Puppy Survival Thread Part 5!

[GooodMythicalMorning]

Continuing Bitey's thread once more

The thread to be, where puppies grow and we meet new doggie parenting challenges every day.

I didn't have the cone on much after his neutering as he destroyed it but I did use a buster collar and supervised him lots, even sleeping next to him to make sure he didn't get at his wound (which he could if he tried). The problem is you only have to take your eyes of them for two seconds and if they get their teeth into the wound or have a really good lick or nibble it would set you back weeks which is why I think vets aren't as laid back as we tend to be.

BiteyDog had a reaction to the dissolvable stitches though which made it worse

I cant see any stitches in indy's, there may be inside but it looks to be glued, as did mils pugs ones.

Yeah you're right bitey, I do want him healed as quickly as possible.

It seems like an eternity doesn't it. I woke up every day thinking it's another day closer 😁

This morning Sofapup took a shit behind my bedroom door and I ope ed the door smearing it all over the carpet...

Its my fault I usually take him to the tpilet as soon as i wake. But i was busting for a wee. So i went first.

Good new is his poos are starting to firm up again!

Bitey i havr tried all the dog walkers in my area. I thought i might try some near where we are staying next. If i get desperate Dhs mum would have him...but i dont like her so...not ideal.

I'm not looking forward to him havingto wear a cone! They always look so sorry for themselves!

Oh dear Sofa that sounds like a shitty morning .

BiteyDogs anal glands must be a bit full at the moment [boak] at its a bit smelly here .

Zivapup has had a couple of days with no wees indoors.🍾🍾🍾He hasn’t done a poo inside for about a week. It’s been so much easier than it was with big pup, I think he’s taught the little one and shown him how to ask to go out by knocking on the patio doors with his head!
Lovely to watch big dog leading little pup round the garden, looks like a scene from the lion king.🐶😍🐶

How do you deal with anal glands Bitey?

Ziva Aww! Maybe I need to go and find me an older dog to get this one in order for me!

I don't do anything specifically as I had read that although you can get them emptied at the vets or groomers that in itself can lead to more problems. Hopefully you aren't eating when you read this but a good poo should help empty them and I have gone round and washed where he was sat as they had clearly leaked a bit (you will know if they are playing up as it stinks of rotten fish [boak].

Another morning of clean floors. Indy was really sleepy yesterday so at least he got a bit of rest. Going to be strange doing the school run without my little buddy

Really fed up with it all. Dpup won't settle in his crate, wants me all of the time to the point he will bark even if I leave him in the room with someone else. Lord knows how I’m supposed to leave him through the day, even for school run which is 30mins. He bites all the time and gets over stimulated. He can’t even settle to be cuddled as it’s too exciting! If I crate him, he barks his head off and won’t settle. Hates being crated in the day but is fine through the night (next to me). I’m conscious he’s a baby and don’t expect too much from him, but nothing seems to be going how they make out in the books! He’s also started peeing inside. I don’t think it helps that we have another week before we can go out.

On another note, I’m finding it hard to pick training treats - everything seems to be for 3 months plus.

KinkyDorito Honestly ignore the 'books' because they can make you think you are a crap owner because if you do x they will do y and everything will be perfect which is such rubbish. It took me a while to realise that for some yes it works but for others you just have to find the right way for you in that there isn't a 'right way or wrong way'.

I did leave my pup to cry in the day whilst doing stuff so if the baby gate was closed and I went into another room and he cried I still just got on with it and came back in a bit later, no fuss, and then back out. After all he knew I was in the house and not alone but of course he wanted to be glued to me. This isn't for everyone but I was happy to do it. Mine still bloody barks if the shopping comes and he's behind the gate because he wants to be part of the action but it ain't happening .

This is all a phase and it will pass and you will think thank god they grow up .

Maybe stop playing and cuddling him if it's too much so he learns to play on his own or just be with you and calm. It won't hurt him and looking back I did a lot of just being in the same room rather than interacting (unless the bitey monster was trying to eat me ).

I did find a few treats in the larger supermarkets that were for 8 weeks and older but there wasn't many. Maybe cook some chicken and chop it up into tiny chunks and use them instead?

Thanks so much. I’m going to let him bark. I think I worry so much about the neighbours, but I don’t know how else he will learn. I’ve just crated him to try and get him to nap. He’s barking at me like mad, but I know he needs it and I have to work, so if he sleeps at my feet, he’s up every time I move.

I’m suspecting chicken might be problematic for him. I’ve got some nature’s menu ones to chop up but they are really crumbly. I was very pleased to get some from Amazon yesterday, used them all day - Bella and Bounce fish ones - then read that they recommend over 4 months! He was fine, so I will probably still give him a few. It’s like chews - basically, everything is a no! Too fatty, too hard, splinters, plastic. Sigh!

And he’s out!, 😴

Other things to try are tiny chunks of carrot (my dog loves carrot because it's sweet) or tiny chunks of cheese as treats. Just make them really small as I find they don't care so much about them being large but more that you are treating them.

