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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Does anyone fancy a 'puppy survival' thread?

999 replies

SkeletonSkins · 15/02/2017 16:09

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!

OP posts:

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Original poster

SkeletonSkins · 24/04/2017 21:58

4 more to go although not on again next week due to bank holiday! He was actually great tonight - really focused.

A pup came along tonight though that is now suffering with the issues of over socialisation with other dogs. The poor owners just couldn't get his attention with food, toys, anything at all. He just wanted to play with other dogs. It's not really something that's mentioned but worth thinking about, as a puppy loving playing with other puppies soon becomes a big dog desperate to run over to everything around!

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bluetongue · 25/04/2017 01:08

Mortified your dogs are lovely. Wish I had an older dog for Bluepuppy to play with. Now he's settled in he's getting bolder and more Bitey.

He was meant to be starting puppy school this week but it's not starting until next week now which is annoying but not much can be done about it.

I'm already counting down the days until I can take him out properly. My place has a yard but it's not huge. There is however an excellent off lead dog park nearby with very high fences and a small dog and puppy section. It will be a godsend to be able to take him there and let him have a good run. Anyone with Whippeys will now they need to stretch their legs

He's still sleeping on my bed, cuddled next to me, this morning he even dived under the duvet to get extra comfy. Bless

Weirdly I've had dreams involving him the last two nights. I think it's a sign he's already wormed his way into my heart.

bluetongue · 25/04/2017 10:13

Hmm, it seems that now Bluepuppy is feeling settled his zoomies are getting crazier and he's having more of them through the day. There's also been a big change if weather here today with heavy rain and strong wind which can seem to wind cats and dogs up from my experience.

Still not sure what's to do long term about his food. He seems to only want to graze on his kibble during the day. He also has a high quality tinned food which he's getting three times a day at the moment. I was thinking of either buying something like beef mince to mix through his kibble or trying a different brand of kibble. There also seems to be a school if thought out there on the Internet that puppy food is actually bad for puppies and that they should eat adult food from day one. It's all so confusing

BiteyShark · 25/04/2017 11:26

blue when the zoomies were really bad I sometimes put mine in the crate and sure enough he fell straight asleep as he was doing them because he was overtired.

I think you need puppy food OR adult food that is also ok for puppies. Mine was moved eventually to a kibble that was suitable for both adults and puppies. I think the problem with adults only kibble is that it just doesn't have enough nutrition in it for growth. Mine was also picky so we tried a few before we got one that he liked.

bluetongue · 25/04/2017 11:37

I'll keep him on the puppy food for now and see what the vet says when he goes in a couple weeks.

Zoomiee are now finished and he's draped across my lap fast asleep

Overnight is actually going okay. He's sleeping next to me. I'm naturally a light sleeper and sometimes insomniac. I'm also someone who's always got up at least a couple of times a night for a wee and then goes back to sleep. I simply take Bluepuppy with me when I go for a wee and pop him out the back door so he can go for a wee as well. It helps that the toilet is basically next to the back door

Jenny70 · 25/04/2017 14:45

bluetongue, some dogs are grazers, so if he is eating it eventually don't think it is a problem in itself.

Molly is fussy with her kibble, I soak it in water for a few minutes to get flavour into the water, she much prefers that. Someone else recommended cooking chicken/rice puree, freezing it in little portions, then mixing that over the kibble... I am keeping that for desperate times, if water works, then I'm sticking to that, LOL.

Original poster

SkeletonSkins · 25/04/2017 17:22

blue I'd say it's only recently that our pup regularly tucks into his breakfast and tea at the appropriate times! Before that he literally ate it one biscuit at a time and then went for a play! I didn't leave it down though, I'd leave it twenty mins or so then pick it up.

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aliasjoey · 25/04/2017 20:11

We always used to free feed our older dog, but since the puppy is on different food we've had to introduce set mealtimes. Puppy is much less fussy about what he likes thank goodness, he'll happily eat anything.

Am struggling to walk 2 dogs together, I can't keep control of them if they're on separate leads; but if they're linked with a coupler it is a nightmare - puppy just bounces all over the place dragging my poor old boy with him. DH said he would start walking with me, but it's not his priority...

BiteyShark · 26/04/2017 08:07

aliasjoey I can sympathise with the walking. Although I don't have two dogs I have a spaniel which are notorious for not waking well on leads. I confess apart from our 20min road walk in the morning I typically drive somewhere where it is mainly off lead as it hurts my hands to try and control him.

LionSock · 26/04/2017 11:24

I ended up taking lionpup out on Monday. He absolutely loved it! We met two dogs and he was very friendly with both. I'm going to take him for another walk in a min. Can I ask a really stupid question? If I'm going by the ,5 mins per month of age rule, he can only walk on the ground for 15 mins. So the park is a ten minute walk away. Shall I carry him to and from the park? Or am i over thinking this?

