Puppy Survival thread part 4

[GooodMythicalMorning]

Puppy's getting bigger!: continuation of Bitey's thread. If anyone wants to join feel free.

Has anyone mentioned the FB group “Dog Training Advice and Support” yet?

Excellent advice from proper trainers, vets and behaviourists and no mention of dominance, pack leaders or being the boss. Brilliant.

Grey totally understand as I honestly thought it would be easy to toilet train but it took months and everytime I thought we had cracked it he would have an accident. The reason for asking is that it took me a while to realise he was asking in his own way to go out but unless I was watching him I would miss his half hearted paw at the door turn around and he had gone. After that realisation I then trained him within 2 days to bash a bell to go out which really helped as then I knew even if my back was turned. As for the night time mine would only be able to hold it for max of 6 hours at that age and even now he doesn’t have the strongest of bladders as 8 hours is the very max. All I can suggest is getting up once in the night to take him out until you break the habit of him peeing in his bed. It impacts sleep but at least you aren’t cleaning the mess up.

We've having to redo Elfpup's Leptospirosis vaccination. The one the breeder gave only covered the two main strains but given he's bred to be a ratter and we live in the country next to farm barns he's going to be potentially heavily exposed. I'm not going to stop taking him out but we'll avoid water until he's fully vaccinated.

First puppy class last night - I'm to let him off the lead and let him run free on his next walk. Apparently lack of confidence will keep him close to me and it's easier than waiting til later when more confidence will see him more likely to run off...

Eek

Elphame yes definitely let them off the lead now and have high value treats to reward when they come back. I waited until mine was over 4 months of age for fear and went to a trainer who said if I didn’t let him off now and should have done it sooner he would be straight off when he hit teenager stage and she was so right (he forgot recall when he hit adolescence but at least he knew what he should be doing). Later on I would also start training pup to come back to a whistle.

Thanks. I'll just have to persevere I guess. Thanks for the link. The reason he wasn't homed is because he had a scratch on his eye which she was waiting to clear. Our vet has checked it and although there is scar tissue it doesn't penetrate past being superficial. I just hope we haven't purchased a whole heap of problems. 🙈

Bitey - He's barely been out on a lead so far. Just from the car to a friend's house. He's not "cleared" for walking until Friday. I might take him out for a walk this afternoon on his lead along the road trying to avoid verges and trees! Come Friday I guess I take the plunge...

I just hope we haven't purchased a whole heap of problems.

Were his parents health tested? The exact tests which are necessary vary slightly depending on the variety of Dachshund but the vital ones regardless of type are IVDD screening for both parents, a current BVA eye test (these are repeated annually) for both parents and preferably a DNA test (with at least one parent testing clear) for Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis.

If he's a mini (whatever coat type) then both parents should have been DNA tested for cord1-PRA, or there should have been proof showing that both parents were hereditary clear (i.e. all their parents were tested clear). If he's a mini wire then his parents should have been DNA tested for (or be hereditary clear of) Lafora's Disease.

There are some other tests available for the various varieties but those are the most important ones. You can find a list of all available health tests for Dachshunds here for standards and here for minis. The breed council also have a pretty comprehensive health website which goes into some detail about all the health issues and testing schemes.

Cornflake- both parents clear for PRA. Dad was a stud dog and she said clear for other health problems. Perhaps we should have him tested now for other problems?

Perhaps we should have him tested now for other problems?

The biggest issue is really the IVDD, which affects somewhere in the region of 1 in 4 dachshunds. The screening programme is not a reliable enough indicator as to whether a dog will become affected or not, it's really just the best tool currently available for reducing the risk of producing puppies particularly prone to IVDD. The best thing you can do in terms of that is follow the lifestyle advice on the website I linked previously (this one), the most important factors being keeping him as slim and fit as possible and leaving neutering until he's physically mature.

If he's a mini wire then Lafora may be a concern, approximately 10% of mini wires are affected and 35% are carriers. The KC keeps a list of mini wires who have been tested and what their status is so, depending what relatives of his have been tested, it might be possible to ascertain if there's any chance he might be affected. There's a DNA test available but it is expensive and there's not really much you could do with the information if he were affected other than wait for the condition to develop, unless you were prepared to take him back to his breeder and get a refund.

Thanks cornflake. Will look properly at the website. He is a mini smooth coat,blue/tan. He's booked for puppy classes starting Monday and going to take him out re:socialising and to puppy play. I think I had forgotten how much hard work puppies are having an older "easy" dog!

Good luck with the pupy classes han. Mini Dachshunds are adorable but I was put off by the potential health problems and I'd heard they are barky. Of course it was only after I got my whippet that I found out how common separation anxiety seems to be in the breed.

