Young Puppy Support Group

[DuchessDarty]

I’d been looking for one of these but the only puppy support thread currently running is for older puppies. I’ve seen a few threads recently from posters who have new puppies like me, and thought I’d start our own group as I’d love to compare notes. But all welcome!

To kick off -

My pup, DartyPup, is a female poodle cross who is nearly 11 weeks old. Very sweet, friendly, fairly calm, sleeps a good stretch at night in her crate no problem and is happy to play in the garden by herself if I’m in the kitchen/conservatory and we easily have eyes on each other. She has a lot of naps and is doing well with house training.

But- she has the usual puppy traits of being needy and nippy. She loves biting bare toes and has a witching hour in the evening (as another poster aptly describes it!).

I adore the bond we seem to have bit am finding it draining. My children are old enough to be hands on and are keen to be, but their periods of peak energy don’t always correspond with the Pup’s. And when it comes down to it, she often wants me and so will whine if left with them downstairs while I escape for a rest. If they mistakenly leave a door open giving her access to the stairs, she’ll leg it up to find me. A stair gate isn’t an option unfortunately due to the design of our stairs.

Both my kids have never been particularly early risers and I’ve always been secretly pleased about dodging 6am wake up calls ... until DartyPup.

I think that would be fine, it's so impractical not being able to put them down and means we can't take him out anywhere for more than 45 mins incase he needs a wee!

We're going out later to a dog friendly cafe so will see how that goes.

Puppy fail this morning, he fell off the sofa on my watch 🤦‍♀️ luckily he seems fine.

I’m in need of reassurance! I have a 9week Goldendoodle who is gorgeous and cute, sleeps from 11-6 in the crate and eats/poos well (wee accidents every day)
BUT he’s a little nightmare for biting, not just nips biting and ripping clothes. I’ve had a trainer round to help, and although I’m trying to do everything he said it just won’t stop!
Kids now won’t spend any time in the kitchen so I’m alone with the puppy. Feeling very overwhelmed and that I can’t get this right.
Anyone else had the wtf have I done moment?
Right now he’s fast asleep and calm and cute, tomorrow he will wake and be a totally different pup

If it helps @Twinmama32 I totally understand. We’ve had a few puppies before but this one is by far the worst for biting. I think it’s mostly s case of waiting for them to grow out of it but it’s hard. She’s been awful tonight, launching at me to bite and poor SkeletonDog has totally had enough. Ours is better when she’s slept and sometimes I can redirect her onto a chew which helps but a lot of the time she uses biting to get what she wants, eg if I move her away from chewing wires she’ll turn and bite at me instead.

SkeletonSkins thank you it does!
Everyone keeps saying redirect/distract but sometimes my thigh/calf is preferred and it really bl&&dy hurts
I’d say the trickier it feels is directly represented in my wine consumption over the last week, my recycling bin is overflowing and I’m not sure I can keep it up something needs to change soon!
I actually cried today and I’m not a public crier, the trainer on the phone was so shocked I got a free session so I suppose there are some silver linings...

I felt exactly the same Twinmama - if only this awful biting would stop it wouldn't be too bad! My DS ended up at the doctor's after he had a bit of a gouge to his foot & ok now but it made him nervous around the pup for a while (ok with him again now).

Our pup is 15 weeks now and the biting is gradually reducing (touch wood) - as you say, you can do certain things like redirecting, stopping play etc, but I suppose essentially they just have to grow out of it.

Our pup was hand-reared as well, and the dog trainer told us hand-reared pups are often nippier because they haven't had mum to tell them off if they bite too hard!! So I feel your pain!

Oh bless you twin what has the trainer suggested so far? I remember watching a programme where naughty pups were mentored by an older, bigger dog who would put them in their place if they went too far (obviously wouldn't hurt them but just tell them to back off.) Do you know any calm older dogs who could have a word with him?!

We've had a good day really, took puppy to a local cafe for lunch and he was great, loads of socialising as everyone wanted to say hello. We did put him on a patch of grass for about 1 minute so he could wee.

Dd has been doing clicker training with him this afternoon and he seems to pick stuff up really quickly, he's learnt sit, wait, roll over, give eye contact and to respond to his name. I've not had a puppy before so no idea if thats average or not for 9 weeks?!

The only issue we had was I think he may have been over stimulated as he had the zoomies really badly after training and it's taken ages for him to go to sleep in his crate!! He spent 20 mins trashing the crate before passing out.

I’m glad I’m not alone, although obviously I’m sorry you’re all getting bitten too!

Trainer said it’s basically reinforcing the good behaviour and preventing the bad behaviour even happening in the first place, that’s the bit I can’t seem to do!
If I’m Distracted for a second he goes for it, mostly today whilst I was trying to read a behavioural book for puppies, the irony wasn’t lost on me!

Girliefriendlikescake how’d you manage an entire lunch out?! I’m impressed (and the stay and rollover commands!) we’ve been out twice to a coffee shop and to pick up kids from tennis but he feels like he’ll bolt, he’s a bit too confident I think 😆

Anyone got advice on leaving my puppy? She’s happy in her crate but as soon as I leave the room she cries. I have pretty much not left her side for nearly 4 weeks.

