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Original poster

Puppy support

656 replies

ChestyNut · 05/12/2018 17:07

Not sure if there’s is a current thread for support for new puppy owners, would anyone be interested?

ChestyPuppy arrived on Saturday and is 10 weeks old.
Finding it tough as forgot how brutal the early days are. Our Chestydog died after 12 years earlier this year, he was my best friend Sad

Highlights of today have been...
Standing in the pouring rain in pjs and a coat shouting “do wee wees”

Dealing with a puppy pad snow storm from her shredding during the night.

Turning into a bitey hyperactive monster during a visit from my friends

Please tell me it gets better?Grin

OP posts:
Thread gallery
56
purplegoat · 07/01/2019 23:29

They get so attached don't they Pringle? I'm back at work on Wednesday so have been building up to it for a while. Have nipped to the post box etc when he's been napping to start with and he didn't even know I'd gone. We have a big puppy pen with his crate in it and have been feeding him in there since day 1. Put his food in there, shut the pen and then shut the door of that room and left him to it. He was so fixated on his food he didn't notice, we have a nest camera in there so I could watch him on my phone and go in before he got distressed. And gradually built up from that.
I got to going out to the car and back in but he worked out that the jangle of keys = me leaving so the last few days I've been walking round the house with my coat on and carrying keys for a bit and then putting them down.
The things we do!

He's off for a trial at day care tomorrow. Hopefully he'll get on ok there ready for when I go back to work.

Wolfiefan · 07/01/2019 23:40

The more threads I read on MN the more I wonder if short term daycare for pups that don’t want to be left is a viable business option. Grin

LittleLongDog · 08/01/2019 08:52

Yes Wolfie! Like a drop in crèche.

I also have the velcro puppy issue. I can leave for seconds and sometimes minutes but other than that he’ll either trot after me (if he can get to me) or cry (if he can’t).

I’ve been told that it will get better as he gets another month+ older and more independent. But at the same time I worry I that I might be missing an important development stage for him if I don’t leave him now?!

sparkle789 · 08/01/2019 09:17

The only thing keeping me sane at the minute is the sparklepup can be left and he’s ok.
The jumping up however is driving me crazy!
Training classes start next week though so I’m hoping to get good techniques for that because he just ignores me now.

Wolfiefan · 08/01/2019 13:09

Little please don’t worry. I couldn’t leave Wolfie pup for long enough to pop to the next room to have a wee. She would chew through a wall or wet her bed and then eat that. She would tremble and pant and her heart would be pounding.
Now having me around today is interfering with her hectic nap schedule. Grin

Rurarura · 08/01/2019 13:29

Anybody doing the KC good citizen awards? Thinking about doing it with my pup, who is 16 weeks. I train Rurapup at home, and puppy class trainer advised to skip next puppy course and go straight for the bronze award. I like obedience training and have done it before, but I've never tried the scheme. I think it could be a good way to add distraction to training, but obviously it costs money, so I want to know more about it. Anyone tried it? Would this be something fun to do with my pup?

Wolfiefan · 08/01/2019 13:38

Wolfie has gold good citizen. We found a local trainer who did the training. The actual test cost no extra.

LittleLongDog · 08/01/2019 16:49

Oh my goodness, after complaining that he can’t be left for two seconds: today he’s been amazing at pottering about by himself!

So much so that I had to check on him in the living room after it all went quiet. (He was happily gnawing at the cat’s treat dispenser.) Grin

Original poster
ChestyNut · 09/01/2019 19:17

We’re not sure wether to do KC bronze award or advanced puppy next Rura
She has her first day at puppy day care/school tommorow, hope she doesn’t get expelled Grin

OP posts:
NewYoiker · 09/01/2019 21:46

Can anyone help? Our puppy despised being carried which is a massive issue as she can't go out the front because of other dogs and she can't walk downstairs so what do we do?!

If you pick her up she growls like something possessed

Wolfiefan · 09/01/2019 21:47

Why can’t she go out and why can’t she go downstairs? Too small?
Many dogs dislike being picked up. How old and is this new behaviour?

NewYoiker · 09/01/2019 22:01

I meant she can't physically get down the stairs as they're bigger than her she's 9 weeks old.

LittleLongDog · 10/01/2019 09:29

Could you explain the set up a bit more @NewYoiker ?

Are you taking her downstairs for toileting? Could you keep her on the floor with the outside access instead of upstairs? Or is the garden down some steps?