Finally I feel like this dog owning lark is starting to pay off. Because Whippeys are so fast and often a bit too bonkers to play nicely with 'normal' dogs I've found that whippet owners are keen to meet up for play dates. Bluepuppy met one of his friends earlier in the week for a run on a country property and this weekend he's meeting another whippety for a beach run. I find it difficult to make new friends and am chronically shy so it's good to have a reason to meet up,with new people.

I got up twice last night to let pup out and there was still wee and poo everywhere

No idea what I've done wrong but clearly house training has failed miserably for us!

Have you thought about getting a crate greyhorse? I think you said you don't have one as contained with other dog but it might be worth a try? My downstairs is open plan and quite quickly pup wouldn't toilet in his crate or his pen (I use the pen during day since I can't contain when at work / shops etc) and crate for night time only but it took a while for him not to toilet anywhere else downstairs, and now he still will occasionally for no obvious reason, but at least I know if I put him in the pen he won't.
Maybe he needs a smaller space like a crate to make his own first?

Unless I've misread and you've got a crate in which case I'm out of ideas - puppies are hard, I thought I was really prepared but we've struggled so much with the nipping and biting which I'd never anticipated.

For owners whose dogs need groomed at what age did you go for he first groom? And did they shampoo as well? I tried to book pup in for a puppy trim to get him used to it and was asked questions about what I wanted and whether I wanted a shampoo - ended up feeling really stupid and didn't even make an appointment as they couldn't say how long it would take so I couldnt work out if I could fit it round school. All seemed a lot harder than I expected and I've not even made an appointment yet 😳

Took my pup at 5 months for her first trim. She was washed with shampoo and smelt better than she ever has and had a tidy up and dried. The appointment took a little over an hour and I chose somewhere close to home so that it's convenient. Also, don't feel embarrassed to ask questions, I admit that I'm a novice and people are happy to give advice.

Blue- very very barky!! He's definitely made his presence known...and will take on anything that moves,the Hoover,the mop,the rabbit...yapping away! For something so small he's certainly loud! Love whippets,and definitely a good way to meet new people!

Elfpup will need a trip to the groomers 3 or 4 times a year to keep him looking like he should. At the moment he's an adorable scruffy pup but nothing I can do until his adult coat comes in around 5 months onwards.

I'll be scheduling his first visit for around 6/7 months of age. I've already given him his first bath to get him used to the idea but yes I'll be getting the groomer to bath him when he gets his coat stripped.

My challenge is now to find a groomer who can hand strip. Do you know what you want your pup to look like? It's always worth getting some pictures of what you want - much like a human hairdresser!

We are going to try and confine her somehow! A crate won't work as we don't have the room to keep it up other than at night and she sees it as something to be locked in at night and not a 'den' as such. I'm worried it will make her more anxious!

I'm wondering about a baby gate to confine a small space off but I'm not sure how it would work.

We tried her in the crate in the bedroom and she was more settled but she drove us mad wiggling and scrabbling around and she woke DS up too so shes back downstairs.

Abhorsen, i took cocodog to meet our local groomers based on a farm for a meet and brush up. Was put off by the fact that if she came for a bath, trim up etc for real they wanted all dogs in at 9am and pick up 3pm. I didn’t like the sound of this and didn’t book an appointment. I found a groomers a short drive away who had a website which clearly said bring your pup in for a puppy bath and trim up to get them used to being groomed. This first appointment was around 6 months, mum and daughter team, two hour appointment,no restraints used, they were happy to use scissors until her adult coat came in, do her nails and gradually I have worked out how long between clippings she needs.
I would advise asking around other fluffy dog owners for recommendations.

Here she is after her first puppy bath and trim back in January ,she looks a little like my daughter did back in the day when I used to cut her fringe too short 😉

I am so glad that PizzaPup doesn't need to go to the groomers, I know she would be a nervous wreck.

She ran away yesterday and I nearly had a heart attack. Our local park has a fenced off dog run and she loves it, we went yesterday and my dd was there with us. I turned my back for one minute to watch dd do something and she had gone. Disappeared through a hole in the fence, luckily she wasn't too far away chasing squirrels but I got such a fright.

We use the groom room at pets at home. They get a bad rep buy the groom room is fab. Nails trimmed, washed with shampoo, fur trimmed, dried and last time came away with a free toy. They do it all in an hour too.

So do we Good ours is a breed that needs stripping and although we have only done it once they were brilliant at our local Pets at Home

Took miss Lexa for a checkup today for a flea treatment

Got nothing but praise. She's in fantastic condition

Currently suffering a phantom pregnancy but apart from that she's perfect. Very happy

Stressful afternoon. Elfpup at 12 weeks has just had his first official walk - and it was off lead. He had a fabulous time - the grass was taller than he was so he had to bounce through it and as the puppy class trainer had said he didn't venture far away. He did get left behind and was out of sight at one point but came immediately when called (and got a treat or two!).

He's now exhausted and out cold and I'm in need of a stiff drink. It all went fabulously well but we didn't meet any other dog walkers. That's the next hurdle.