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The doghouse

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Original poster

Does anyone fancy a puppy survival thread part 3

975 replies

BiteyShark · 14/07/2017 10:28

Continuation of the support thread.... anyone is welcome whether they have new or older puppies, just want a chat or are battling with ongoing puppy problems.

I thought I would start this thread off as I am hoping it might be the last one I need support from as BiteyPup is now 9.5 months old and we have survived the early puppy months and his teenage antics seem to be subsiding. Still working on our relationship and recall but it's getting better and can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel (fingers crossed) Wine

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Original poster
BiteyShark · 03/08/2017 13:27

Enjoy your easy day Skeleton Grin

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roundtable · 03/08/2017 15:59

Took dog to the beach/pier today. Totally overwhelmed, started barking. This holiday has been hard work! Didn't realise how many no dog places there are.

TheAntiBoop · 03/08/2017 18:51

So I need a bit of help with the crate.

He is happy in there and will go in at bedtime - often unprompted. He then stays in until he needs his 5am wee!

During the day I put him in when he has a nap which he is fine with. When I get back to him he is normally sitting up and waiting so I potter about for a few minutes before opening the door. Sometimes he's asleep and will stay in when I open the door.

Should I just continue like this as he seems happy? If I put him in when he isn't tired he won't go or will whine. I need to build up to leaving him for an hour while I do the school run in September. Eventually he will need to stay for 2-3 hrs at other times but am happy to get a dog sitter or such like while he is still small.

CornflakeHomunculus · 03/08/2017 19:03

It sounds like he's doing great at night Anti so I'd definitely carry on as you are with that.

During the day you need to make going in the crate rewarding so it's not just somewhere he gets put in and then left. Kikopup on YouTube has some excellent crate training videos and there's also a great guide to crate training (which naturally leads into training them to be left) on the Dog Training Advice and Support FB group.

CornflakeHomunculus · 03/08/2017 19:04

Here's the crate training guide. Well worth a read and it works brilliantly with zero distress for your puppy.

Original poster
BiteyShark · 03/08/2017 19:06

TheAntiBoop sounds like things are going really well. I used to throw treats in his crate when I needed him in there during the day (when we had workman around etc). I would then push the odd treat through the bars for him when he was being good.

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TheAntiBoop · 03/08/2017 19:10

Thanks

He's not interested in treats....

He's a very placid puppy. I'm worried it's because he's sad!

Original poster
BiteyShark · 03/08/2017 19:15

Puppies are all different. Some very food motivated, others not so much. I have for months hunted about for different treats he likes because he prefers some to others.

They also change as they get older. For months BiteyDog wasn't terribly food motivated but as he has got older and I now know what he likes it has got easier.

Does he have a favourite toy he likes to hold/chew that you could reward him with when he goes in the crate?

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TheAntiBoop · 03/08/2017 19:22

He has his teddies that he sleeps on that he came home with. His favourite toys all have squeakers so I was nervous to leave them with him. Would a ball with no squeaker be ok?

Original poster
BiteyShark · 04/08/2017 07:54

I must admit I only left mine with strong Kong toys when completely unsupervised. If he needed to be in the crate in the day but I was popping in and out then I didn't worry so much.

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Soubriquet · 04/08/2017 08:10

Thanks for that crate training guide

Just did 5 mins with Lexa and she quickly grasped the idea that crate=click=food

So will do that more often

Original poster
BiteyShark · 04/08/2017 08:30

I can't believe 3-4 months ago I used to dread taking BiteyDog for a walk off lead. To those who are in the middle of teenage hell keep going as it really does get better.

Today he saw two deers stood up about 30 meters away but came back on recall, saw a pup on lead and sat down waiting for me to catch up and then came back on recall to be put on lead until we had walked past pup. Saw a horse on a very narrow track, he waited for horse to stop and then ran round it quickly as if to say 'nothing to see here, just on my way'. Issues we still need to work on are chasing new things, first time he saw a rabbit today so off he chased and he almost didn't come straight back for a recall as he was a bit manic afterwards but when I did my 'don't even think about it' noise he turned and ran back to me.

I honestly never thought I would feel relaxed again on walks when he became a teenage but he is so better that I am really hopeful by the end of the year he will be even better.

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Original poster
BiteyShark · 04/08/2017 08:30

Soubriquet glad the clicker training is working well.

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bluetongue · 04/08/2017 11:07

Wow Bitey that sounds like great progress. Well done.

There is a Whippet related crisis in the Blue household at the moment. The sofa is no longer big enough for both of us Shock To be fair it is only a two seater and is way overdue for replacement anyway. Once my finances allow, I will be shopping for whippet friendly furniture Smile

Original poster
BiteyShark · 04/08/2017 11:26

blue surely you must know by now it is bluepup's sofa and your place is on the floor Grin

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TheAntiBoop · 04/08/2017 11:28

Frankfurters are a hit!! Thanks for the tip as ivenow managed to get him started on realising what his name is!

Half the time he goes out to toilet of his own accord and the other half I normally get him out just in time. So only one accident so far today!

Soubriquet · 04/08/2017 11:49

There's always something a dog can't resist. It's just finding it Grin

Glad you found your ultimate treat

CornflakeHomunculus · 04/08/2017 13:11

I put this link on the Doghouse sticky thread last night but thought I'd put it here as well as it's so useful:

Canine Enrichment

It's a FB group dedicated to brain games and enrichment activities for dogs, lots of which are suitable for puppies. It covers everything from the fanciest toys you can buy to repurposing old toys to stuff you can do with objects you might have lying around the house or are destined for the bin/recycling.

This morning my whippets got their breakfast ration of dry food folded and rolled into an old bath towel each and they had a great time poking and digging at them to get all the bits of food out Grin

SkeletonSkins · 04/08/2017 15:53

Cornflake what a fab link, thanks so much as always looking for good ideas. Might give mine my tea that way!

SkeletonSkins · 04/08/2017 15:55

Bitey how fab is that! What a great improvement, you must be so pleased.

Original poster
BiteyShark · 04/08/2017 16:14

Thanks Skeleton I think I feel more relieved that he is finally maturing into the dog I hoped he would be. I just can't imagine life without him anymore [soppy].

How's your pup doing? I presume the cough is long gone?

I need to do some mental stimulation games with him when he recovers from his neutering. I have a snuffle mat for food and at the moment we are teaching heel when off the lead in the garden. I tried to hide his ball under some cones to 'find it' but even showing him what to do he didn't seem to understand so need to work on that one a bit more.

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Veterinari · 05/08/2017 00:03

Brilliant - thanks for adding to the sticky thread Cornflake

Original poster
BiteyShark · 05/08/2017 20:18

Hmmm fighting a real ball obsession now. On one hand I have found that squeeking his ball on a walk is better than any recall whistle (shame he didn't have a ball obsession when his recall went out the window), but at home when we finish playing ball he stays outside waiting with his balls hoping we will come back out to play.

Contradicting advice online, some say remove all the balls when done, others say leave them around to desensitise. I am trying the leave them and ignore him although he looks so sad and I have given in and tempted him back in the house with food ( then closed the door so he can't go back out to his mountain of balls until he settles down Grin)

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SkeletonSkins · 05/08/2017 22:10

We leave them in the car, only have balls on walks which he seems to understand.

SkeletonSkins · 05/08/2017 22:11

Oh and yes thanks cough is gone! Had pup at a barbecue today and had a few comments about how well behaved he is which was really nice. He barked at my brother which was the only hiccup but he was well behaved even with lots of food around. Pleased!