Puppy Survival thread part 4

[GooodMythicalMorning]

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

At least the cat was happy Soubriquet

Have you found what she does like or is she still changing her mind?

I have to say since BiteyDogs illness and essential not eating for weeks he is so enthusiastic about every meal and flavour I am giving him which makes such a nice change. Just got to get some weight on him so I don't see his ribs or spine

What she does like?

Biscuits
Sandwiches
Apples
Bananas
Sausage rolls
Crisps
Peas
Carrots
Toast
Basically anything the kids drop

What she doesn't like....dog food

That would explain her lack of appetite then for dog food. You could try and get the kids to 'accidentally' drop it

Soubriquet. Have you tried one of the interactive feeders? I want to pick up one of those snakes when I see one for Elfpup to try and slow him down. He can demolish a whole bowlful of food in seconds. You'd think he was half starved.

Well a change of trainer last night for our new puppy class. Elfpup adored it - even more treats. This one's a behaviourist as well so I'm hoping to pick up some more tips. He had us playing games with the pups as well as doing loose lead walking, sit etc etc.

Sadly for him today is not going so well - a bath! He is now asleep on my dog walking fleece (which I'd actually like back as it needs a wash) and smelling of lavender. Oh the shame of it!

Okay puppy crew...what can I do to help my pup not hate the car?

Even on short journeys (in her crate) she whines and cries. It’s horrible for all involved.

Help! 😊

Is she happy in crate in house?
Sit in car and treat and feed. Gradually increase time.
Bedding that smells of home?
Cover crate?
Adaptil?
You have my sympathy. Mine used to wee. Every time. We took VERY short journeys every day. She soon calmed down.

Thanks wolfiefan, she’s happy enough in her crate. It’s definitely the car. I’m hoping it’s something that she’s grow out of? 😬

Thanks for the treat tips, I don’t need to go anywhere tomorrow so will give it a whirl!

She’s settling in really well so far, the school run is not fun though!

We spent a while driving for a minute or two. I would climb in the boot and feed her treats and we would watch the world go by! (She was too big to carry. Only tried that once! )
You don't even have to move the car to start with.
Maybe even try with someone sitting on back seat next to her in the crate?

mousebacon mine used to travel in a soft crate in the car and cried. As soon as he was big enough and could travel in the boot with a boot guard he was fine, stopped crying and just lies down.

My car isn't big enough for a crate so we've gone for the doggy seat belt option instead. Elfpup sits next to me (no choice it's a 2 seater!) and is usually asleep within seconds.

He was initially reluctant to jump in himself but scattering a handful of treats in the seat fixed that one.

Treats are wonderful things - I think he eats his own weight in them everyday but he's learning fast. If you want to use the crate could you put some sort of treat dispenser in there so it's a real bonus to be in the car?

Ooh, I do have a doggy seatbelt. That might work - I just need her to grow into her harness! 🙈 Damn you internet shopping!

My boy hated the car while confined but was fine once I moved to a seatbelt. He just panicked when confined I think.

Not much advice really. But we took puppy on his first car journey. He is crate trained so we put his crate in the car with his blanket he whined a bit to start with but settled down and no accidents.

We did buy a seat belt. But i figured i wanted him used to the crate in the car as he might well be very muddy in the future.

Some of the advice I read is to take them on short fun trips to start with so they associate the car with doing something good. Give them a treat at the beginning and end of the trip. And make sure they can see you.

Hello again, this thread dropped off the threads I'm on.

Roundpup is getting older but I think fully grown now. She lost weight at last weigh in but had a bad stomach last week so I think it's related to that.

Still working on her jumping up. She is a bugger for it especially when she gets nervous which is a lot.

With the clocks going back has brought some new neurotic behaviour on - barking at people waking past in the dark. Very annoying. She also won't walk in the dark past the end of the road. Anyone had any experience of this at all?

Dh has been away constantly with work so I haven't been able to work with her on it as much as I need to. It will be operating 'Stop Barking' in December when he's finally back for a clear month.

Desperately trying to sort out dog day care for after Christmas for my work days as the lovely lady who does it for us now is having a baby and I can't find anyone suitable.

Apart from that, everything's grand.

Nice to read through people's updates!

round mine used to detest the dark so much we stopped doing the early morning walk. However, now he is much older he will happily trot along the pavements in the dark but doesn't like the forest.

We also thought he would never bark when he was a puppy but again he found his voice when older and often barks to warns us of something but fortunately we are in a detached house so it doesn't disturb anyone. He is worst when he sees 'heads' over our front wall as I don't think he associates them with people .

BiteyDog is on operation put on weight after his illness but I am still a bit worried as his poos were just slop yesterday but hoping I just overfed him rather than his illness starting again.

Oh that's interesting bitey. Thank you.

We're pretty sure she's part podenco which are apparently very vocal dog. I grew up with non barkers and our next door neighbours hate dogs so I'm probably more bothered than I should be.

Hopefully over feeding. It's always a worry when they're not themselves. Hope today brings you more solid poos!

round I was very worried about our neighbours and barking but fortunately everyone of them says they only hear the odd woof. I must admit I am not sure how or whether to tackle it as he barks or growls for 'warnings' so 99% of the time it's to tell us he heard something or saw something which is useful so I am in two minds on whether to try and stop it.

