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.

Ouch Sostenueto, that sounds tough (and expensive).

Any idea how I tell whether places are dog friendly? I’m looking for somewhere to eat in Cambridge tomorrow with the puppy and I’m struggling. It doesn’t seem that consistent either, so some cafe Nero allow dogs and others don’t. Is it just a case of asking? Any suggestions for chains that are ok ?

Hello!
I’ll be picking up our 8 week pup on Thursday - she’s a Weston/Scottie (Scotland terrier).. haven’t had a dog for years and then it was big dogs so will be interesting! I’d love to know the general consensus on first few days.. whether to get her to sleep in cage separately from me (downstairs) and ignore any crying or in my room.. and toilet training. We are currently having building work done so not practical to go out in the back but could do the front garden if on a lead. Or, start with puppy mats indoors and progress to outside when she can use the back garden. Set alarm to get up through the night or wait and see what happens? Thoughts?

thereinmadness If I'm going somewhere I use google. I put dog friendly cambridge into the search engine and got plenty of suggestions. I quite fancy Nova myself

OK I give up! I do not understand dogs.

Elfpup is off his food. This is unprecedented. He's normally insatiable.

He's bright and active and full of beans so I really don't think he's ill and that same food that is unacceptable in his bowl is absolutely delicious when painstakingly stuffed inside a pink plastic snake. Even so the amount he's eating is a fraction of what he would normally put away.

I know he's done the bulk of his growing but he isn't eating anything like enough at the moment - maybe 200g of wet food when he should be eating 500g.

I hope it's a phase!

Our new pup routine is

out every time they look like they might like to pee....and don't come back in until they have done something ...and lots of fuss and praise once they are done. If you want to train to "pee on command" then choose a word and say that as they do the needful.
I would not encourage indoor peeing/toileting at all, any accidents just need to be cleared up without comment for the first two or three weeks. Ours is 13 weeks (on saturday) and mostly has the hang of peeing outside, and is starting to ask...once you have that we have found that you can "no no noooo!!" if you spot them starting an indoor pee, scoop them up and whip them out and then finish off outside, but if you have a sensitive soul then any telling off can be counterproductive so be careful with that.

bedtimes ....out for a "busy" and back in, straight to crate, maybe with a biscuit or stuffed kong, ours get the radio on for company/distraction from outside noise. When they are tiny we stay downstairs on the bed-settee and shoosh any squawking. Usually
Whether or not you take them out overnight depends on the pup really, current pup has never pee/poo-ed in his crate but will make an unholy racket and is perfectly happy to go out for a busy and straight back to his crate, but other pups have not asked so it's damp blankets in the morning and up to you if you want to disturb them to try and pre-empt the busys

I love westies and scotties! Good luck!

She's heeeere!

Welcome to the mad house! She's gorgeous

I forgot the Accident Clean Up Spray...she's had one accident on the carpet, and I've used Method cleaner. Will it do until I can get out and buy some proper stuff this afternoon?

Also, I read that pups eliminate every hour or so...Matilda is more like every two or three! Is this ok?

Wash with some biological laundry detergent.

Pups are individuals! Provided she's producing nice poos ( bit soft is OK not diarrhoea) and weeing happily when she does go I wouldn't worry too much. She'll probably switch to every 20 minutes soon to keep you on your toes

first couple of days they can be a bit shell shocked, takes a little while to get their routine back

she looks cute!

Hello all! New pup arrived at 12 noon today - hand hold needed please! First dog for any of us - thought I had better bite the bullet before the kids were too old to help! He seems to be settling in ok - not too much crying, but has pooed 5 times since arriving!! Is this normal? Sooo much to learn!

Handhold here!

I'm so confused! I keep reading conflicting things about getting DPup into a routine. Some say the occasional accident is fine...others say that every accident is paving the way for doom and gloom later, and I should bollock the dog!

Can you guys tell me if the way I've been/am planning to do it sounds ok, please?

Outside after mealtimes, mad-hour, and nap times. No eye contact until she elims. Click/treat when she does until it's properly established.

Accidents ignored. I clean them up when she's not looking. Chewing- I distract her with a chew toy and say "share". I know she won't get it yet- but I want to use the "words" from the beginning.

Sleeping- in her crate- which she loves.

