Puppy Survival Thread Part 6

[Elphame]

As thread 5 is almost full!

[Hjb2410]

Can I join in?

New puppy joined the family on Saturday, had a rough two nights with her, crying and howling the house down, hating her crate/ pen touch wood we seem to have made a few steps forward as we had a better night last night (silent cheer)

We've had a few accidents inside but fingers crossed we seem to be getting the hang of toileting outside.

However after some advice sorry if too much information; since yesterday her poo seems to be slightly runny/ diarrhoea and she seems to be off her food.
I'm not sure what to do?

[AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley]

Have you changed the food she's used to?

[Hjb2410]

@AllRoadsLeadBackToRadley

No she was on Arden grange at the breeders and we have carried on with that. We were giving her treats but stopped yesterday in case that was upsetting her.

The only thing we did do was give her some cooked chicken last night with her tea to try to encourage her to eat her tea which she did. But she's left pretty much most of her breakfast and is really sleepy this morning.

[Albus62442]

Hello all
Lurked on the other threads and finally joining after getting over the first five weeks with our pup!
This is Albie our 15 week old working cocker spaniel, he sleeps without fuss, recalls to a whistle, doesn't mind when we leave him and has finally stopped biting us and our clothes. Getting my sanity back now!

[Cath2907]

We had a BAAAAAAD night last night. Puppy is 12 weeks and has been a mostly through the night sleeper since his third night home with us a month ago. He has a crate next to our bed. So last night he went #1 and #2 at 9:30 and didn't want either before we went to bed at 10:30. He woke at midnight asking to go out and did a #1 and #2 and then was up at 4am wanting out and did a #1 and then at 4:30 and did nothing and then I refused to let him out at 4:45am so he howled for 10 mins before dropping off. I let him out at 5:30 and he did a #2 and then howled on going back in and finally got up at normal time at 7am. At some point he'd vomited in his crate - I didn't hear that.

I've no idea why he was so unsettled or whether I did the right thing by letting him out as often as I did but not every time he whinged. He has never whinged for anything except toilet breaks before. He normally likes his crate. He was really dopey and affectionate this morning and refused his breakfast and drink at first. Fast forward an hour and he'd scoffed his brekkie, drunk a gallon, jumped on DDs head, attacked my dressing gown and was begging for toast crusts.... all normal again!

Fingers crossed this is not a sign of things to come, I don't cope well with shortage of sleep.

[ThisIsThe]

The fluff monster is getting the hang of overnight in her crate -but will not be left in the day. She’s happy to be left in the car, but i’d rather not get into the habit of that as as soon as the sun comes out we’ll be back to square one.

Do I just tough it out?

Also we are away for a fortnight shortly and the originally plan was she’d go back to the breeder (as that is the only other place she knows). But i’m a bit worried she’ll go back into the pack and all the work we’ve done with her will be lost. My parents have offered to have her.

Does anyone have any ideas what would be best?

[BiteyShark]

Hjb2410 keep a close eye on pup if she isn't eating. Is she drinking ok? As she has recently arrived it isn't unusual for them to have runny poos with all the upheaval but don't be afraid to phone your vets for advice as they would rather check them over than run the risk of them becoming dehydrated or having an infection etc. As a young pup we had to have several trips to the vets and needed antibiotics and some rehydrating fluids.

[Hjb2410]

@BiteyShark thanks for your message. I've tried encouraging her to drink as much as possible. I ended up phoning the vet when her next movement was just liquid and they advised to feed her little and often and try scrambled egg or chicken and white rice. They also advised me to pick up this paste that helps the movements to be more solid.

Two meals of scrambled egg and one dose of the paste and we have finally had a full solid movement (yay!)

Definitely glad I spoke to the vets, gave me piece of mind. We are then on Friday too for pups first vaccinations x

[Cath2907]

My puppy spent the afternoon with my parents when we needed to go out. Seems he was fine. My parents are good with dogs and enjoyed having him!

[Justasec]

Can I stumble in blearily? Our new pup been home a week now (10weeks old almost), 2nd jabs today. Happy, getting hang of toilet training, snuggly, good with the kids and meeting new people. But oh, the nights. We have to use a crate for her safety (no room its safe for her to be shut in). She was used to crate at breeder, is happy in there during day (lots of treats, snuggly blankets etc) but will not settle at night. She has pretty much whined all night for the last week. Let out middle of night for toilet, then up around 6am. Basically she just wants to sleep on one of us. Everything I read says this breed is quite clingy and this is normal but I feel we are horrible people leaving her to cry, and am sooo tired. Sleeping with us not an option nor is crate in our room. Any suggestions/wise words to help her settle?

[ThisIsThe]

Keep at it.

We’ve had the fluff monster for two weeks. Oh my days the whining at night.

