Shit, I have somehow acquired a puppy...

[Theoneandonlyitchymcitch]

Help!! She is a teeny tiny baby shitzu crossed with something equally obscure. She is slightly larger than my foot. I have zero experience with puppies. What do j need to do? I've made her up a bed with towels and puppy food in a dish near her. I got her a baby bottle to try and get her to drink milk (kitten milk!) from that. She is ignoring all my efforts and is snoring on my foot...

Dixie she was pure white but now she's white with golden tones. Depends on how long her coat is and whether she's wet or not

Yes, poo eating might be happening. Charlie was super quick at it as well.

Fleas, oh no! We had fleas last year and what helped was sticking her in a bucket for a few minutes and then washing with a flea shampoo. All of the fuckers drowned. She then got treated- don't really know how she got them in the first place as she gets treated monthly. So it might be worth filling up a washing up bowl with water and putting Chiara in and then just brush her coat really gently.

Things are ok here. Although she is getting very antsy about being left alone and won't stop barking and whining... Any tips? And toilet training has been a bit scuppered by this awful weather, she nearly blew away earlier and unsurprisingly didn't want to wee in the wind and the rain!

Just caught up with the thread, you've done really well! We've had our French bulldog puppy 5 weeks now (he'll be 4 months old mid April) and he's still sulking now at being made to go out in the wind & rain for the toilet It's so hard having a puppy but rewarding too when they learn something new! We are getting there with toilet training, he went a whole week without an accident in the house then in the space of 2 days peed on the hall floor and did a poo upstairs. Sooo frustrating but it's our fault for being complacent and not letting him out frequently enough. Would definitely recommend puppy classes, we've done 2 weeks now and it's amazing how fast they learn new stuff.

Thank you, it is quite overwhelming! Literally can't wait to get her crate. My friend does dog training so I am going to ask him if he would mind doing some work with her. No wees this morning yet, going to take her out again in a second, but she very nearly blew away earlier! She has stopped barking now but is whining a lot. What do I do to discourage this, I can't spend every single second of the day with her!!!

What we've learned at puppy class about how to deal with unwanted behaviour (jumping up, barking, trying to climb up on sofa) is ignore ignore and ignore! So we've been taught if he jumps up, ignore him, turn around and walk away until he learns not to jump and it's the same with barking/whining you have to ignore them. It's really hard but if you speak to them then it gives them the attention they want so they'll do it more. That's just what I've been taught and reading online before we went to class suggested the same thing. Someone with more experience may be able to elaborate further! We also play with him a lot and tire him out before leaving so that he's tired and sleeps while we are gone. Here's a picture of our little demon

Oh what a sweetie! My little fluff ball has just done a lovely wee, had some strokes and attention and is now asleep on my lap. Washing machine is on near her but weirdly that seems to have a calming effect on her! Little bit worried that she hasn't done a poo still... Will try the washing her bum technique as suggested somewhere upthread...

This is ddog1, aged 8 weeks old, on the day she came to live with us.

Yoomoo! I can't even tell you how jealous I am! I have wanted a frenchie since I can remember!! Absolutely gorgeous!

Any movement on the poo front Theone? Usually puppies are really reliable on that front and go not long after they've eaten, might be worth mentioning at the vets tomorrow.
Aww thanks Fraggle, he is lovely and has a great little character but hasn't quite grown into his huge ears yet

More cuteness! Still no poo. I read somewhere that putting half a teaspoon of olive oil in her water might help? Anyone know if this works?

Help, anyone?! Getting worried now. Had some food, and a play, and did a bit of tummy massaging but we are still a poo free zone

She has been drinking but I'll see if I can make her have some more. She had a poo on Saturday morning 😱

Is she on dry or wet food? We feed our puppy dried biscuits but soak them in water so he gets extra water that way too. Could you try that if she's on biscuits?

She is on wet - puppy pouches... As that is what she was being fed on before, didn't want to upset her any more than I had to... Going to try her again in about 15 mins, although now it is bastarding raining which won't help!!!

don't put anything in her water. she will be fine until you get her checked at vets tomorrow.

Ok noted. One more question for you lovely and ever so helpful experts, is it better to encourage her to toilet on grass or concrete? We have a garden and a patio, and she has done her wees outside on the patio so far. Obviously as she has done it a few times now, I don't want to confuse her by moving her on to the grass, but do you think that would help her precious little arse-? Oh and one more thing sorry is it safe to take her for little strolls in the garden on her lead (in the loosest sense of the word, she is merely just attached to me so she can't run off anywhere), even though she only gets her jabs tomorrow? There haven't been dogs in this garden for over 10 years, with the exception of my friend's puppy about five years ago , only foxes... Or is it not worth the risk? Aeriousl appreciate all your help and advice

My dog will not poo on the patio, only on grass or in the bushes. So that might be your problem??

When you go to the vets tomorrow you could ask if they do puppy parties. You can go along to socialise your puppy and ask the vet nurses lots of questions.

Mine toilets on both, initially we let him out down the side alley of our house which is slabs/stones and blocked it off so he can't get into the whole garden. Then when he goes for a walk he's got a spot of grass (not someone's garden promise!) halfway round the route where he also toilets. Only does it on grass when we're out but is happy enough going in the side alley. We took him round the garden on a lead before being allowed out before jabs, vet confirmed that was fine. Just watch what she's eating, our pup likes to eat leaves which he then heaves back up 😷

Yeah just took her out, noticed she had taken a shine to the various foliage... She just came bounding over when she was called, probably just a coincidence. And yes, def going to ask about puppy parties, although she is so tiny, i am a bit worried! PFBd again... No poo yet, bit of playing and taken outside twice. Nothing!!! I am a crap puppy parent. Need to pop to shops, so going to give her her tea, try again before I leave and then again when I get back... Bloody hell, this is definitely a full time job

i think its up to you but its easier to pick poo from the path :) perfectly safe for her to walk around garden and its a good idea to get her used to her lead. invest in a lightweight lead and you can leave it on her around the house. Also see if you can get a harness rather than collar.

Am so jealous of your puppy

a word to the wise - try to go about your day as normal . yes she can follow you around etc but don't reward her whines by picking her up or giving attention. otherwise it is her that is training you!