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!

Cocobananas not liking the idea of 4 months of poor recall (off to sob in the corner)

Thinking about it the afternoon walk is the worst so might cut the time down before he gets his crazy look

Just took Lexa out and about with me to get used to noise

Obviously carried her tucked up in my coat so she wasn't cold and she was ok. A bit nervous at times but I don't blame her when she's that small

Hi All - This is our new puppy a 9 week old cocker spaniel called 'Puppy-dog'
He came home yesterday and whilst planned and talked about I already feel a little overwhelmed! He is currently fast asleep at my desk chair and instead of focussing on work (which I really should after being off sick last week!) I'm on here talking about puppies!!

AmIAWeed mine is a cocker spaniel. Completely mad as a box of frogs outside but lovely at home and in the garden.

Soubriquet getting them used to noise is good. Mine found cars and lorries quite scary at first.

Bitey, don't worry...Cocopup bright but easily distracted. I took on board something I probably read on here, that when you think teenage recall is sorted keep going with daily reinforcement training and a very watchful eye for a further two months before relaxing a little. Good luck.
Amiaweed, what a little cutey.

coco they are both poodles, just not clipped into Pom-poms and odd shapes.

We are having a setback because pup keeps peeing in First Dogs bed. At first I thought he did it in his sleep but that's beginning to seem unlikely. He has pads which he used to go on, but the last few days they have been dry and the bed is wet.

I don't want to take the bed away, as First Dog has suffered enough without having nowhere to sleep. I've washed it at 60 (despite the label saying wash at 40, seriously what do Pets at Home think it will need washing for?!!) he must have peed twice cause it was soaked through, but I've cleaned the plastic.

What else to do? He's pretty good the rest of the time, just when we have to leave them alone. Maybe move the bed to a different place?

Hmm thought I had posted but can't see it?

alias if your still using pads I would get rid as it is probably confusing to know which material they are allowed to pee on inside the house.

I am assuming this is in bed during the night rather than in bed in the day? If so could you crate your puppy until he is house trained to give first dog his bed back dry?

bitey thanks for the reply... no, it's during the day if I have to go out. He's actually fine at night, wakes me up once a night but otherwise hardly any accidents. He was happy to use the pads until recently.

I don't want to give up the pads because we sometimes do have to leave them for a few hours... I'm planning on getting a dog walker, but waiting til he's a bit more settled, as at the moment he's so hyper.

I guess I just have to clean the area better, so he can't smell anything.

Thinking about it if you still want to use pads could you segregate your puppy from first dog anyway using a crate or something similar?

I think even if you think you have washed things clean to a dog they may still stink of pee and thus he keeps going there. You can buy cleaners that take that smell away but we have hard floors so never needed it but I have seen it sold in pet stores.

MrsWineausaurus glad to hear last night was a little more successful!

alias weirdly our puppy also weed on older dogs bed repeatedly?? I gave up in the end and binned it and treated older dog to a nice new bed. Luckily he has never weed on that one.

Can I just say, I remember when I started this thread I was worried no one would reply! And here we are not far off a full thread. So much help and support, so thanks guys x

It's a great thread thanks for starting it! Question, my puppy eats too fast, has anyone got a decent slow bowl?

thesunwillout are you feeding dry or wet? I use a kong wobbler for dry kibble. He prefers eating from that rather than his bowl.

thesunwillout if he just needs the edge taking off then something simple like this may do the trick. If he really needs slowing down then the Outward Hound/Kyjen slow feeders are pretty good.

As BiteyShark says, if he's on dry alone you can use various food dispensing toys in place of a bowl. I also use the Kong Wobbler for mine sometimes. The Nina Ottosson Dog Pyramid is another good one and more challenging than the Wobbler. Trixie do a range of food dispensing balls which are made of softer rubber so good for keeping the noise down a bit, especially on hard floors!!

Alias, so sorry to make assumptions, gorgeous poodles with lovely clips....think the poodle is very strong in my mongrel and we have started to think if we get her a companion in a year or so it will be a pedigree poodle!
As to your weeing problem, I second crating him if only temporarily to stop him peeing on first dogs bed. If you don't want to crate train then you could put his own bed in a play pen when you are out, so they are separated but he still has company.

No problem coco. ! Lots of people think they are poodle crosses.

We have a stairgate but only use it when feeding them. If they are separated, he HOWLS. Because we have all ABANDONED him (despite being able to see First Dog through the gate) and we don't love him anymore, all the humans disappear and now we take away his best friend TOOOOOOO and put him in prison

Oh dear, you may have to rely on first dog to sort it then. We had a lab originally who took our kitten into her bed and then she suffered terrier pup who was crated but right by her at night. As pup matures hopefully he will emulate his pal and sleep soundly without any accidents when you aren't there.

Thanks for the tips, she's still on meat mixed with kibble, as that's what the breeder had her on, and i am slowly adding in a new good puppy kibble. I'd like her to be on dry eventually. Am trying Burns puppy one slowly over the next couple weeks.
She literally sucks up any food, it's scary!!

AmIAWeed, mine's a cocker too 😀
I've been up with the little sod every half hour between 12 and now, and I'm about ready to crack ☹️
He had a very subdued day yesterday, didn't really want to leave his bed, and wasn't interested in eating. He has now just wolfed down some food, and is doing circuits of the playpen. I don't want a nocturnal puppy, I just want to go to bed...

JustCallMeBaldrick my dog was and still is picky with food. I would take it away but offer it frequently so no opportunity for midnight munchies which would give him energy to play.

In the night when mine was active I would place outside for opportunity to pee and poo but then back without any playing or words and repeat (many times). It doesn't take long for them to realise night time is for sleeping so hang in there.

I think this is a brilliant thread too Skeleton. Good for a laugh as well

Bluepuppy continues to be a superstar. Toilet training was much easier than I thought it would be and I can go out and leave him loose in half the house and he seems happy to play with his toys and then sleep.

I think that teaching him obedience and recall will be the challenge because of his independent whippet brain.

oh dear Baldrick that sounds really tough, I went to bed an hour early last night expecting to be up lots and told my husband he had to stay up an half hour later so PuppyDog could go wee and poo. Next thing I know its 430am, PuppyDog is crying so I let him out, he did a wee and a poo then in, I cleaned up the mess he'd made in the bathroom (wee and poo) we played a little for half an hour before I popped him back to bed then nothing till 7am. A few more nights like that and i'll be one happy mummy.
Now let the day time every 30 minutes fun begin!!!

I have a question.
I know puppys arent allowed on the ground where other dogs may have been until after their injections, last night in the garden a neighbour spotted PuppyDog and made a beeline for him, with her dog.
I told him puppydog had no injections and offered to hold his dog so he could fuss the puppy and and he was happy with that.
BUT if a dog has had all injections would they be ok to see PuppyDog for socialisation?
Is the risk to PuppyDog against an un vaccinated dog or is there risk of PuppyDog also making their dog poorly?
Id like to do some socialisation as early as possible but not at the risk of anyone getting poorly

My understanding is that if you know the other dog has been vaccinated then it is ok to socialise with your puppy. Personally I would only do that with someone I knew well (not sure I would take the word of anyone in the street if you know what I mean).

Hi Bitey Thank you.
A friend has just popped over, minus her dogs and she said for her personally she'd rather wait, just incase PuppyDog has worms, so I guess it can work both ways as well.
Just surprised me a little that someone was quite so forward