New Puppy Mummies No. 4

[SallyBear]

Have we really got to a fourth thread already?! Wow.

Please feel free to join in.

I have Toby, who is a 7 month old foxy coloured Labrador.

[sweetkitty]

Nala is still in her crate as well when we go out, at night, when we are eating it anything to do with food as she's a terrible food thief.

We went to dog training twice, I really didn't like it, 13 pups/dogs nose to tail in a small hall. Nala got sprayed for play barking and the trainer would knee them for jumping didn't like the way they spoke to you like you were a complete idiot the guy said to me "if you tell that fog to sit one more time I'll slap you" ok meant as a joke but still. She wouldn't sit as she was too excited with all the puppies.

[needastrongone]

Sounds pleasant kitty [sceptical]

The first training group we went to tried to sell me a choke chain, but the one where we did our KC awards practised only force free and positive methods. This was a super experience and I will use this one again for this pup, but do the Bronze award, not start with the puppy classes (will go to the vets for these) There seems to be a lot of negative training out there still doesn't there?

The only thing 'negative', or close to negative was that our trainer showed us the correct use of a slip lead for a gundog, and in particular a breed like a springer that is so 'nose led' (high up the neck). We do use a slip lead, but after hours and hours and hours of ongoing lead work, he doesn't pull, and it is very very easy to slip over his neck when I have a wriggly puppy in my arms It's not used to control pulling though, I must emphasise.

[sweetkitty]

We didn't go back funnily enough

[NigellasGuest]

needa will you give Hector a chicken wing, or is he too young?
I've ordered some of the Natures Menu puppy nuggets.

[NCISaddict]

I still crate Finn and will continue to do so as long as he seems happy. We rent so really can't have him chewing things and he seems fine in it. I sometimes give him a bone or his kong but he quite often goes in it just to sleep, never makes a fuss at night ever.
I buy him raw small play bones, turkey backs, lamb necks and beef pipes for when we need him out of the way whilst cooking or with guests who don't want to play endless ball games. He's been fed in it from day one so thinks it's the best place ever!

[needastrongone]

nigella - already do, he's had one for his tea 3 nights this week.

[mintchocchick]

Thanks everyone, I'm really torn about the feeding issue. I think I'm unearthing deep seated psychological issues here - in that DH is a big meat eater, would have red meat everyday, forget the veg, if he could! And I used to be veggie, now a health conscious meat eater. I plan the family meals so we only have meat once a week, have meat-free Monday every week, several other veggie meals and otherwise chicken/fish. So DH constantly feels deprived, as does DS2 who adores meat- don't understand it myself and I hate the hard chewing aspect of meat and love the softness of a dhal! Part of DHs reluctance to give up freezer space (which is genuinely limited) might be this.

We will work through it gently - always the best approach in my book and I bet minty will enjoy the delights of raw within the year!! I drove past a local provider of raw dog food earlier today so might call in next week to chat - it's a warehouse sort of place!

Going to change kibble immediately though.

Re water spray - the trainer have been trying distraction and really help me control his barking. But I think they thought enoughs enough now and understandably felt it shouldn't need one trainer with him the whole time a trainer was wanting to talk and be heard.

Not getting tea ready with all this MN-ing and it's apple crumble tonight so better get skates on!

[FiscalCliffRocksThisTown]

A

[FiscalCliffRocksThisTown]

Applecrumble for tea! How lovely....

[barbarianoftheuniverse]

Thank you, dog craters, I don't feel so bad now. She is never banged up for more than 2 hours during the day.

I have discovered the perfect dog bride. It is haggis. For a teaspoon full of haggis Meg will put all dds socks in the washing machine. But it is going to be very inconvenient to always have a pocket full of the stuff.

[mintchocchick]

Barbarian - I'm so impressed with loading the washing machine! What advanced training, we have only just managed 'drop' and are delighted with ourselves!

The haggis tip is wonderful as we're going to a delayed burns family lunch tomorrow but are 2men down due to illness so I will doggy-bag up leftover haggis for minty!

[PickledMoomin]

I think we've mastered sit today

I've spent the last five minutes listening to puppies barking on youtube. Pup seems to like it.

Can someone tell me about weinrights? Is it terrible?

[mintchocchick]

Thanks fiscal the crumble was delicious and might have leftovers for supper later!

Like others have said, I wouldn't feel you need to do the dog training - you are doing so many other things for socialisation and education. I went because we were all new dog owners and needed the tips and professional support, and I have learnt loads - but then I was starting right at the bottom of the learning curve as I knew nothing about socialisation, positive training etc so I needed it. You sound like you're doing great without it.

[barbarianoftheuniverse]

It sounds better than it is because the long ones all hang out so it looks like old men eating spaghetti and she also put in my keys and a ball on a rope.

We have not yet mastered drop. In fact, we have only been house trained two weeks or so.
And we have selective hearing.

But so lovely.

[mintchocchick]

Ahh bless her, good for meg! When I say "we've taught drop" what I meant was that while I was ignoring DS2 and puppy (likely MNing!) DS picked up a handful of treats, Mintys fav toy stood in kitchen throwing the toy. Every time minty brought it back DS2 sort of ignored then when toy was dropped he said "drop" gave and treat and repeated 20 or so times. Job done! When I then said drop to him he did!

So DS 2 is now our chief puppy whisperer and thankfully DS1 wasn't around as he thinks that's his job.

For anyone asking about dog food - try the which dog food website - it is fabulous! Think moose mentioned a while back, worth repeating for new puppies mums, gives really decent easy to read info. Sorry can't do kinky thing.

[mintchocchick]

Ha ha meant linky thing !!

[SallyBear]

Yeah yeah mint. Likely story!

[moosemama]

mint!

