New Puppy Mummies, Part 3

[DharmaLovesDraco]

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

I missed the bit about pig ears! gave my first one to Roxy this afternoon and then had a crazy early evening with her and the DC!

I've sent Roxy out for a walk as soon as DH stepped through the door and all DC to bed. I am knackered!

All in all doing well although she is still peeing in excitement which is driving my DH mad although I have reminded him that I'm moping the kitchen floor and a hall a lot more than I used to

I'm searching for some puppy training now...

Jammie - about the jumping up - we have been taught by our puppy trainer to deal with this by using a small house lead that we have on during likely jumping up times. We then quickly grab the lead and pull minty down from counter or person.

I must admit I doubted that this would work as he is a big counter surfer and tall enough to find the odd nibble! She also advised us to clear our work surfaces of all the clutter as it was so appealing to him.

Anyway we use a piece of string which we loop round his collar during busy kitchen times and grab it to pull him down from counters. It also works to hold him back when he wants to jump up at us sitting on the sofa. He doesn't like the restriction at all and after 4 days of this I actually think he is jumping up less - in the kitchen anyway.

As soon as someone comes to the door, even though he's behind a stair gate I'm going to put the string on so I have something to hold him with that's easier than collar. I think the jumping will reduce in time but partly it's just their way of saying hello and being friendly and they just need to learn a better way - minty has massive paws which are so muddy most of the time, that he definitely needs to learn not to jump!

Also to stop the jumping up you could try rewarding four paws on the floor with treats. Treats are only given when pup doesn't jump up. Then hopefully they will get to learn that better things happen when they stay on all fours. There are probably some videos on utube showing it better.

Needsastrongone - congratulations on dog no 2! You're brave going for a second! What breed is a GSP? Is your springer very lively?

Minty has suddenly started pooing in the night in the kitchen. He has the run of the kitchen at night and has newspaper down for him to wee on. Sometimes wees sometimes doesn't but hasn't pooed since he was 8/9 weeks, he is now 18 weeks. But last 3 nights he's pooed in kitchen. How do I go about stopping this?

Have you changed feed times or anything Mint? Is he going to bed earlier? Could you section your kitchen off for a while so he's less inclined to mess 'his' space?

Dharma - he goes to bed at 930ish and no change there. He has last feed at 530 but actually last night it was 630 as puppy class is 5-6 so maybe that had an effect? He doesn't go straight after eating so maybe we should bring tea forwards to 5. I'm wondering if we should stop the newspaper bit and try getting him going a full night without wee or poo.

Is 17 weeks too young for that? Any ideas how we would do that? I forgot the newspaper when he was about 12 weeks and just one night of no newspaper led to about 4 nights of crying to be let out back door at 3am! Hence going back to newspaper! I need my sleep too much for this malarkey.

Morning Everyone mint and going to try that today!
Will up on thread later, have a good day everyone!

Re jumping - we get Needapup/dog (which is he, now he's one?), to 'sit', which has always been his most enforced command. He remains sitting, he gets treated or fussed, if not, he gets ignored. Gradually added in 'wait' too, so he has to wait to move. I MUST start to do more work on 'bed' though, and to remain there until told.

The clutter-free environment works too, and makes you feel like a domestic goddess

mint - no advice ref the poo thing, sorry, apart from crate training but I have probably missed that you have already tried this!

German Short Haired Pointer. Two high energy dogs then! No, our Springer has honestly, truly been a dream of a first dog. I stuggled to adjust to getting a dog initially, but that wasn't his fault as you couldn't wish for an easier one, but now, I love the very bones of him. He really isn't that lively, but does get a lot of exercise and training and my DC are teens, so the house is busy but calm iyswim?

Mint, I don't think 17 weeks is too young to go through the night. Pepsi did from about 10 weeks old. But we don't put her to bed until 11.00 ish usually and then she wines at 7.15 ish at weekends (we are up by 6.30 in the week anyway).

I can finally feel that Pepsi is going to be a fantastic addition to our family. She is now around 20 weeks old and have finally settled down. She still jumps up and nips but not as often at all. We can finally relax in the evening

She has learnt to ask to play nicely (brings toy and drops it by us) rather than jumping up nipping and pawing.

She has learn to sit, stay, wait and leave. We can walk through the back door and out into the garden whilst she waits, can leave treats on the floor and not eat them until she is told to.

Still have a big problem with walking on the lead and her recall has got worse, but we've been asked to go to a special training session where she will be used to help train other people (typical springer who pulls and looks down apparently, but has enough control in other areas to be usefull to the trainer.

I can't believe how different I feel about her now, I just didn't bond with her until recently, felt very odd about that but all good now.

She is a lovely dog, just a bit determined

Good luck with all the pups, especially those in the early days, it's hard but so worth it.

Our task from the puppy training class this week is teacher Pepsi to do a trick!! any suggestions?

I do see what you mean! A world of difference between my chilled 13yr old who puppy is then in turn calm with (mainly) and our hyper leapy 8yr old who gets puppy barking, leaping, jumping before he's even got through kitchen stairgate.

Hats off to people who manage puppies and younger kids!

