Does anyone fancy a "puppy survival" thread part 2

[Soubriquet]

Here we are again

Just jump in and join us

Fantastic Wolfiefan!!

Laughing at the not walking on the lead... she is so cute though!!

Puppy here didna wee on the floor when backdoor was open. Just to remind me that she is in no way toilet trained at all and just as we've been out in the garden loads it doesn't mean she is. Although she did squeak to go out for a poo earlier.

Question about 2nd injections, when you carried them into the vets, did you take a puppy pad or anything in case they did a wee/poo?

totally my dog has peeded and pooed on the vets floor many times. They just get a bag/mop and clean it up as they have a sign which just asks you to let them know of any accidents

I always covered the car in case of toilet accidents. The vets are generally well used to such events.
Couple more shows booked. So tired today but lovely time out.

Well done Wolfiefan and Wolfiepup!!

splisplash it's well worth doing some research into behavioural issues that can be common in pups removed from their dam and litter mates too soon. This article explains a study which was done into common behavioural issues exhibited in puppies taken away too young.

DDog2 came to us at roughly five weeks of age (from a well meaning but rather clueless rescue) and she's had some of the issues mentioned in the study. Thankfully no aggression or resource guarding but she's very much attention seeking, has issues with developing obsessive behaviours, took a very long time to house train and her play biting was horrendous. She's a lovely dog (if still a bit bonkers ) but I really wish we'd known from day one the issues she was already pre-disposed to developing.

You'll need to pick up the slack and get in the socialisation that the breeder should have been doing, though it's important to remember that socialisation needs to be positive. It's better to have fewer great experiences than loads where she's worried. This site is a good one, it gives you a breakdown of the different developmental stages and has lists of tasks that should be done during each. Puppy Culture is the absolute gold standard of puppy raising and I would highly recommend the DVD. It's a bit pricey but it really is fantastic and covers the development of puppies right up until twelve weeks.

Obviously not all puppies who are sold or rehomed too young have problems but forewarned is forearmed!!

Oh wow wolfie!!! Amazing result! I bet it was heaving too with people and dogs so that's a massive achievement too. I have never had a go at conformation showing but know it can be difficult to break into so what an excellent start. I used to show my old collie in agility once upon a time and would like to enter some shows with the pup everntually too.

splishsplash that's awful, poor little baby. Did you see the mum at all? I watched a programme about people bringing puppies over and putting fake microchips in although if your microchip says younger then that's the other way round really. Lots of love and care and socialisation with other dogs to make up for those extra weeks with mum. Have you got a picture?

Bitey how's the recall going? Ours has become ball obssessed so as long as I've got the ball he's great. Without the ball however....

totally our dogs are left in the kitchen when we go to work. Pup has pee pads, although several times he has slept through and not done anything. I am planning on getting a dog walker to let them out, but was waiting until he has calmed down a bit... he still wees on our feet when he's excited 😊

On the subject of eating the wrong things, yesterday pup got hold of a fat ball left out for the birds. I can honestly say what came out his other end was the worst thing I've smelled in a long time. I have a strong stomach, but actually gagged picking up his poos. 🤢 He didn't seem at all bothered though lol.

Skeleton recall is gone completely if I walk him in the forest, he is so scent driven he is off and it makes for a stressful walk. Recall is not too bad in more open bracken areas so I am sticking to them and walking in opposite directions to him to keep him focused more on where I am going. I have tried hunting games with him etc but he just isn't interested. Oddly his sit and stay is good as long as he isn't on the hunt .

Let's hope your dog remains ball obsessed as that will make it much easier to keep control.

aliasjoey how can they make such bad smells . We gave DDog a boiled egg yesterday (trying to get him to put on more weight). My god his farts were bad last night [boak].

Nothing beats a wolfhound fart. It's a WMD!

Dunno...a staffie is good competition

This is my baby Winston. He is a miniature dachshund and he is wonderful...... apart from the fact he is a nightmare to house train

Oh starshaker he is gorgeous!! Those paws!!!

We are watching YouTube puppy tips videos and have allowed ours into the living room for first time for a cuddle. Wasn't my idea!

Hello, hello all :-) Well done to the Wolfie pup for all those rosettes! And OMG cute puppy photos: love Winston (ours is Watson, but gets called Winston too occasionally !) and funny little Soubriquet pup: she's so diddy!

An update on our barky pup. We have had three sessions with a behaviourist over a week, and it's been amazing! He's gone from straining at the end of the lead and barking at every dog and person he sees ... to wandering calmly next to a busy playpark, having calmly (ish) greeted every dog in the field. Well, except the Great Dane: he looked in awe and decided maybe not!

