Does anyone fancy a "puppy survival" thread part 2

[Soubriquet]

Here we are again

Just jump in and join us

Why? Was it rejected? Mine really isn't keen on the kibble.

A tiny sprinkling of grated cheese over kibble makes all the difference to my fussy eater otherwise he would just survive on the treats of dried cows ears, beef crackling and dried cows livers grrr

Puppy blues and rows With DH here too!

First few days were really stressful but now we've got into more of a pattern.

But I spend a large amount of time still worrying that I'm doing it all wrong, she isn't happy and so on.

Started new food this week and she loves it. It's Acana puppy and we had first solid poo today. I may have called DH out to garden to view it

I need to work on leaving her today, have been avoiding it. But need to start on a process and build up. Have only put her in crate overnight and she is fine but need to do daytime for leaving for school run.

Whilst I was at the vets yesterday picked up a solution to bathe the dog in as he has some infected insect bites round his neck. That means bathing him every day for a few days....I am not going to have a happy dog

Jumping in have lurked.
Our pup has been with us for 3 weeks. He's amazing and annoying and loving and naughty. All in he's pretty much what I wanted.
BUT I need help in getting him to be ok on his own.
Can someone talk through what worked for them (or point me to a link). I've read lots of stuff and some of its conflicting. He's not consistent either sometimes he's ok in the crate and sometimes he whines like crazy.
Thanks!

Find what works.

If I leave Lexa in a crate (she sleeps all night in it with the door open), she howls and whines and destroys the crate inside.

If I leave her loose and just shut the living room door, she curls up on the floor and goes to sleep.

Start by building it up too. So lock the door walk down the street for 5 mins, come home and come back.

Try to only open the door when there's no howling and whining otherwise they learn that howling brings you home.

I leave the Tv on for mine too so she's got some company but you can leave a radio if you want

heidiwine you may not want to do what I did on leaving him on his own (in the day time) as it did involve letting him cry which some people are 100% against but I had read up on the seperation anxiety studies and I was happy with my approach (but many others won't be).

I made sure he had eaten, peeded and pooed so I knew he was comfortable in that area. I then left him and hid. He would cry for a bit which is hard not to go back to but when he was quiet for initially a few mins I would go back. I would give a treat but not say much then leave again and repeat so he got used to me leaving and coming back. I would do this a few times a day increasing the time slowly.

Bitey I've been a bit inconsistent and I began with trying it your way but for very short periods. He now knows that I won't open the door if he whines. Can I ask, did you open the door when he was quiet? Because I thought my pup was getting distressed because I wasn't opening the door.
Because of various things it's been tricky to be super consistent this week (short week, puppy sitter one day, new to walking out). Next week I'm around all day and want to get it cracked.
I want him to be crated and comfortable with the door shut - he is at night - sleeps without a whimper from about 9 till 6:30 (I wake him up twice to go pee).

I can leave him in two different places when I am out depending on the length of time. One is in a room with secure outside area but the other is a crate. The first I just opened door and treated, didn't say much then left again. The crate I just shoved treat through the bars and pottered about near it for a bit then left again. So no I didn't open the door so he got used to me coming in but not letting him out (useful if you want him in the crate for safety in the day such as workmen in the kitchen etc).

Can't help with leaving puppy alone Heidi. It's my one big issue at the moment Did I read on another thread that you have a whippet puppy? (no not stalking at all ...)

I left work early today and went and visited Bluepuppy at daycare. After a ridiculously cold morning of 2 degrees that saw me scraping ice off my car windscreen it was a lovely, sunny winter afternoon and seeing my puppy play with his friends certainly made me feel better.

After talking with some of the people that work at his daycare and know him well I'm feeling better. They think he's a really lovely, friendly puppy and have given me some techniques to try with him.

They agreed that the main reason I've had such bad puppy blues this week has mostly nothing to do with Bluepuppy. I'm having a flare up of my depression, have an ongoing neighbour issue (not dog related), have had a falling out with a sister and my work is very stressful and understaffed. No wonder a puppy issue on top of all this left me in tears!

In the meantime has anyone got an idea of how to protect my front doors while I'm working on his separation anxiety? The front doors (double doors) lead straight into my living area. I've even considered nailing something to the doors as least the nails would cause less damage than his chewing and clawing.

blue no real idea about the doors to be honest. The only thing I can think of is some type of double baby gate or playpen option to move him back from the door but that depends on how the doors are located etc in your home.