Glad to hear all the other pups are doing well. Mortified your new puppy is beautiful. I feel like my puppy has grown up way too fast.

LionSock · 26/04/2017 11:26

Also I'm quite jealous of all your puppy zoomies. I think they look so cute when they do it but lionpup hardly ever gets the zoomies.

BiteyShark · 26/04/2017 11:31

Lion can you drive or easily carry him to the park? Then you can spend more time with him running about in the park. Given he hasn't been out much due to age I suspect he will tire easily.

thesunwillout · 26/04/2017 12:10

Hello, just thought I'd introduce myself and I have started a thread about my initial concerns. We have a jrt of 12 weeks who is adorable. She isn't a crate fan. Anyway, will be following all your posts.take care

LionSock · 26/04/2017 14:26

I ended up carrying him there and back. We were there for about about 20 mins but we sat on a bench for a while. He was off lead and absolutely loved it.

LionSock · 26/04/2017 14:28

Hi thesun, does your puppy go in the crate at all?

BiteyShark · 26/04/2017 15:16

Awww glad Lionpup had a good run.

oh dear mine had just been sick, looked grass-like and quite solid so god knows what he has eaten. Will keep an eye on him and he is just going to get offered his dry kibble tonight. Thank god I spotted him before he managed to eat it again. Dogs are disgusting creatures

thesunwillout · 26/04/2017 15:54

Hi she has only been in there at night.tried making it a fun place, throwing treats in etc in day. But when I have put her in there in the day for fun, not closed she's out again. My other thread is a separate one.I prob should have first posted on here with my info.

Booboostwo · 26/04/2017 18:27

The five minutes per month rule refers to on the lead exercise. Off the lead the dog can sit or lie down at will so the guidelines are more relaxed. Of course common sense applies, two hours off the lead would be exhausting, 30 minutes of slow, on lead walking with a few stops to rest at will would be fine even for a younger puppy.

Original poster

SkeletonSkins · 26/04/2017 19:43

Awww lion so glad you're finally out an about. Agreed that I've heard off lead doesn't 'count' as much so think you'd be okay to walk to the park and maybe just carry him back? To be honest before long I'd just be walking there and back.

aliasjoey agree that walking two is a nightmare and walks are easier when OH is available. Nice to be able to chat together on our walks too. If I have to walk them myself, I tend to head to somewhere they can be offlead most of the time like Bitey said. On lead involves a very short lead for both of them and a quick pace so they don't have time to get tangled!!

thesun will have a look st your thread now but my pup hated the crate and to be honest I gave up so I'm not the person to give advice. I think it can take a while for them to become accustomed to it but once they do it's very useful. I'm just lazy.

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bendyruler · 26/04/2017 22:16

It's lovely seeing everyone's pics and reading about your pups and really useful too to see what stages they are at at different ages. Here's my pu her names Birdie and she's a Welsh terrier she's a monster !! All she does is pee and bite I brought her home last Sunday this pic is her on her first night since then she's never fallen asleep on the sofa she gets too excited and I have to put her to bed. I really want her to fall asleep on the sofa so I can cuddle her.

Does anyone fancy a 'puppy survival' thread?

bendyruler · 26/04/2017 22:20

Lovely teeth all the better to bite you with

bluetongue · 27/04/2017 01:08

Bendyruler your pup is lovely. Don't think I've ever seen a Welsh terrier before.

Shame about the lack of cuddling. Bluepuppy is a champion cuddler. If he's not playing he just wants to be on me or next to me. It does make it hard to get things done though!

CornflakeHomunculus · 27/04/2017 01:13

If he's not playing he just wants to be on me or next to me. It does make it hard to get things done though!

That pretty much never stops. It's nigh on impossible to sit down in this house without a whippet using you as furniture

BiteyShark · 27/04/2017 04:49

bendy she is so cute. A welsh terrier was on my list of breeds that I was looking at but in the end we went with a spaniel. We met a couple of them at the discovery section at crufts last year and they were gorgeous.

bluetongue · 27/04/2017 08:43

I'm going to put my hand up and say that so far, having a puppy hasn't been as stressful as I thought it would be. Bluepuppy is a bit awesome at toilet training which helps. The worst thing so far has been his fussiness with kibble. I only cried the first night I got him and that was mostly because of the stupid dog food tin.

Best thing is I wanted a snuggly Whippet and I got one but he still loves to run around like a loon and chase his toys. I've even gone the longest number of days for ages without any kind of sleeping pills. Helps that I know I can sleep in for the next week or so

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