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!

The fear period usually starts around 16 weeks but may be less evident on puppies with confident personalities. Many puppies become more reactive to stimuli during periods of growth, there is a theory that the growth depletes vitamins which in turns affects the nervous system - supplementing with magnesium and vitamin B can help some dogs.

Hello Yoko, lovely to see another IT on here
I think there is a fear period at 8 months as well, apparently can last a month or so but you need to try to avoid scary events as it can imprint very negatively. Difficult as they are in full blown adolescents at that stage.

Hi Thewolfsjustapuppy

Your pup looks so like my Seamus very nice to see another one, he is getting quite a lot of attention as no one seems to know what breed he is.

Had a tiny set back on the weeing front yesterday, we went out for a quick walk around the block and if he is too interested in sniffing he forgets to pee, so I went to take him straight out to the garden but he managed to pee on the floor, silly billy

This little cutie came to live with us yesterday honey the golden Labrador! Feeling very nervous about doing things right. She's not our first Labrador our black lab lady died age 7 in 2012
She's almost 9 weeks. Not many accidents just 2 I got up every couple of hours during the night to let her out. We've had to leave her on her own for an hour today and she settled nicely in her bed. Hoping not to go back to a scene from Marley and me

Oh my gosh labradors puppies are so sweet!

Yoko I know what you mean re guess the breed, its not so bad now she isn't such a cute wee puppy but we still get stopped and asked what she is or because they want to guess - Airdale, terrier mix?? in the last three months 4 people have got it right. Its hard to remain bright and cheerful about it when its the fifteenth time you have been stopped on one walk .

Berty has the runs

Ahhhh more lovely puppies, welcome! Gorgeous puppy who seems to have settled in well gruffallo!

Poor Berty not feeling well, bet he's just eaten someyhing he shouldn't have in the garden.

After a set back with house training yesterday thanks to the storm (pup is not a fan of the cold!) we've been back on track today. Took him for a little walk in our arms as he's only had his first jabs and an ambulance went flying past so that's quite an experience for him! Going to take him to the local garden centre tomorrow just to socialise him.

Quick question about collars - how long did it take your pups to get used to wearing one? Our dogs don't normally wear collars in the house but found that Toby was itching at it the odd time he put it on. Thought today I'd just put it on and leave it on but that was at 8am this morning and he's still itching at it!

I would say its best to put the collar on for short periods of time and build up slowly as it takes time to get used to. Berty took a few weeks to accept the collar but now I only make her wear one to doggy day care as all her tags are on her harness and I want to buy her a really nice collar but not till she has stopped growing.
She is feeling a bit sorry for herself

Mine probably took a couple of days but he wears it all the time but it's one that is crate/kennel proof and snaps in half if he catches it on anything.

Well honey seems to have settled in to a routine of eating, pooing, doing a million wee's and sleeping only 2 accidents the rest outside!

Im feeling rather exhausted by it all it's like having a baby again. Can't wait to be able to take her out for walks!

We did the collar full time, she scratched at it all day on first day (off and on, when not sleeping/playing/distracted). Second day occasional, then OK with it.

We put a tiny bell on it, as she was creeping up under our feet and it's useful to listen out for her!

Another puppy with poorly tummy, I think I fed her too much sausage as treats for training (was doing some lead walking practice in the garden) - think it upset the puppy diet balance. Not good, but lesson learned!

BTW, probably should mention that we are in Australia, so if I complain of melting it's our late summer heat wave!

Oh yes the puppy poorly tummy. Ours was always getting the runs which resulted in at least one emergency vet visit over Christmas because there was blood in it. I wish I had known it was so common as I had horrible thoughts that it was something serious. I must admit I never thought I would be so intimate with my dogs poos :) DH and I often have a conversation about the firmness of the dogs poos daily to gauge his dietry health

What a lovely thread! Some cute rascals there!

My thread put up in 2015 (and updated every so often "I've had a golden retriever puppy 4 days...") was me, when she was just a pup. I seriously felt I'd have to let ear go....so unprepared was I for the "new baby".

Now, she's so, so loved. Every day, she makes us smile. Even my son who has ASD adores her, and HE was the main reason for her almost being returned to the breeder.

Thanks Eliza, she was a super cute puppy!
Thanks to slippery elm and probably natural history Berty is a lot better today. Only one carpet poo overnight and it was a lot firmer. Fingers crossed we will avoud the emergency vet this weekend.
I'm so glad I bought that steam mop a couple of years ago.

Thanks Eliza, good to know there is light at the end of that tunnel.

And LOL to poo discussions, thought I'd ifinished with those after the kids grew up, but nooo, still going!

Awwww a lovely update Eliza, pretty sure I read that thread! So glad to hear she has settled now and is well loved.

Day two with the collar and he's itching it a bit less. Going to stick with it for a little while to see how he goes.

He's so confident at home and loves exploring but whenever we take him out he shakes! Took him to OH work today and he was shaking like mad, poor little thing. I guess it's just a case of getting used to new experiences? He's friendly with everyone he meets.

Can I join please? Just on our way home with this baby! Lots to learn

Gorgeous sleep!

Monty had a great day at his first puppy class. He loved playing with the other puppies and it did him the world of good as he barks at other dogs when on the lead. However I am having huge problems with him and the cats. He keeps chasing them and if he corners them he mouths them quite hard. He made one cat scream today! I am really freaked out about this. I am treating him for staying calm around the cats, giving them all treats together, letting him sniff the cats, but he seems to have a very strong chase drive.

Sleep - how cute! Is she a cavoodle?

Booboostwo, mmm tough when the fluffy cats run, sets off a very basic chase response... is there somewhere the cats can safely retreat to?

And to continue the poo theme of before, if they do get runny poos do you stick with basic food only until it gets back to normal? Our puppy gets mostly dry kibble, but I think the treats/chicken sets off her tummy.

Pup I see on raw so I have halved her ration and only fed her chicken. No treats. Poor thing she is not impressed but she is her naughty little self again .
Sleep, she is so so cute!

Jenny we have baby gates, the cat room has a cat flap and is off limits, there is furniture high up for the cats...but Monty seems to be infatuated with them. The cats hesitate going out of the cat flap and he gets them there. Obviously he is completely separated from the cats when left alone and I am supervising the rest of the time but he's still managed to escalate three times now. He is good at calming down when supervised and will eat treats right next to the cats, but when they run he looses the plot.

Jenny70 yes I tend to just stick with his normal food when he has the runs. Also when we went as an emergency the vet gave us a rehydrating chicken flavour drink which I have got more off online if it is very bad but fortunately haven't needed that since as his runs tend to clear quickly now he is older.

SkeletonSkins the shaking will be because it is a new experience, breaks your heart a little bit thinking they are afraid .

She's a cockapoo, 9 weeks old. She was an angel last night, slept 11-7am in her crate next to my bed, didn't wake for the loo or have any accidents. I'm not getting remotely smug though, she hardly ate or slept all day yesterday! She's utterly sweet with the kids . First poo was on our bedroom carpet this morning!

Sleep, what a good girl!

Awwwww sounds like she's settled in already sleep! Hope you have a successful day with her today!

We are getting there now with the toilet training, I'd say one accident a day now. I think I was expecting it to be a switch, where it would suddenly click and we'd have no accidents. He definitely knows he should go outside but doesn't always remember he shouldn't go inside if that makes sense!

Going to take him for a tootle out in the car today, new experiences and all that,