Are your doors wood? My dog loves chewing anything woody so maybe fixing a covering over them might make them less interesting.

blue very soon your puppy will be bigger and instead of adding to your stress he will be your pal who will listen to all your woes. Mine now, bless him, just sits there looking at me when I natter away to him about everything and anything

The doors are mostly glass with wooden frames. The original doors that really match my house. Yes, it's the wooden frames he's gone foe but there is scratching as well as chewing and he hasn't really gone for anything else wooden in the house so he's Definately fixating on the place I come and go. I don't care so much about a couple of holes he's dug in the backyard or the carpet he's ripping up (Mmm, chewy underlay) but I need to protect these doors. I only really need to open one at this time of the year so the closed door has something solid leaning against it at least.

You're right Bitey I'm sure long term he will be a wonderful addition to my life. He's certainly not boring

Pretty sure a whippet puppy would defeat a playpen in seconds but still a good idea

The playpen I have you can open up so it is just one big line and one section of that is the door. What I was thinking is whether you could stretch and secure it across to create a bit of a barrier so you don't want it too far from the doors that the dog can jump over it but far enough that he can't actually get past it with his teeth or paws.

Blue sorry that things are rough for you I'm sure that in a few months the dog will be a joy not a burden!

Bitey thanks for your advice I appreciate it.

Right now I've thrown a kong in and left the room. Not sure he's even registered that I've gone. Am sat on the stairs and i can hear him gnawing on it!
So far three minutes without a squeak... the kong is key (but of course then I worry that I'm creating a kong dependency! )
Would post a pic of my handsome whippety woo but it'd out me!

I have created a kong dependency unfortunately. When I leave him I throw a stuffed kong in which signals that I am going. The good news is that he boots me out of the way to get at it without a backward glance. The bad news is I will probably always have to use that forever

Today is Daniels first walk out - I am VERY excited and were taking him to a nearby walking zone with very shallow streams, so he can walk and jump and become a stinky wet dog

He did 10 minutes. Hooray! Whimpered and whined a bit (two short bursts). Then when all was silent I breezed in and prepared lunch before letting him out. He flounced out and plonked himself down on his usual sunny spot!
One more 10 minute attempt later today (fingers crossed!).
Any kong stuffing tips? We have a puppy kong and he gets stuff out quite easily even though I think it's well stuffed!

I just use a bit of the kong easy treat paste which he licks out. I know other people stuff theirs with lots of things but I am too lazy

AmIAWeed enjoy your walk.

Ah fab Heidi

I think I've gotten lucky with Lexa, she just does not give a shit. I walk her before I go out and she just sleeps when I go out. When I get home and let her out, she opens her eyes, wags her tail and eventually gets up to say hello but there's no hurry which is brilliant.

I'm glad because the last few dogs I've had had serious separation anxiety.

My pups got a lot better at being left as he's got older - I think they tend to get into a routine where they sleep more in the day instead of almost napping followed by puppy craziness!!

Blue could you use a different door to leave ever or does it always need to be that door? Just thinking if you mix it up a bit it might break that habit. Otherwise I think a piece of plastic in front of it or even a plank of wood screwed into it for now might be a good idea to save your doors?

Pup was good on his walk today. I've started doing some training on walks and I'm really enjoying it, we do stays and waits to get the ball, recalls, walking at my side and things. It started slow because he just wanted me to throw the ball but I waited him out and he's getting the idea that it's a trade off now. Seems to tire him out more too!

Puppy class want us to train roll over - it's not going well!!!

Good luck with the training Skeleton.

heidi have a look in the Files section of the Dog Training Advice & Support FB group and find the crate training guide. That covers teaching a puppy to be left alone as well as getting them used to the crate and the methods can be used just the same whether you're using a crate or not.

I'm very much of the opinion that teaching a puppy to both use a crate and be left alone should never involve them whining or crying at all. I tried leaving my first pup to cry (back when that was the advice and I didn't know any better) and that very quickly resulted in separation anxiety which took a very long time and a huge amount of effort to deal with. Subsequent pups I've trained using the methods outlined in that guide and every time it's resulted in dogs who are perfectly happy (even eager) to be left from an early age. I film them on occasion just to make sure they're still ok and it's always very boring footage of them sleeping with the occasional game of musical beds

Letting a pup cry might work out long term but if it does end up making them anxious about being alone that's much harder to sort out at a later date than it is to make sure they don't make the association in the first place.

Happy to report that of all the things I've read about puppies this thread has given me the most confidence. I have only been bitten once in the last two days. Result. We've also had more cuddly time, I think mainly because we've knackered her out! Two walks today and yesterday dh took her to work with him in London. She managed a train and tube and got a huge amount of attention aparantly (which dh didn't enjoy at all obviously...ha). So currently dogface and husband are both in favour. Thank you all. :)