Tonight out of the blue NO YIPPING going to sleep (i am currently ignoring the fact that I had to exact her from the under the kitchen table and physically put her in the crate)

[TattyTShirt]

Cath 2907. Here's my 13 week old.... squeezing into a toy box instead of a comfy bed must be a poo thing 🐕🤔

[ThisIsThe]

Ok I spoke too soon. the fluff monster did go to sleep with no yipping and did sleep all the way to 6:15 but was sick in the night. So I fear the sleep thing was a fluke.

[AmericanMomAbroad]

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!

[BiteyShark]

AmericanMomAbroad mine is now 17 month old but I hated the puppy months and often wondered what had I done. Puppy blues is a very common feeling.

Do you have a baby gate to separate the puppy and cat?

Also I found my puppy was definitely more of a handful when he was overtired so I made sure he regularly got timeouts where he would fall asleep and wake up much calmer. Saying that my MN name is in honour of the bitey monster when he was little.

I will have to warn you though my cocker was an absolute git around the 8-9 month age with selective recall in his teenage months so maybe think about doggy daycare or dog walkers for around the time when your baby arrives to give you a reprieve from it all.

[AmericanMomAbroad]

BiteyShark

Good to know I’m not alone! Yes, we have the baby gates already up to deter the two mixing when unsupervised... despite the cat jumping into the pups play pen and over the gate because she just can’t help herself 😂

My parents will be coming over for a month when baby is due, but apart from that we do not have much support so may be worth looking into outside care for pup after that stage. Pup does take 3-5 hour naps daily usually an hour at a time. She’s well rested and only gets worse without her exercise!

Being an ex trainer, walker and sitter, plus financing doggy daycare makes the situation rather difficult especially as DH cannot seem to walk the pup past the front door of our house, I always have to be present. (I’m not kidding about him being frightened! And of course the pup senses this and goes for the ankles which makes it worse!)

She really isn’t too bad with me, in all honesty. It’s more the puppy phase and my pregnancy resentment that’s got me troubled! Not sure if I made the right choice as DH says he doesn’t get the joy of a dog (heartbreaking I know 💔) and will not be in the same room as dog unless she’s chilled out/occupied with toy/ sleeping! Causing a bit of a strain on our marriage and that’s what babies are for right!

[BiteyShark]

I can honestly say neither I nor DH really started to love our dog until he grew up.

I just didn't get the 'puppy joy' even though it was me that wanted the dog but we absolutely adore him now and he's the best thing we ever got. Maybe when pup is older your DHs feeling might change as well.

[AmericanMomAbroad]

Totally understand BiteyShark!

DH never liked any of my previous dogs (in America) and I fear won’t ever. He’s genuinely fearful and uninterested of all dogs which recently came to light with our pup- thought okay if you see her when she’s teeny tiny surely nothing to fear... boy was I WRONG!

My concern is my furry friends duties are all on me and with my disability (ugh cringeworthy to call it that) and then a newborn the dog will be neglected as DH can’t and won’t learn commands as has mentally checked out.

My MS makes getting out of bed and physically walking impossible some days. We have a huge yard backs onto forests and canal towpath but that not enough and I know it. Anyone with disabilities or similar situations have a puppy and cope?

[BiteyShark]

Oh dear AmericanMomAbroad that sounds tough. DH and I had a deal where he picked up 'other chores' whilst I looked after the dog. We also pay for doggy daycare as both of us work full time although I do often work from home. These the only things I can think of that might help

[Cath2907]

Took Buddy to first doggy training class tonight. He didn’t bite anyone although he did try to hump one! He managed some sit but mostly walked backwards! He topped it all off by doing a big crap in the middle of the room whilst the whole class was quietly listening to the homework instructions! Oh the shame .
I sympathise with the dog hating hubby, I have a dog hating kid. Was hoping the puppy would improve things but she finds him terrifying and he lives to bite bits of her! Am so hoping things improving as trying to keep them apart is exhausting!

[ThisIsThe]

We have a very similar deal. Everything dog related falls to me, DH would have been quite happy without one. Dh always has a reason why he can’t do any training with her. Which is foolish as his accent is substantially different to mine so he needs to do it to.

My dog fearful child is doing very well. It helps that she isn’t a jumpy puppy (the reason I chose her).

Now I just need a dog that sleeps and be left! (Minor details)

[Hjb2410]

Hello all
Just wondering what vaccination your puppies had?
We are due to take our puppy for her first vaccination and are unsure between lepto 2 and lepto 4; help needed!
Thank you

[BiteyShark]

I have the L4 but I do live and walk in the countryside and through forests so decided the benefits far outweighed any risk etc.

What does your vet recommend?

[Hjb2410]

@BiteyShark
Breeder recommended lepto 2 but vet recommended lepto 4. She said it was up to us to research between lepto 2 or lepto 4. And I've no idea