Puppy Survival Thread Part 6

[Elphame]

As thread 5 is almost full!

Gin l felt exactly like that when we got the puppy. I lost a stone in weight because I couldn’t get food past the knot of anxiety in my throat.

@ThisMorningWentBadly I could do with losing a stone! However night tremours, panic attacks and hearing puppy whines when there actually aren't any is not the way to go about it

Gin - I didn’t sleep properly for weeks when we first got madness puppy. I was having really vivid dreams that the puppy had escaped his crate and I sleptwalked lots looking for him. I have a thyroid issue and I felt so ridiculously tired for the first few months and everything ached.
We’ve now had the puppy for 4 months and I feel calmer and more confident, and I think physically I’ve adapted as well.

Yes, it wasn’t the most fun way of losing it. I totally get what you mean, I used to lie there with my heart racing all night wondering whether or not I could hear the puppy. Panicking that I was getting it wrong. Worried that i’d ruined our lives.

But I promise it will pass, a night off tonight will really help you. You know you can sleep.

Thanks everyone, it's reassuring to know that it will get better in time. She's a good girl really, shame I'm so emotional I am so looking forward to a hot shower with no time restriction and a few

Oh @GinThereDoneThat I don't have night tremors but constantly sick with worry about DH DS GeekDog and how to fit them all in. It's not even like it is only my responsibility but I can't get over it. From 6am until 9 I pretty much panic about everything and I don't have any other MH issues just dog related ones. I went to America for 5 days had to leave dog with DH and lonand behold after 24 hours no knot in stomach so I knew then I wasn't coming down with something, feel a bit daft but it's good to know it's common. Felt better this morning and managed to eat breakfast. And you are right I have lost at least half a stone 😂. It will settle it did after DS (I only realised I felt like this after DS when I realised the dog was making me ill). It's the weight of responsibility of having a little being to get right to make him/her into the best dog/child possible so the don't end up in jail (DS) or biting etc DDog). Phew it's hard.

Oh and fun certainly helps.

That should be gin not fun 🤣

For all those that are losing weight with anxiety. I know it's not healthy to lose weight but try being the other way round, a comfort anxiety eater. My dog is 19 months old and I am trying to slowly lose the weight I gained during the puppy and teenager months 😭

I normally am a comfort eater, but yesterday I couldn't even eat a small slice of cheesecake

If it is any help bitey. Once the anxiety went the stone came back!

The problem I had was once the anxiety had gone I had got too used to all the

How are the puppy dogs doing? Ours is now 13 weeks + 2 days - she sleeps all night in her pen (this morning until nearly 6am!) and hasn't had an accident in the house for a few days now - phew! I'm not getting complacent though and still being super vigilant.

The bitey phase is still pretty annoying - it's got to the stage where I almost feel frightened when she nips me in case it hurts too much. I guess her baby teeth will start falling out soon so that will be fun!!

She is also mad about water! Has a paddling pool in the garden and will go in an out all day and get soaked! She then walks on the earth in the garden and comes in, leaving muddy footprints everywhere. She loves going in the bath so that is some consolation. However, last night she had a bath and then went outside and did it all again! Love her to bits but am looking forward to a calmer time.

Morning all! Yes all good and surviving but knackered. Our Cockapoo is now 10 weeks. Sleeping through 10-6 so no complaints there and most toilets are outside. It's the mischief that's the challenge now.
She likes to catch my eye and then starts eating stupid stuff or trashing something or other. It's very very hard to turn my head, break the eye contact and walk away. We have a pen in the kitchen (not her sleep place) nick named The Sin Bin. We pop her in there for a couple of mins for more serious misdeeds like snapping, chasing the cat, attention barking ....that kind of thing. Seems to work.
This is very very draining stuff. Weights dropping off me like nobody's business end April 11st 3lbs now 10st 11lbs.

All going well here. Tomorrow i’m going to attempt to have a shower before going down to badlypup.

