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The doghouse

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

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!

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Original poster
SkeletonSkins · 20/02/2017 17:34

Booboostwo oh wow soooooo gorgeous! Going to be a very handsome dog. Their teeth are like razors aren't they.

We've had a wee inside today and I can totally tell he needs a poo ATM but despite ten million trips outside he's still holding on...

On the plus side, OH just took older dog for a walk and I stayed behind with pup and did some training. He adores mini sausages and is eager to learn which is lovely. Really enjoyed that bit - perhaps makes up for the crazy times where he winds up our other dog something rotten.

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Booboostwo · 20/02/2017 19:15

Same here...hoping the older dog will teach him toileting, Monty winds the older dog all the time and the cats are disgusted by the whole thing.

Thewolfsjustapuppy · 20/02/2017 19:51

Please tell me I'm not the only one who, when it's quiet, forgets for a few minutes that I have a puppy only to discover the shredded loopaper all over the bathroom 👀

Boo, he is heavenly looking.

BuffyChiro · 20/02/2017 20:40

Thewolf - you aren't the only one! However, I often find that when I try to forget for 5 mins (to have some time to eat or use the toilet) I get people shouting 'Buffy!! She needs the toilet!!!!' Gaaahhh!

Btw I don't want to jinx it, but so far today has been an accident-free day.

I've jinxed it haven't I?

Original poster
SkeletonSkins · 20/02/2017 21:00

Buffy yayyyy for accident free day!!

Our accident free day is a distant memory now Sad devil dog has finally fallen asleep after becoming incredibly over tired, to the point that he just sat there and weed on the carpet before, literally in a sit! Didn't even get up! Has been finding mischief everywhere he could find it. Thank god he's asleep now! Try again tomorrow.

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Thewolfsjustapuppy · 20/02/2017 21:08

Probably Grin

I have a tooth! its a molar following giving her the most enormous bone. I'll attach a photo.

Does anyone fancy a 'puppy survival' thread?
BiteyShark · 21/02/2017 08:01

Awww wolf I keep finding teeth from my pup :( feel very sorry for him as I know when one is loose as he slightly cries when chewing his toys. I keep giving him ice cubes to help numb his mouth.

Jenny70 · 21/02/2017 10:11

Frozen carrots are good for teething too - our pup loves them as a treat - either long carrot sticks or smaller carrot pieces.

BiteyShark · 21/02/2017 10:42

Ah I might have to go out and get a bag of carrots then for my pup as he destroys most chewing toys now and ice cubes make a watery mess when he drops half on the floor.

Owlish · 21/02/2017 11:18

We buy our carrots frozen - Sainsbury's now does frozen slices - and pup loves one of those. She goes and hides with it in her favourite hidey-hole under the sofa, which is now becoming just a little cramped for her to get under.

Booboostwo · 21/02/2017 13:11

Monty got stuck under the sofa twice during his first week but luckily he's now grown more already and can't fit at all. I think he's going to be big because his paws are massive and he has a very long tail.

Thewolfsjustapuppy · 21/02/2017 14:23

You can wrap a wet flannel around the carrot before freezing too - just for a different texture.
Trod on another tooth today. I got gummed this morning by over enthusiastic toothless pup Grin

Original poster
SkeletonSkins · 21/02/2017 18:06

Why had I forgotten about carrots?? I knew that but totally forgot you could freeze them etc. Definitely going to give that a go.

Our boy was completely hyperactive yesterday but seems a bit better today. Had to leave him alone for about 20 mins though and filmed him, and he just cried the whole time :( felt awful. Need to work on this.

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BiteyShark · 21/02/2017 18:17

SkeletonSkins I know this is frowned on by lots of people on here with leaving puppies when crying but my puppy cried for up to 30 mins initially before settling when left as I used to wait and listen and did this frequently so he got used to me not being there all the time.

Now he knows he gets two kong toys stuffed with his favourite food and pushes me out of the way when I put them down as he knows it as the signal that I am leaving but could not care less as he wants the treats. He just sleeps till I get back.

Original poster
SkeletonSkins · 21/02/2017 19:56

Bitey thank you, that's so reassuring, honestly as at the moment I just worry how he will be left in the future!! Think we are just going to have to go for it as with only two of us it's impossible to have someone with him all the time - the other dog needs walking and I'm back at work for one!! (OH now off for a few weeks to settle pup in and then works shifts with me popping in at lunch time and my dad coming in mid morning - they'll see plenty of people!!)

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Original poster
SkeletonSkins · 21/02/2017 20:07

Also any suggestions for good kong fillings?

