Does anyone fancy a 'puppy survival' thread?

[SkeletonSkins]

Just wondering whether anyone else has got a puppy recently and in the same boat as us? Interested to hear how how others are getting on.

We've had our 8 week old puppy for a few days now and things are okay... he's a complete cross of lots of different breeds so enjoying trying to work out what in him!

House training seems to go great and then at night he just sits there in the middle of the grass not wanting to even walk around! Never mind wee!

Our older dog isn't particularly impressed but has been good with him so far. Just looking forward to him sleeping through the night without needing a wee. Completely forgot how having a puppy completely takes over your life for a little while!

Here's Buddie.. She's been pretty good so far. Never had to get up in the night for toileting and she's happy in her crate. Training wise she can sit and pay but that's it! How do you teach them to do more??

bluetongue those OMG feelings will probably last several weeks when you get him as well. Personally I hated the early puppy weeks but now I bloody love him (even though I have just had to wrestle the tv remote out of his mouth as he has been counter surfing again) and the house feels empty when he isn't there

toopeoply I found the most important command is sit so practice that more than anything. I didn't bother teaching too many tricks and am concentrating more on having patience so sit, stay, not jumping, begging etc but yours looks so little that having sit under your belt is a good first move.

OH yay a the new puppies are so cute.

I'm cracking up. This dog will be the death of me. I know sensibly he is not doing it on purpose but he gets let out cos I think he needs a wee. He sniffs around a bit but no action so I bring him back in (in the interest of encouraging him to pee first then play) but then comes in for about a minute and pees on my floor. Unless I actually stop him mid pee then I don't chuck him outside when he pees in the house so I hope I'm not encouraging him to pee in the house but wtaf do I do.

I also have a big problem that he hates being on his own. I have to go to work tomorrow. It's going to be hell

It's a good job he's so cute

Yes bitey I'm prepared for the puppy to take over my life for a while! I know this feeling is my anxiety talking. It doesn't mean I've made a mistake

Currently sat in his basket chewing on the lead. Doesn't sodding skew in the basket. Would rather sleep on me.

Rapidly losing patience with the peeing on my floor after being taken outside

Funkymoover its bloody miserable isn't it when it just isn't clicking with them. Could you ride it out with the nice weather e.g. Stand outside for hours if it needs it until he finally pees outside them go crazy with praise and treats?

Funky we were there, in the end if I'd taken him out and he'd done nothing I kept him on my knee or didn't let him out of my sight and took him out 5 mins later so he didn't have a chance to do anything inside. It's so frustrating though. How long are you at work for? We had to leave ours for a couple of hours but he's got used to the routine now bless him.

Bitey I think I'll join up - it gets great recommendations and surely it can only help.

Bitey I think I'm going to have to. This is miserable and I'm getting nothing done as I'm too busy watching the dog or sat with him snoozing on my lap.
I have been working with him to get him used to the crate a little more and have left him for about 5 mins with no drama (getting better but I have to be at work for a couple of hours tomorrow and Tuesday )
I guess it will click eventually.

Funkymoover at least it isn't cold and wet as I hated standing outside freezing thinking bloody hurry up and pee and poo

As for leaving him whilst at work i am sure he will miss you but will be fine. I don't make a big fuss when I return which is so hard but hope it reinforces that it isn't a big deal when I come and go. He also gets stuffed kongs which he loves as a treat and now boots me out of the way and ignores me when I leave them . I did worry initially about leaving him but i think it is good that dogs learn to be on their own because you cannot be with them all the time even if you didn't work.

Thanks for the reassurance. I have got him a tasty bone to have while I'm gone tomorrow. Hopefully that will distract him for most of the time im gone and he'll sleep the rest

Thanks for the advice re growling at the neighbour. We haven't been out much as my ds has been really really ill. He was finally feeling better yesterday so we took lion pup to a dog friendly garden centre. Obviously I carried him around but he got so much attention and let about 15/20 people stroke him. No growling! I've got someone coming round to see him early every day this week and I'll be taking him on the school run every day too. Skins, your post has given me hope that he will become more confident. I'm glad you pup is happier around strangers now. Thank you biteyshark too, you seem very knowledgeable and I enjoy reading your posts.

Can't believe we've had him a week already! I fully expected to have those 'what have I done' thoughts but I just absolutely love him. DH is so jealous that the puppy loves me more

Blue, I'm so pleased you've chosen your pup! Do you have a date to pick him up yet?

Woah. Pigs ears are the way forward. Gave him one today while we had our dinner ( family dinner busy afternoon) kept him busy for a good 20 mins or more!

Hopefully picking up pup late April / early May. It partly depends on work and when I can get some leave.