Chill out time- in the basket in whichever room I'm in.

Playtime- usually on the kitchen floor.

What should I be doing this first week?

Sounds like you are doing fine!

Elfpup had loads of accidents. Ignoring them is the way to go. Bollocking will only make them scared of you and try and hide the evidence! I really thought he'd never crack it but we are now pretty much there at 7 months. I was hoping it wouldn't take anywhere near as long but I have an independent -bloody- minded breed

I had a chewy puppy too - I put a toy in his mouth when he tried to chew me with the words "ouch that's me". He learned that very fast!

Hello

We picked our new puppy up today. 8 week old golden retriever who we have named Holly.

We had an hour and a half journey from the breeders back home. Holly managed fine except for being sick four times which we expected.

Got home, Holly had a nosey round and seems to have settled. We've had two accidents inside but a wee and a poop outside which we have praised her for.

We've got a crate and a pen for her however I'm not sure how best to use the crate and how to introduce it to Holly, any advice?

Thanks in advance

Me again! Sorry to be a pain in the ass...

So...toilet training is going GREAT! She knows where to do it, etc. BUT...she doesn't actually ask to go out yet?

She knows the word "outside", and heads to the back door. I'm wonering if it's because I don't give her a chance to ask. She goes out after naps, an hour after meals, after her "timeout" for want of a better word (she goes by herself to her crate, chews, chills).

She doesn't pee on command yet.

So what should I be doing now?

I just reinforce words to use, watch them like a hawk...PuppyHomeSlice is killer at sitting to command and has been since the first week, he does a little thing with his tail before sitting, which we all spotted,so as soon as his tail goes out we all chorused SIT and so he now knows it!

Just keep anything short and sweet, don't repeat yourself if they are not cooperating, give it up or they learn to ignore you

As far as introducing the crate ours get no choice about night time...already covered our routine up thread, but we are working on using it as his go to den for the day, this basically entails cutting down on the blankets around for him to lie on, all toys found lying about are tidied away in there and if he gets a treat he is to take it in there to eat it.
Also as we cover it for night time it is supposed to be uncovered during the day, but some people forget.

...so obviously that's why he has pulled his favourite blankie out and is snoring at my feet! ;o

but he does like it in there, and will go in to sleep. We were just away from home and took his crate with us and he used it much more which was nice.

Elfpup has never asked to go out - he heads towards the back door. It was part of the reason he took so long to train as he was "asking" to go out but if you weren't there to see him....

I've now put a doggy door bell up but he hasn't got the idea yet. Luckily he's now big enough to hold on until we do notice his hovering by the back door!

New continuation thread here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/3184677-Puppy-Survival-Thread-Part-6?

Hello all!

I am 20 weeks pregnant with our first and have a 4 month old lab puppy. DH and I both work from home and I have had 3 dogs previously in my life.. one even went on to be a service and therapy dog and so I felt confident when DH said this pup would be 100% on me. (I should note he is 6’5 and terrified/ not a dog person but agreed to a lab for our future family plans).

Fast forward to now, I am wondering if I made the right decision. Vet overwhelmed with zero support & recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, (suffered mild symptoms for over 7 years prior so used to some of it)- however this pup is taking it out of me! Pup terrorises deaf 2yr old cat and although knows most basic training (sit,come,stay,leave it, drop it, paw, come, look at me, off, in, down & whistle recall) is a total nightmare! I cannot ever have a moment to myself or to think about baby which I know is expected with pups but she really takes the trophy. I should note she’s exercising at least 35 mins off lead in fields daily, fetch or indepth mental stimulation 15 mins daily and training 2x at 5 mins each daily and interacting with other dogs/puppies regularly. Also gets interchangeable toys, one Kong filled w/ banana and or bits of her food daily. Still she chews skirting, the cat! socks, bricks, rocks you name it! Apple bitter was a success on furniture but doesn’t stick to metal or concrete lol

Anyone have a lab puppy before and can share any experiences? She will be 8 months when baby arrives in July and I’m feeling disheartened when she misbehaves, as aiming to get her training nailed before baby. Never felt this way towards any dog but once the baby kicked it was sort of downhill resentment from there. Puppy classes start next week but any advise helps!!!!

Thanks!