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Wolfiefan · 21/02/2017 20:15

I soak dried food in boiled water and freeze.
Peanut butter (xylitol free) and dried food.
You can buy an aerosol like squirty cream type stuff.
We have had to VERY slowly build pup to being left. Started with seconds and then minutes. I can now leave her for an hour. At 5 months!

ScarletPower · 21/02/2017 20:28

Jasper-chops has been a little SH 1T today. It's like he's gone backwards - the toe biting and ragging about of sock-clad feet had all but finished however it re-started today with a vengeance and our high pitched yelping is NOT working. Distraction with a toy does work but not always. We've had to resort to putting him in time out in his hated play-pen where he whimpers at us and makes puppy dog eyes.

Toilet training has also gone backwards as he does not like going out in the rain.

BiteyShark · 21/02/2017 20:48

SkeletonSkins For kong fillers I use the kong 'stuff and paste' ones. I have used the puppy one, the chicken liver and his favourite a cheese one. I tried to freeze them but he didn't really like it so I just squirt a bit in as-is. I only give him the kongs when I leave the house in the day so he sees it as a special treat and when he knows I have put them in his bed he ignores everyone and just wants to get at them.

At the beginning when a very small puppy though he did cry but the time he did it got less and less and I know he then chewed his kongs once he had settled himself down.

I know some people don't advocate ever letting their pup cry but when I investigated actual scientific studies (and not just trainers say so) on separation anxiety those that actually listed analysis on numbers suggested that it came down to things such as breeds, personality of the individual dog, the sex (female versus male) of owners, the number of owners and major events such as moving house as triggers. I took 1 month off to settle the pup in and in that time got him used to being on his own for around 3 hours.

BiteyShark · 21/02/2017 20:54

ScarletPower yelping did not work for me either with the biting, nor did the ignoring or leaving the area which is bloody hard when you have a jaw clamped to your thigh. I am now on the give a warning no, if he bites again a firmer no, if he does it again I hold him firm with a growly no and then if it persists a timeout. We shall see if this works but at the moment it seems to be. If he isn't too bitey I say no and then offer him my hand and if he licks it rather than bites he gets a good boy.

Bloody puppy teeth are so sharp :(

Original poster
SkeletonSkins · 21/02/2017 21:17

Thanks for the great advice - already had so much help and reassurance from this thread. Altogether we'll be off nearly a month with him, and then will go onto a pattern of someone coming in to see him every two hours or so, so I'm hoping that we will have enough time to settle him. OH needs to go and buy a shelf tomorrow so going to try leaving him again with a kong.

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Jenny70 · 22/02/2017 01:19

Skeleton thanks for asking about the kong fillings, I have a friend bringing one over and I did wonder what would go inside!

Scarlett, I think that was the thing that got me the other day, was you have signs of going in the right direction (light at the end of the puppy-tunnel) and then the next hour it all goes to pot. Sigh. At least this thread makes me feel normal!

And my pup whines etc when I leave her to do essentials, but is always quiet by the time I get back and has usually found a leaf/stick etc and dragged it in through the dog door - so feel assured she wasn't too traumatised. But I felt guilty and pressured the whole time I was away!

murphys · 22/02/2017 06:24

Hi everyone, don't know how I missed this post as I did make a post about my pup.

So he is 10 weeks old Yellow Lab, been a little unwell so he needs a lot of fattening up and have given him extra time to master toilet training as its a bit hit and miss right now.

Thanks for the carrot tip, will try that. What age did you give a bone for the first time. I do freeze marrow bones for my other dog, but a bit nervous to give him one, size I am sure isn't a problem as they are cut but bigger than his mouth... just worried they are a bit rich.

Sleeping is a bit hit and miss too. Sometimes he sleeps through (until 5am) but the past few nights I have been up for him crying 2 or 3 times in the night. He isn't crated, but he sleeps with our other dog in a closed off section of the kitchen. Tried to keep him up later at night thinking he may sleep a bit later in the morning, but like a real baby he cannot keep his eyes open past 8pm. It is quite cute really, sometimes I carry him to his bed and he doesn't even wake up!

BiteyShark · 22/02/2017 07:28

murphys Oh yes the snuggly sleepy puppy in your arms at night is divine but mine is now too heavy to pick up so I really miss that bit Sad.

As for bones if you are worried about the richness do you even think he would be able to munch much of it at his age for it to be an issue?

FlibbertigibbetArmadillo · 22/02/2017 08:19

So glad to read this thread. We are picking our pup up on Saturday Grin
Very excited but very nervous so think I might become a regular in the dog house.
Any tips for surviving first days/nights would be much appreciated

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