Tips for surviving puppy motherhood? 🐶

[GinThereDoneThat]

Hi all, a new poster here and wondering if you have any "pro tips" for a puppy coming to join our family in early May.

I haven't had a puppy for a long time despite being an experienced dog owner, and I'm feeling a bit rusty

Oh yes, I second taking her out and about in your arms. It's good for her and it'll stop you feeling so stuck indoor with her. And all the fuss she'll get will tire her out, hopefully.

Each day, a bit more progress.

We just stood at the end of the drive for ten minutes or so whilst the cars went by to give her a taste of the real world she was shaking a bit but also had a great time watching them up and down - one lady who lives down the road pulled over to ask about her and give her a fuss feeling a lot better today, still overwhelmed but loving a bit more.

I left her for 45 minutes to nip to the shops and post office whilst she slept, I came back, she lifted her head to look at me and then went back to sleep

Oh yes, the puppy blues were brutal for me.

Mine was also terrible to walk for months. Tried to take him out for a ‘gentle’ walk round the block after he was neutered and he nearly pulled me down the road.

Now he’s 15 months old and after much training is loads better to walk. I can also take him walking without worrying if he’s walked too far for his age.

Hang in There.

Your pup sounds ace. Mine is crazy sleeps all the time then runs around like a nutter at 9pm what's all that about.
Puppy blues suck I definitely feel them but worse I wake up with a knot of anxiety every morning and can't face breakfast. It's not even like the dog is worrying me I am not sitting thinking about the dog or worrying about the dog but evermorning there is it. I think the dog just added to my responsibilities and that pushed me over the edge. I kind of remember the same with DS but I chalked it down to hormones and lack of sleep.
Let me know how you get on with biting op we are very bitey at the minute! Good luck with ginpuppy

@geekone I'm the exact same, I've only eaten for the first time today about half an hour ago and only had two slices of toast. How old is your pup? My pup tends to have 2 hours sleep, a mad 45 minutes and then another bloody nap

Definitely didn't think this totally through! Oh well, she's here now tough shit.

@GinThereDoneThat 11 weeks I am so glad it's not just me I was beginning to think I was odd 😂. Our pup has been a little sleepier over the last couple of days as he had his injections yesterday. But when he's awake it is for over an hour and in the evening he gets wired and it's almost 2 hours.

@geekone aww cute! Who could stay angry at that face ginpup is booked in for her jabs on Monday bless her. It feels like she will stay this annoying yappy ball of fluff forever

Jesus Mary and Joseph. I woke up the terror from her long nap, to try and tire her out before bed.. now she's ZOOMING around and doing what seems like the wall of death around the living room

Be careful with the 'trying to tire them out'. Often that's when their behaviour can be bad when they are overtired (think of them like an overtired toddler refusing to sleep and generally kicking off). Personally I would be trying to calm them down before bed rather than tiring them out which can be counter productive.

@BiteyShark I do think about that, but it's so hard to watch her asleep at 9pm knowing she's going to wake up just as I fall asleep about 11 just need to slip her into the routine and all will be grand. She's got the hang of nosing the bell on the door to ask to go outside a bit now which is fab. She is now tucked up asleep in her crate, I'm having a night off and my mum is taking over the night shift

@GinThereDoneThat my wee fluffy monster pretty much collapses at 9pm I then wake him for a wee and he goes straight to bed after he just pads in himself as we have such a routine he now knows. Honestly sleep at 9pm is good we get 9-10.30 sleep in the kitchen quick pee then back to bed and I get him up for a quick pee at 6am then back to bed till 7.30

She woke up once at 3:30, did a wee, back to bed. Howled 20 minutes, popped her in the playpen, she slept until 7!!! This morning she played and ate all her breakfast for the first time, and had a long nap - 2.5 hours

Then I just tried using her kibble as a training aid, she just about got the hang of 'sit' and 'stay' - it won't stick but she showed potential.

Now I'm going to stand at the end of the drive again to see what cars we see

You sound like you’re doing brilliantly! Mine was a terror. Slept well at night but would never nap. Screeched his head off when left alone. The first time we made him go in the boot of the car (he was getting too big for the sling) he screamed and I sobbed the whole time. He was so unhappy and I felt like a monster! But it was worth it because now he loves the boot and going in the car. We can take him anywhere. Even drove all the way to Scotland and he was good as gold!

Sticking with it in these early days pays off so much with a good bond later in life. You’re doing really well.

It sounds as if she's doing really well Gin.

Agree with the not trying to wear them out. They need to learn to be calm as much as anything.

Learning 'sit', 'stay' and all her other skills will be just as effective at making her tired, in fact more so, than exercise, which can make them a bit hyper sometimes.

@ToothTrauma @pigsDOfly thanks so much! I feel a little bit better about puppy motherhood now but still not eating much. Partly because if I move from the sofa she'll wake up and go crazy, and partly from anxious knots!!

Do you have any tips for calming a puppy down when she's tired?

My dog likes a gentle back and shoulder massage, likewise the top of her head, ears and chin.

I don't do it to calm her down particular as she's 7 years old now and is an expert at relaxing, but I imagine it might be quite calming.

Mine liked - still likes - music called Through A Dog’s Ear. I bought I on iTunes so I could play it on my phone wherever we were. The trainer at our puppy class recommended it and I was a bit but it did work!

He also liked to be cool. So I would put a fan and make sure he had room to stretch out and something to chew. Just a little puppy nyla bone - or my fingers

Ha if only I knew. I just follow him about and eventually stand still in the kitchen till he falls asleep 😂

@ToothTrauma I've just listened to that music, it calmed her down briefly but she has since found a duck toy that is way more interesting than anything else in the world. I have put on a Spotify playlist for it and she is so confused her head is tilting everywhere

@geekone same here, then I have to try and pop her in the crate and close the door and sit there till she realises it's not opening for all the cries in the world!!