Chews are more problematic as I stayed away from them until he was bigger and then I still supervised as he did have a few choking incidents.

My dog now only gets one type of treat and that's the dry turkey training treats from millieswolfheart as they are 90% turkey. They are tiny so I don't feel bad when I have to use lots at agility etc. They also do a fish one www.millieswolfheart.co.uk/dog-treats/training-treats would they be any good for him?

Hi KinkyDorito, my sympathies, cocodog was a very hyper pup too. It sounds like you have quite a lot going on at home which can over stimulate more. Can you keep pup and children apart for periods of the day, perhaps with a stair gate so you can concentrate on crate training and house training. Leave the crate door open and feed all meals in it. When pup isn’t looking drop a couple of treats in for him to find, you want to make the crate the most cosy, comforting place to be. If you are feeding kibble, I would use that as treats at the moment perhaps with some cooked turkey or chicken which won’t upset his tummy. I would also soak his lunchtime kibble and stuff it in a puppy Kong and again give it to him in his crate. This will help teach him that he can lie calmly nd amuse himself. Try to ignore all barking and only interact when he is quiet. Biting when you are handling him, redirect with a toy, remove hand calmly, I used to say “not me”, biting legs and over excited nipping usually means very tired, this would be a good time to give him a Kong in his crate, time to chew, calm down and hopefully have a nap. Don’t be tempted to shut the door until you are sure he has accepted his crate as his own little den. Covering the top and sides also cuts down the over stimulation of other things going on. You probably are doing some of this already, hang on in there, it all gets better if you can get a bit of a routine going.

I make my own for Elfpup. Dried chicken or turkey or dried lambs lung (available on line or from some pet shops if you don't want to dry the lung yourself!)

I admit I gave him those Pouch and Mutt treats right from the start - the puppy training ones. I'd break them in half so they were tiny. I also used puppy kibble for the low value treats. Welshies are prone to pancreatitis so I don't use cheese.

KinkyDoritowithsparkleson
I'm trying to give Zivapup things to do , mainly related to food as hes a greedy bugger! So toys with some meaty paste spread on them or treats hidden in boxes as well as a kong. I've had to buy him a slow feeder as he inhales his food in seconds and that keeps him busy and tires him out.
I recommend Absolute dogs FB page and their 'ditch the bowl' and the 3 minute games, short enough not to be boring, for me or the dog, but tires them out. Brain work is nearly always more tiring than physical exercise.
I don't take much notice of the age on treats just choose ones with as few ingredients as possible and grain free/no colouring.
Google Sprinkles too, that has always resulted in a calm dog with my older one, even when he was a pup.

Thanks for all the support everyone!

I definitely need to work on the crate relationship Coco. Also, I think it is the very tired nipping that I get as redirection doesn't work when he's very hyped. My house is usually calm during the day - that's why i got him as I wanted a companion. DC are also not fussed. DS (9) is scared of him and remains on the sofa out of reach (for now...), DD is 19 and ASD, although has been making an effort and has even taken him to the toilet. So, theoretically, it should be very quiet for him but I've managed to successfully schedule decorators and carpet fitters over the period and that's been very disruptive. It wasn't planned, but carpets are going in now and then it's done. Maybe the very unhappy cats will start venturing out more then.

As I am typing this he has literally just taken himself into the crate!!!!!!! So exciting, although I have a cold foot now...

Bitey I think I put some of those treats on my order. Hopefully it will turn up soon. I put it in on Saturday, so I'm hoping mid-week.

Elphame Definitely a greedy bugger here too. To be honest, he seems fine with the treats I got yesterday. I know they are a bot worried about chews for teeth, but these biscuits are just fish and sweet potato so don't think they'll hurt him.

Ziva thanks for this - I put his dinner into two puppy kongs and that settled him for a bit. I also got a treat ball from Pets At Home which he likes to chase about. I will definitely have a look at the things you've recommended as he is a bright spark and I think he needs the stimulation. He certainly needs the tiring out!

Jabs tomorrow. 1 week until freedom.

Definetly look up Sprinkles...first time I did that Cocopup sniffed each blade of grass, was completely engrossed for ages and then fell asleep for a couple of hours on the doormat just inside the back door, not the most convenient spot😁

I want to do sprinkles! My garden is very small though, so most of it is currently either boggy from the weather or small dog toilet area. My DM's lawn would be perfect, so will have to have a go there for definite next time we visit.

I have, however, just ordered a rubber door mat and some fleece fabric to make a snuffle mat for him, which will hopefully be a bit similar until we can go outside.

Jabs are done. 1 week to walkies!

I tried a snuffle mat but the silly boy decided he would eat the mat as well . Same for all the other things like hiding food in toilet roll cardboard tubes, he just decides to ingest that instead

One bored doggy here. Desperate for walkies but he'd get too excited even if we'd stay on the path. Wound looking good though so hopefully it won't be too much longer

Goood I didn't bother much with on leads walks either because he would be far too bouncy and I didn't want to risk opening the wound. How many days is it before you go back for the final checkup?

Saturday is the next check up. Hoping it'll go well