Just want to share my happy news that everything seems to be clicked no into place. I did not share this on here but have been feeling very low and as if I made a mistake :( I don't know if it was puppy blues? I just did not feel an6 connection to my puppy at all!

But finally a few day ago I started to feel more of a bond and as if things are settling. Yes pup is still having accidents and is a very early riser and thinks that recall is optional (he is very willfull). But my feelings were nothing to do with him being difficult more that I did not feel like he was my dog!

Other people would coo over him and say how cute he was but I felt disconnected... well now I'm very happy to report that I feel he is mine and we are bonding! Phew I'm so relived :D

He is now 16 weeks so it took 8 weeks to feel as things getting better, hope it helps someone to hang in there as things truly do get better.

Hello all, I'd love to join please? I brought Dpup home last night. She is a German shepherd/black lab mix. She is 9 weeks old.

I also have a senior dog. He is 13, I've had him 3 years, from a rescue. He is a jack Russell and not overly impressed with the new arrival. I expected this but I am hopeful he will come to accept new pup.

I slept downstairs on an airbed with Dpup. Old boy slept upstairs with DH. Dpup is on iam's dry food. I'm thinking of transitioning her to wet food as she drinks a lot of water. I mean a lot. She must have peed in the region of ten times or so last night.

DH and I are picking up her crate and a stairgate today. This will help lots with keeping her safe whilst old boy gets to know her. She slept okay last night considering, slept from about 2 until 5am and then after a wee, until 7.30am. Can't complain.

I got a bit over confident with badlypup today - I was letting run around a field next to our house, and was letting her get further and further away from me. She got frighten by another dog which then chased her the length of the field and instead of running to me she bolted home.

I have never been so terrified. Lesson learned I need to keep her much closer.

Hi @Collywombles.....re:'thirst of pups, vet told me they DO drink a lot, that's normal. We are now doing a 1/3rd mix each of wet food, chicken and kibble. Just kibble last thing. I add some water to make it slip down hatch more easily. Sounds like sleeps going well for you!

Crazy hour each night is proving our biggest challenge .....she transforms from nice pup to a bleeding destructive nutter! 😞

Thanks, that's good to know. Took Dpup out for a walk with old boy, it was tough. Old boy barked a lot at Dpup initially then settled down a bit but was very distracted by her. I'm very worried again that he will not accept her.

When I got old boy from the rescue, I wasn't fully aware of his behaviours. I nearly returned him within 10 days as he snapped at my youngest son. He hated other dogs, and it took me 10 months to decide to keep him. But he has never been a family dog, which was why after three years of begging, I relented on a puppy. The kids would love to play with old boy and take him for walks, but he doesn't like them.

I actually don't know what to do if old boy won't accept Dpup. I am tired and hormonal and it's still very early days. I hope I haven't made a terrible mistake.

@Tinkobell same here. Though we didn't get crazy pup tonight he didn't get fed until 7.30 as we were all (him too) out I don't know if it was that or the stress of meeting a new doggy friend and having some puppy fighting.

@CollyWombles it's the puppy blues hold on in there if that doesn't work

@Collywombles please don't worry and don't put too much pressure on yourself and the dogs to get on. As long as they are safe, fed, walked and loved they will be fine. I would seriously just keep them separated by a stairgate and take the pressure off (but walk them together).
I occasionally look after other people's dogs and when I have two from different households I have a stairgate roughly separating the downstairs in half and I don't worry about it, after awhile the dogs sniff each other and want to interact through the gate, then I put them in same room for short periods of time (supervised).
As long as they are fine on walks you will be fine eventually, even if it takes some months :)

How are you getting on @collywombles? I know you got some stick but I'm sure things will settle and you will make it work. In the worst case scenario you can just keep them separate indefinitely... as old boy is a grumpy old man he will enjoy having "his own" puppy free part of the house. Don't beat yourself up, you can still offer him lots of love and a fantastic family home.