The klinky thing is Which Dog Food

Fiscal - she's gorgeous. Such a pretty face. It sounds to me like you are being very sensible with her and no, there's absolutely no need to go to puppy classes with a 6 month old if you don't want to. As long as you're getting her out and about and making sure she has regular contact with and training around other dogs, people, children etc - which you are, she'll be fine.

Pickled well done on the sit. Pip used to run away if I played dogs barking on YouTube, but seems to have got over it now.

Don't know much about Wainwrights, but it should be on the site I've just linked to if you want to check it out. I think I've heard it's ok, but not premium - but I could be confusing it with another brand.

My two have missed their walks today, as dd is so poorly (temp touching 41 all day and refusing to come down with alternate meds) that I didn't want to leave her with anyone and dh was really late home from work and really exhausted. They're not impressed and have been doing an impression on dinosaurs wrestling in the middle of the living room to let us know. Will have to give them a longer walk tomorrow to assuage my guilt.

[mintchocchick]

Oh dear moose that's not great. She must be feeling dreadful. You using a wet facecloth and stripping back the layers? My mum used to say I should put mine in a cool bath if I was really worried but it never seems do-able when they're that poorly. Hope she sleeps.

I'm sure your boys will be fine without their walk today - my DS is off school with throat infection and I've missed two days but done lots of throwing toilet roll inserts into garden - despite them being full of treats he still flings them into the air and gets a good manic play with each one before settling down to open! Rather like a kid before Xmas!

Excuse my typing! -after two broken nights with DS I'm about as far away from kinky as I've ever been!

[moosemama]

Thanks mint. She's in her vest under just a cellular blanket. We've been doing ice lollies and iced drinks all day, but her temp only came down for a very short while after each lot of ice.

We were told not to do baths, tepid sponge/wet facecloths or fans, when ds2 was seriously ill with pneumonia. Apparently it can make things worse, as you cool the outer surface of the skin, which makes the body try to heat it up. What you need is to cool the core temperature. We got through so much ice with ds2 that we ended up having to buy it in from the supermarket to keep up.

It has brought back horrible memories of that time. He was only just 4, I was almost 9 month's pregnant with dd and we nearly lost him. I spent a week sleeping on a z-bed at his side in hospital and got into trouble with my midwife, as dd was breech and they wanted me in for a c-section that week. Didn't have a section in the end anyway and she was born two weeks late!

We think it's probably proper flu. We had a note home from school saying it was doing the rounds the day she went back after chickenpox.

Sounds like you and I are living similar lives at the moment - hope your ds is better really soon.

[FiscalCliffRocksThisTown]

Thank you for the advice Minty and Moose!

Love the way your DS taught. "Drop" Minty! may try yo get my DC to practice that.

Hope your DC get better soon. I think they say call a doc when temperature over 40, of at least NHS direct . 41 is high, I would call.

Hope poorly DC get well soon!

[moosemama]

Thanks Fiscal. I know dd always runs a very high temp when she's going through the virus crisis, then it breaks and she's better. The amount of times we've rushed to the OOGP and been sent home has taught us to wait a little.

Sure enough, no sleep for dh and I last night, but the fever has broken and she's currently sitting in the rocking chair singing and doing her new sticker book. I am so relieved. Even though I know it's her 'pattern' for this sort of virus, it still scares the proverbial out of me every single time!

New worry this morning. Last night Pip yelled out all of a sudden, then held his back leg up and looked really panicked. (This is the leg he had the knee injury on just before Christmas.) His toes looked scrunched up and leg tight, so I thought it must have been cramp. Massaged it and he went back to sleep. Then he went to get up from sleeping at my feet when we went to bed, screamed and couldn't get up. Can't work out why. Checked both legs and his back and he doesn't seem to be sore anywhere, but he did it twice. Tried to get up when I got off the sofa and couldn't so stayed there, then tried again when dh got up and managed it, but was moving very stiffly on his back end. Was all set to call the vet this morning, but he seems fine again.

I have noticed him being awkward getting up a few times over the past week or so and checked him over, but couldn't find anything and he seemed fine once up.

I think the two possibilities are, that it is the leg he injured or it's his back. Being a Lurcher, he has a long back and something about the stiffness of his gait last night made me think it looked more back than legs. Think I will have to book him a vet appointment early next week and get her to take a look at him. Problem being, it seems to be intermittent and even straight afterwards he doesn't have a problem being manipulated or have any areas of heat or painful points, which means she mightn't be able to get to the root of the problem either.

[FiscalCliffRocksThisTown]

Moosemama, there is always something new to worry about, isn't there?

Hope Pip gets well, sounds very much like cramp, but I have to add that I know nothing!

[needastrongone]

Poor DD and Pip moose, sorry that you are having such a run of bad luck.

I know what you mean about Pip. Occasionally, Hector's back leg will spasm when he's been out and about in the garden for a period and he will struggle to settle as it juts out without his control, just for a few minutes or so. The vets had a look and doesn't think it's anything, but, apparently, their neurological pathways are not fully developed when young, so he couldn't say for absolute certain. I am sure he's fine (as does the vet), but it niggles me.

May I ask your advise re teaching 'down'? You know I love my clicker training. I have decided to concentrate on the 'self control' cues, so wait, sit, leave it etc. He's fab at leave it and will wait until I cue him to eat a treat.

The kikopup videos (and others) use the treat as a lure, but that's confusing him, he thinks he should show restraint. He also doesn't 'slide' into the down position in the way Harry just 'got'.

I am considering just rewarding/clickering the position whenever I see him do it naturally, then adding the verbal cue. Would that work? I don't expect immediate results.

[needastrongone]

oh - and took Harry for a long walk by myself this morning, and didn't have to take the puppy. We had a fab time, walking swifty and interacting a lot, it's hard carrying the puppy to spend that time.