NewYoiker · 10/01/2019 09:32

Our front door opens onto the pavement so she can't go out there, and our garden is accessed by the basement down a flight of stairs (11 steps) it's a dreadful layout! It's a 4 storey house on a hill so it's a bit odd!

teenangstpsychoanalyst · 11/01/2019 20:15

Just met our new family member today! Bitch mini labradoodle to join our 4 year old labradoodle Sherlock at the end of February. Would welcome all advice on introducing and integrating this wee lady to our family. Feel free to throw in name suggestions too! Can't get the kids to agree to Miss Marple or Eurus Confused

Puppy support
Puppy support
Original poster
ChestyNut · 12/01/2019 07:33

Help! Chestypup cannot do “down” she’s like the delinquent of puppy class Grin
The trainer has tried, they tried all day at puppy school. She goes under any leg into a down with a lure but can’t do it without.....any tips?

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 12/01/2019 08:11

Depends whether you care if she doesn't do down now? Mine didn't want to do it when young and I didn't push it. He's just learnt to do it now at age 2 and even then he doesn't look that comfortable doing it.

NewYoiker · 13/01/2019 02:53

So I've decided to just take her out every 45 mins or so and lots of praise and a tiny sliver of hot dog when she goes outside,

But over night and if she's caught short in the living room she will deliberately pee and poo in her crate (not near her bed) but is this normal? Will she just grow out of it?

BiteyShark · 13/01/2019 06:23

NewYoiker they tend not to pee or poo in their crate if they view it as their bed.

Is the bed in the crate? If so you could try and partition it off so it's just the bed. Are you close enough to hear her when she needs to pee overnight?

LittleLongDog · 13/01/2019 07:34

Reporting back on the lickymat: big fan here. I recommend it for a moment of calm.

Chesty LittlePup can only get ‘down’ with a lure as well. The advice I’ve been given is to keep at it and one day it will just click. Nothing yet though so let me know if you find the answer!

lethlee · 14/01/2019 01:11

Hi everyone, can I join in? We have an 11-week boston terrier who is absolutely adorable but I feel like I’m trapped and anxious all the time. We’ve had him since he was 9 weeks, but it’s been the hardest 2 weeks ever. Reading through this thread has made me realize I’m not an awful person for having puppy regret, I just want to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sad

lethleepup is super attached to me specifically, will do whatever he can to climb him ex-pen to get to me even if I’m just going for a wee. He cries a deathly scream in his crate when we leave for work, I’m scared that he’s gonna have full blown separation anxiety when he’s older. I’ve been feeding him in his crate with the door closed, putting kongs in there and having him crated when I’m in the room. He’ll generally stop crying after 5 mins or so and lies down, but will he ever NOT be panicked? He’s been pooping/peeing every so often (not every time but often enough) while crated even though he gets taken out by a neighbor a couple of times throughout the day while SO and I are at work. She even plays with him to tire him out.

wolfie I was reading some of your comments with a similar situation. Your pup grew out of it? Was it as bad as mine?

I really question if I will make it. I’m just so stressed about all of this. Sad

LittleLongDog · 14/01/2019 08:39

lethlee are you saying you leave your 11week old puppy alone and go to work? Of course he cries - he’s only tiny!

There’s a really good Facebook group that hopefully @Whoseranium will be along in a bit to advise you on. Basically your questions are answered by professionals as well as the group and there are really good guides on there too.

Wolfiefan · 14/01/2019 09:37

FB group dog training advice and support.
Your puppy will cry. It’s too young to be alone. An adult dog can cope maybe 4 hours. A pup can’t be left anywhere near that long. If you’re not there you will have a dog that poos and wees in the house. You’re not there to teach it not to. It needs to go out every half an hour and after playing, sleeping, eating or drinking too.
Your pup won’t just grow out of it. Wolfie pup wasn’t left. At all. And she gradually learnt that it was ok to be left.
You need to arrange some time off work or for someone else to be with this poor pup.

lethlee · 14/01/2019 13:01

wolfie littlelongdog he is left but my neighbor comes every 2-3 hours and spends time with him while we’re away. about an hour each time. I plan on enrolling him in daycare, but he needs his shots first.

I had read online that a puppy can be alone the # of months that he’s aged. He’s almost 3 months so that’s the max he stays alone. Unfortunately I can’t work from
home and neither can my SO but we thought with out neighbor coming by and spending time with him it would be okay, now I just feel like a failure.

BiteyShark · 14/01/2019 13:06

lethlee when puppies are that little the time they are fine to be left alone varies greatly so no hard and fast rule. It also helps if you have built up that time slowly so they aren't upset.

Also toileting can still be very hit and miss at that age so they won't necessarily be able to hold it at the time you want and if they are upset then it's more likely that they will pee and poo which you are seeing.

Would your neighbour have you puppy at their house rather than simply visiting?