We just had best ever off lead walk with a friend and 2yr old lab. Minty leapt, jumped, tried to engage lab in play and she was hilarious- stuck her nose in the air and refused to budge! Was great as she growled when he got too much, ignored him at times and other times played, but all under her terms, so really good lesson for minty. What a joy to be out on a sunny day, off-lead so no pulling and fabulous recall for the sausage! I am back to a loved up feeling with my puppy!

Sorry heifer, not ignoring you! Cross posted.

What about "touch" to a stick and you can then do a twirl to the stick? I learnt it from our clicker book, can go through the stages with you if you like?

Heifer - paw is super-easy and if you're feeling flash you could extend it to a high five

Or 'bang' - Use a treat/clicker to encourage a down, then gently tempt to a half rollover so they are flat on the floor, then wait. Sound complicated, but we say 'bang' and Ddog then collapses dead on the floor now! Google it, that's a really crap description, Gwen Bailey has and example on the Pedigree website of all places

Easier is 'paw', then 'other paw', changing paws. Not sure how ddog 'got' this trick but it can go on for minutes, changing paws!

Nothing like having a well behaved older dog to teach manners, we walk with a 4 year old Springer most mornings (well did, temporarily not, long story). This was brilliant initially. I actually think Harry will be a great example for a new puppy, even at one, he's very calm and well mannered, he passed KC Gold last week and I am so proud of how hard he a DH worked for this. I also notice his body language for other dogs is great, he rarely if ever offends them.

Agree - lovely morning for a walk, restores the spirits (and tires the dogs)!

Toby (Labrador) is loving the autumn leaves. Running through them or chasing them as they blow in the wind is tremendous fun!

Sounds fun Sally bear! Wonder how much fun the puppies will have in the snow this winter!

How are people getting their puppies clean after muddy walks? Minty hates water so runs away from the hose. I tried keeping him in one place using a long thin chew spread with cheese for him to munch on while I sponged him down! And he still ran off despite being hungry and loving cheese.

He is often filthy and I'm usually too busy and clatty to mind but today I've got people coming for tea so I've steam cleaned the floor and would quite like it to stay clean!

Angus has been going through the night for about last 2 weeks - but is taken out before bed at 11.30 and then usually lasts through o between 6 and 7 (can be later at the weekend!) He is in our bedroom at night but just in his bed - (or on the floor of the en-suite - seems to prefer cold tiles to a warm bed!)
He's 13 weeks now and is great on the whole except for the biting and jumping up - oh and barking when excited. He's fine with me through the day but when the dc are home it can be difficult - he was really snappy with dd last night. Not aggressive - just playing but she doesn't know the difference. Ended up shutting him in our bedroom and he went to sleep so I wonder if he was just overtired..
Wish he'd stop barking at the cat.

Never washed any of my dogs down after a walk. They'd have hated it! Just used to (still do) dry them off with a towel and send them to their beds to clean themselves and to have a sleep. Then I'd clean the floor. Hate winter and constantly mopping the floor after Toby has come in from nipping out to the garden for a pee!

Fitz has never had a bath - he seems to be a wipe-clean dog

I towel him down after a muddy walk (like just now ..) and then pop him in his crate for a snooze and so the rest of the dirt can fall off, he comes out looking like he's just been to the groomers - it's great

I keep him on the lead and hook the handle bit over the outside tap so he's tied up, he gets hosed down, which he hates and kind of 'shrinks' but doesn't complain. Then towelled and made to stay in bed to clean himself .

Caveat - Springer's are disgusting mud magnets, we are often at the farm so there's various types of poo involved (today I found him in with the pigs while I was sorting the pony), we rarely walk on pavements, just over muddy fields so my cleaning regime for the dog is necessary!

Thanks for those ideas. We need a solution as he has such long hair and had a fabulous roll down a hill today!

thanks Mint. Is the touch trick the one where they stand up on 2 paws? if so don't fancy that at the moment as we have a problem with her jumping up and are trying to insist on 4 paws on the floor

thanks Basil and Needastrone too.

I've decided to start with "put your toys away" trick as that will be useful and she can already fetch, bring and drop toy so should be quick.

Think I will do the Paw one after.

Re washing, tbh Pepsi smells like she needs a bath but with it being so cold I just don't fancy it. She washes herself really well so doesn't look muddy etc but she doesn't half pong

Hi guys, I just wanted to say I haven't abandoned the thread & am here reading/listening etc I will join in soon again, but right now everything is just too stressful (GR 21 weeks under behaviour modification) & I don't want to drag you all down!!!! When things are feeling more positive, I will be back.

Hi picnic - how's Legend doing? Hope you are getting advice from someone you feel you can trust.

Moose - how did Pip get on at class this week? I'm afraid the 6 month old GSD that is very fearful at our class is getting worse and I really feel for the owners. Minty is improving slowly, I think, but barks noisily a lot still.

Had training last night and Finn was very badly behaved! To be fair they all were and the trainer said she has noticed that when it's windy or any time there's a change in air pressure it affects her dogs behaviour.
We covered waiting to go through doorways which I'm very keen to perfect from a safety angle. My previous two dogs were perfect at it so will persevere.
The nipping has stopped apart from on walks where he sometimes attacks my trouser legs!

We are doing ok, though I've caught Toby pooing a few times indoors and then eating it!!!!!
It's not unusual apparently though, why he can't just ask to go out....!