rewarding all the right responses - he'll come good in the end. I doubt he's ever going to be highly sociable, but then neither was Oldgirl, she basically ignored other dogs unless they were very persistent and then she'd just do a quick hello and go back to ignoring them. She was just like Pip as a puppy too - she didn't come out from under the stack of chairs in the corner of the puppy training room for the first few sessions and when she did, she was very choosy about who she'd entertain.

Moose - I love your posts so much, they are so thoughtful and kind, plus full of experience. Really sorry about the chickenpox, my two had them very young, 18 months and DD was 3 months or so and covered (short age gap between kids), it must be harder when the DC are older and bored and fed up etc. Plus, add in additional needs and it's hard.

My downstairs had a thorough 'do' today too and the dog has had two long walks, just the pony to sort now!

I do appreciate that there's so much breeding dogs for money (and worse) out there and a lot of negativity towards buying from a breeder on the Doghouse in general. I understand this, especially if you've worked in rescue. I just hope folk can see that there's some really genuine breeders too, doing it for the right reasons and in the right way. I would say I am friends with our first breeder, we text regularly and send piccies backwards and forwards, she has Harry if we do go away and craves updates. I can see this breeder being just as positive, but in a 'working dog' way.

Waffle waffle

ps moose - think you know I struggled with anxiety and stress initially with Needapup, I love him with all my heart and soul now, he's made me see that having everything perfect and 'right' just isn't necessary. Plus, he is so good for DH, who is bi-polar. This new puppy will just be enjoyed from day one And probably ruined......

Needastrongone you're new pup sounds lovely, when do you pick him up?
How old is your other dog? Just wondered as I'd love a second dog eventually but wasn't sure how long is best to leave it.
My DH thinks I'm joking, it took 15 years for him to agree to one dog!

Needastrongone - wow another puppy! How fabulous and how I take my hat off to you! It sounds as though you are ready and confident. Great breeder!

Moose - so sorry about the chickenpox. Must be awful. Our boys were vaccinated against it as we lived in Oz where they are mighty big brother about the whole vaccination thing - no vaccine record, no getting into playgroup! So I don't understand the specifics but any illness and confinement is tough with and for kids. Any chance you could get a friendly local teenager to pop in after school and mind the kids while you get a walk in before dark?

We have a 17yr old lovely lad coming on Thursday to meet boys & puppy with a view to boy-minding/puppy sitting! Got to sell him on his super cool boyness as DS1 at 13yrs is mortified to have a female teenager babysit!

All my small breeds of dogs loved eating cat's poo too - yuck. I do not know why.

Sorry I've been AWOL r/l has been manic. All good here, I love, love, love my puppy at the moment (even though he is showing some teenagery type behaviour). Weather has been truly crap but I can honestly say I have loved schlepping through the mud in the rain, just us two :)

Hope everyone is ok, off to catch up now x

my puppy is doing really well - he's making progress with the toilet training, although only does it in a specific place in the garden, and never when out on a walk. I'm not sure if this is good or bad! good because I don't need to pick it up in the street, but bad if it means he's holding on to it for too long.

reup we have the same problem, especially first thing in the morning when I come down to him in flappy pyjama bottoms - he goes mad for the legs and attacks my calves when I turn my back on hiim. All I can say is he's gradually getting better. I think it's just developmental and hopefully they grow out of it, as long as you keep up with reinforcing that it is undesirable behaviour and giving him something else to bite/chew (hard I know when you're being mauled)!

Nigella - I'd say that's wonderful about the place specific toileting! We tried to train our puppy to do that but gave up. I really wished we had persevered as you know exactly where to head with your poo bag, whereas we (or I!) search the garden slowly never really knowing where the poos are and whether I'm about to squelch!

Well done! I don't think a dog would hold so long they would do damage.

Reup - meant to say we had this a lot and still do to a lesser extent. Our trainer said we should always have a lead to hand and pop it on if he leaps and grabs clothes. In reality it's hard to do that but we try our best to get a lead on if it's clear he's going to keep at us and he does now recognise that the lead from back of kitchen door means he's in trouble and he backs off. Problem is his memory seems to be 2mins so he's back for more quickly! I think it gets much better once they're 5/6 months.