How do you people name actual human babies? I was having trouble sleeping last night because I had name lists I was agonising over

I'd post a photo but for some reason my IPad isn't picking up the photos from my IPhone from yesterday. Stupid technology.

LionSock sounds like it was just too much for your poor puppy when your neighbour swooped in and grabbed him then if he was happy with people stroking him in the garden centre. Time certainly flies and I can't believe mine is now 6 months old and seems so relatively mature and calm so if you are loving the puppy stage make the most of it as it goes really really fast

blue I had picked my name way before we got him so was glad it fitted him. Just make sure you are happy with shouting the name across an open field with everyone listening

I've had an Alfie before blue and as much as it suited him, I swear every other dog is called Alfie in the entire world and it felt a bit boring in the end! So I'd go for one of your other options.

Thanks skeleton. Name advice is very important. I've booked puppy pre school for him tonight and would hate to turn up to a class full of Alfie's First class will be on my birthday.

Leo and Cooper are front runners for names at the moment.

I've decided now I've made a decision to just go with the flow. Enjoy the good bits and try and laugh about the rubbish parts. They're only babies once after all

So positives and negatives this morning

Mixed bag overnight. Slept in his basket rather than on me (both were getting too hot) but meant I slept through me alarm to wake him and he didn't wake me so peed on the floor. Twice.

Runny poos this morning so staying away from pigs ears for a couple of days.

Put him in the crate while I took kids to school. Has a few blankets and a t shirt of mine plus a couple of his teddies. Gone for 1/2 hr. was quiet when I got back but started whining when he knew I was there. Took him straight outside, wee and a poo outside. Yay.

I have to go in to work today so leaving in about 1/2 hr. going to put him back in the crate. He's tired and dozing on me already so hoping he will sleep through till lunch when I can come home to let him out and feed him. Will have to go back in the crate for a bit this afternoon as I have to go back into the office for meetings but son will be home from school before I get home to let him out again

Wish me luck

I'm back at work today so he has to manage till lunch time. God I feel awful.
We are still getting a wee on kitchen floor at night as he has run of the kitchen because he freaks out too much if shut in crate. Always seems to do it just before we get up no matter when we get up.
So he has run of the kitchen today with suitable toys. Who knows what I'll find at lunchtime

Funkymoover good luck. We have to stay away from things like pigs ears because of a sensitive tummy although the bloody idiot tries to eat everything he can find on a walk even rotten dead mice which was yesterday's find on a walk [boak]

FlibbertigibbetArmadillo do you think your puppy hears you get up and because he is then awake and with a full bladder pees just before you get to him? I have a baby video monitor (cheap off the internet) so I can see exactly what is happening before I enter the room. If yours goes in the same spot could you video to see if that is the case so you can then address it (although not sure how other than using a crate)

Hi everyone, this thread is great. I'm having serious problems with my two puppies and need your advice! We have a 6 month old male black labrador puppy and got a nine week old puppy on Saturday, who is also a male black labrador.

The 6 month old will not leave the nine week old one alone and keeps trying to dominate him by pushing him underneath him so he is standing over him. Or he's pushing him around or biting him. At the moment, we can't leave them alone together as the six month old is too boisterous and I worry he will attack the little one. I thought at the beginning he was playing but he's definitely trying to assert his authority. Has anyone else experienced this and how long does it last?? Thanks so much.

PMC it's got nothing to do with dominance (which is bunk anyway) and everything to do with having two puppies who don't know when to stop.

I would highly recommend reading this article on "littermate syndrome". Despite the name it still applies to having two puppies at the same time even if they're not from the same litter or even the same age.

Having two puppies at the same time is a massive amount of work, far more than just double. You need to make sure they get plenty of time apart at home as well as training, walking and giving them one to one attention separately.

If you need to leave them, even just to nip out of the room, I'd completely separate them for now as chances are they'll just run riot together. Aside from the fact you don't want that to become a habit for them (which is a good reason for them spending plenty of time apart until they're more able to be calm around each other) the younger pup will be at a risk of accidental injury from the older one.

PMC1985 my 6 month old puppy sometimes needs reminding to play nicely, e.g. don't bite me, when he gets over excited. Could it be that your older puppy still hasn't quite learned his bite inhibition etc and unfortunately the younger puppy is too young to put him in his place.

I agree keep them apart and work on training your older puppy to play nicely but I don't envy you having two young puppies at the same time as it's bloody hard enough with just one

Oh PMC what were you thinking! I have no advice I'm definitely the amateur here!

Bitey I think given the runny poos and the stinky Parps coming from eddie today we will not be going near the pigs ears again for a while yet too. They have gone in the freezer for now!