I'm in total awe at how quickly it's shifted: the power of chicken and a clicker (oh, and an expert who knows what she's doing!)

Next thing to tackle on the list is being left alone. He's had a bit of an easy ride as I work from home, and dh can take him into the office, so he hasn't been left more than 20 mins yet. He has definitely taken against his crate, so my plan is to train both at the same time: so leaving alone outside the crate, alongside crate training per se. He's (so far!) been pretty good alone outside the crate: he has a mat that he chills on which is out of sight of the front door, and he just crashes there. He's not a big chew-er or destroyer so far, so I'm hoping it'll work.... Experts: any reasons this is a bad plan?!

PS A qu for you all: what time do your pups turn in for the night? Peanutpup tends to crash in the front room with us in front of the TV anytime after 9pm - but then dh and I have been putting him into his crate when we head up (after a last wee!). But he's never keen to leave the comfy living room carpet for his crate! This eve, we popped him in earlier, but I'm nervous he'll want to be up at 5am for a morning wee! Tell me all about your pups bedtime routines!

She's 8 months.
Dinner about 5:30.
Quiet time in living room.
Then a mad play in the garden.
Back to the living room and a treat.
Pass out!
Wake at 10 ish. Tempt to kitchen with a treat.
Wee.
Bed before 10:30. Tempted in by a treat.
That sounds like lots of treats. They're tiny and she's huge!

8 months old,
Dinner at 4pm
Free run of kitchen and garden whilst we cook and eat 5-6:30
Settles in living room 6:30 onwards
Tends to fall asleep around 7pm
Wake him at 9:30 for a pee and put in crate (usually lots of encouragement gets him back in kitchen but if he is very dozy I have to lift him onto his legs and guide him )

So it turns out there is an issue with Bluepuppy after all. One of my nice neighbours has informed me that he has been howling today while I've been out. Oh dear. He has daycare and my parents helping out but he still has some times when he needs to be left.

I'm worried that my two options are to either get him another dog for company or to return him to the breeder to be homed with someone with other dogs for company.

I know a trainer and will be getting professional advice but I'm pretty upset. He's my little buddy and sleeps in my bed every night. I don't want to give him up but I don't want him to be unhappy or bother the neighbours either

blue how long are you leaving him for and do you know how long he is howling for?

Mine went through a couple of periods of howling for 30mins until he realised it was pointless. Things I also did was walk before leaving him so he is more tired plus he always has a kong which he only gets when I leave so he knows I am going and will come back. No big fuss when I return etc.

He does get left for a few hours at a time. He got built up to it and I thought he was okay but obviously not. No idea how long he has been howling for.

If he needs to go to another home where he's happier then I'll do it. Would break my heart though. My parents have offered to see if they can have him at their place some days but I don't want to put a burden on them. They're already helping out enough.

Maybe being a whippet he just needs another whippet to hang with.

Getting a dog was meant to help my mental health not make it worse. I'm feeling pretty depressed at the moment

blue when ours started howling again my DH first instinct was to panic and get him into full daycare where he would not be left alone ever. I said no because dogs need to be left alone because shit happens and you can never guarantee that he won't be alone for the rest of his life so we persisted and now he is ok.

First go and tell your neighbour thanks for letting you know and you plan to help him get used to being on his own but it may take you a short time to do this so apologise for the howling but let them know you are on top of it. They can also help validate whether he stops.

I think getting someone like a behaviourist to help you would be good as it helps to bounce ideas and also reminds you that the majority of things can be solved. Remove the thought of rehoming him from your mind. He has a loving home and just needs some help understanding that you may leave him but you will come back.

Thanks Bitey he does have a very loving home

Rehoming would be through his breeder and would be a last resort. He is a very sweet little guy so be will okay one way or another. I guess some of the material I've read on the net about separation anxiety (if that's what it is) makes it sound as though it can be pretty difficult to fix.

Unfortunately, they have to get used to being alone. Sometimes it takes longer than others. It's just one of those things

But remember even though they are howling, it isn't actually hurting him. Try to take comfort from that

We went for a lovely walk on the riverbank this morning. Chose the bank as it's a lot of off lead time. Lexa loved it and is now fast asleep

Oh and full daycare isn't an option financially anyway. A second dog would be cheaper!

When mine started howling again like a young puppy I took him out for a walk and left him but hid so I could listen to how long it was. When he was quiet I let him out like it wasn't a big thing. It took a few days of me doing that again to get him back to just sleeping when I am gone. Can you get a camera or some other device so you can spy on him whilst you are out? Is there a better place in the house to leave him? Sometimes they hear noises and think you are there so howl to say hey I am here come and get me

Soubriquet your walk sounds lovely