When you walk at night do you take a light. I have a bright led head torch which I shine usually just infront of BiteyDogs nose to see what he is sniffing/looking at. However, I think it was just his confidence that increased when he decided the dark wasn't quite as scary.

I can go weeks without hearing Bluepuppy bark There was a dog with a particularly loud bark at our indoor training class this morning and it got on my nerves pretty quickly to be honest.

Training is going well. I can now get into the kitchen when I get home without him jumping up. There are parts of the training class that are a bit too dominance theory / Cesar Milan for my liking but I just smile and nod through those bits and take on the parts that are helping. Sometimes when you've got a bit of a 'special needs' dog you'll do whatever works.

A torch is a good idea.

I find barking annoying too blue. I think it's one of those things that you either do or don't. I'm trying to remember not to reply with her bark with a bark though.

She used to be too scared to go in the garden in the dark and she will now. I need to be more patient and not expect a perfect dog overnight! Especially with a rescue.

I didn't realise how many people I know are scared of dogs though so it's really limiting having people over which I'm finding hard. Especially with dh away so much as I can't go out really at all with the dc except clubs. Even then I needed to chop off swimming today or we'd be out of the house too long. Hopefully that'll improve as she gets older.

Anyone else still regretting their decision 18 weeks in ? I'm a horrible person I know teen doesn't do anything with pup has zero interest at all.Pup was her birthday present but she is happy to play with her once every so often and that's it

I feel like I have a cheek to be complaining as hokeypup is great at night -goes out before we go to bed for a wee and sleeps most of the night till 7 when dh takes her out to wee/poop. Behaviorally she is great ,constant jumping on visitors/strangers is the only issue really and she is still weeing indoors quite regularly during the day if I'm distracted doing homework/making dinner. She will do it even though she had just been outside to wee so maybe its an attention thing?

I'm just tired of mopping the floors constantly and the bloody dog hairs everywhere and I feel like I don't have a minute in the day sometimes. Sorry this is a right whinge fest and I am ashamed of how I feel

It is a life changing decision HokeyMan and puppies are hard work. Unlike children, you can't just cart them around everywhere either so it's an adjustment to not be as spontaneous as previously.

I would look into finding day care so that you have a back up plan and it doesn't feel so all consuming.

I'm starting to feel a bit stressy about roundpup and I know it's linked to dog care coming to an end and not being able to find anyone else. But it will pass. And although puppies are cute, it's dogs that are more enjoyable imo. Unfortunately, you have to go through the puppy years to get there!

We had roundpup from 16 weeks. I'd have lost my mind if it had been 8-12 weeks we'd had her from.

Well I have my moments too bethehokey . I still have to watch Elfpup (also 18 weeks) like a hawk and we get puddles when I'm busy too.

I did know that 90% of the work would fall on me and I do miss the freedom of being able to have a lie in or go out shopping for the afternoon with a friend. I'm permanently tired and I'm only managing to reply here as he's crashed out on the floor for a bit.

I keep telling myself it will get easier. He is a lovely natured little boy and his "naughtiness" is just being a puppy. I shall be glad though once he is no longer a pup. It's not a stage I enjoy.

I've joined a local FB dog walking group so we're off to our first group walk this afternoon. Hopefully it'll tire him enough for a quiet evening tonight.

BeTheHokeyMan I am always amazed when people tell me they didn't have those thoughts. I thought puppy stages were hard and teenage stage was hell. At about 10 months of age he suddenly started to be the adult dog I always imagined.

As mentioned can you afford the odd day of day care (even half a day). I have to do this on my office days but not having to worry about him all the time or even walk him those days because he is tired is such a welcome break.

As for toileting I had a lightbulb moment when he was older and still having accidents. When we were cooking and not watching in the evening he would ask to go out but because it was a simply paw at the bottom of the door I missed it so he peeded. Realising that I was missing him asking, it took less than 2 days for me to get him to associate a training bell with opening the door and suddenly when he bashed it I knew he wanted to go out even though I wasn't watching him. Could something like that help you?

Enjoy your group walk Elphame. BiteyDog is fast asleep next to me as we did a group agility class this morning which has tired him out

You’re definitely not alone hokey.
Pup is now five months and I know that actually he’s been really ‘easy’ as far as toilet training and coping with being left alone goes.
But sometimes the constant energy and biting and demanding attention is just so exhausting. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror yesterday and got a bit of a shock as I look like a wreck which I think is just from the tiredness. Me and the dc are on our own and they’re fantastic with him for the most part (they’re pre-teen age) but they do get upset if he starts nipping at them and I sometimes think another adult around would be a big help. I think I’m just trying to get used to the fact dogs are such a tie. Which I knew before, but as always knowing something isn’t the same as living through it.

Pup also likes to bark off and on, it drives me nuts as I don’t mind a warning bark but if it’s just someone walking on the other side of the fence then it’s a bit much. I can stop it before it happens if I’m outside with him, but then it means I can’t let him outside on his own and I just don’t have the time to stand outside for 40 mins while he plays just in case someone walks by.

Our puppy classes finished as well and he junior one wasn’t running due to timing of Christmas so I’m trying to work out what to do now - I think formal training classes are better for us than me trying to wing it on my own but keep holding off in case the Puppy teacher has space on the junior class after Christmas (I did ask her to let me know but haven’t heard anything).