I need to be able to leave her for short times... 5 minutes to put my ironing away would be good!!
Please help x

@Putanotherwashon it's a case of little and often I think and keep doing what you're doing. Pop next door to get something and come straight back. Pop upstairs to loo and come straight back. Don't fuss when you get back just either be there or don't. They'll soon get used to you coming and going

@Twinmama32 I've had a good cry too, as she just seems so furious with the biting today. She is notorious for biting when tired, but I'm wondering if she's starting to teethe and its making her worse She turned 15 weeks yesterday, so its possible I suppose and she seems more frantic in her chewing of toys and chews. She will not rest unless she's crated, so we try and manage how much sleep she gets as she's way worse when overtired or overstimulated. I'm hoping she grows out of it, as currently she is a nightmare to live with I'm also with you on the wine consumption too

We used to say our cocker was actually a cockerdile with his air snappbiting. I remember it really did hurt.

snappbiting = snapping and biting hadn't invented a new word there

We call ours Pupodile - half pup, half crocodile! At 12 and a half kilos it's pretty hard to fend her off now

Mine is loving his antler and yak milk chew at the moment. Really helping distract from the biting. He's also a fan of a dried bulls ear or chicken feet but I don't want him eating too many of those.

Yes the antler chews are great. We got one which is split longways down the middle, so it's easy for pup to get his teeth into.

Joining the thread, we have a 9 week old cockapoo. She will have had her full set of vaccination when she is 11 weeks.

I have ready Easy Peasy and the author emphasises the importance of socialising e.g. introducing the puppy to all sorts of places before they are 12 weeks old.

How would I do this though? I'm not sure I can carry her around, she's so wriggly. So far she's been in the garden and I have introduced her to things / stimulus around the house, such as the hoover, our kids other children who come for playdates.

How are you all socialising you pups?

Hi Amazing, my pup is 9 weeks yesterday. So far I've taken her out in garden during rain, wind, sun, night and day. Had lots of playdates for the kids. I've taken her out in the car (3 min journeys once a day)...It's getting better 🤞. The children have been riding scooters and bikes around too. Then in the garden I've encouraged walking on grass, sand, wood, brick, concrete, any surface I can think of. Also in the garden we've practised walking with a harness and lead. What else? Oh grooming..."checking" eyes, ears, feet etc to get her used to handling every day, washing feet in bit of water, blow drying afterwards. Sorry this is a massive list, I keep trying to think of more socialisation to help pup cope with life when she's older. It is tricky getting out before vaccinations but I've found there's lots that can be done at home too.

Blueskyandsmiles thank you that's a really useful description of your activities. Our puppy has also spent lots of time in our slightly messy but puppy proof garden in rain and sun. I'll add grooming and short car trips in her crate to the list. Trying out a harness is a great idea! Will have to get one first though. Any recommendations for harnesses?

Is it worth carrying puppy to the park or even just down the street to introduce traffic noise, cars and more people?

Thank you again!

I can absolutely empathise with the crocopups, we have a border crockie absolutely! Thanks for the yak milk chew recommendation, going to give that a try. She likes tracheas but I worry if they’re a bit rich?

Also I made a concoction from mushed banana, natural yoghurt and a bit of squirty cheese and froze in an ice tray, when she’s really bad I give her a couple of these and it really helps. Little dog ice lollies.

For socialisation, we have done -

A daily walk along the road to get used to the cars, vans, busses etc.
Sitting on the bench in a park to listen to kids playing/ the zip wire/ other funny noises.
Sitting outside a supermarket to meet people - this is good cause people are usually on there way to do the shop so it’s a quick hello and not overwhelming for them.
We went to a dog friendly cafe today and she sat by my feet, I figured because dogs aren’t weeing and pooing in there and the place is cleaned it would be okay.
We’ve had different items out in the floor to investigate eg crunchy paper, boxes, things like that,
We’ve had visitors most days, one at a time, just to visit the puppy and say hi.
Tomorrow my friends are coming with another dog so fingers crossed that goes okay!
I know someone else mentioned playing videos of fireworks etc which I think is a great idea.

AmazingAldi we have just walked around the block so our pup can see and hear traffic and potentially see other people. We’ve also carried him to a coffee shop and driven to pick the kids up and brought him with us so he can see lots of children/balls flying about.
We haven’t done much more because he’s wriggly, and about 5.5kg at 9weeks!
I’m considering taking him up to the vets at home vets practice so he can see other animals and have a positive experience of a vet /shop that won’t end in jabs (which will also be happening in 2 weeks!)
We’ve had lots of visitors with glasses, hats, young old etc, can’t think of what else to do...

So we had a better day today up until 30 mins ago, when the biting started!
I poached chicken for pup yesterday and used the chicken water to make ice cubes for pup to chew, so I’ve been getting them out periodically today and that’s helped a bit.
I also gave him a pizzle which he’s LOVED and just let him gnaw on that a lot of the day. He had a trachea the other day which he loved too but the smell is pretty bad and to me it looks horrific so I’d prefer it outside only (he likes to have it in his bed 🤢)
I wonder if it’s a bit too rich though as he had very stinky farts after, could it be the trachea?
Another thing I’m trying, and failing, is to stop him jumping up on the sofa, I’ve realised he’s going to be too big and if I don’t stop him now I’m afraid I’ll never get him off! He’s not having it though as he’s only just worked out how to get up.

Definitely worth carrying pup to look/listen/smell cars. We are v gradually doing a carry along the school run, about 1/10th of the way there 😂. Re harness, I got a soft one from Amazon(padding paws) it's fairly cheap and light because I thought pup will be growing and need another one soon, she's only tiny so didn't need anything too restraining, it's more for getting her used to one for when she was older. Got some nipping time at our house for sure, normally twice a day before a nap is needed.

We've taken our pup out every day, we have a little puppy sling we put him in 🤣 he's only little though so it's not too bad! He does get wriggly though and I can't wait until we can walk him properly!

We've walked round shops, cafes, our housing estate, near a busy road, garden centre, kids playground. I really want him to be a sociable, confident dog.

He's so knackered tonight, I put him out for his last wee and he could barely stand! Hoping for a good nights kip....

Can't believe it, Bluepup slept from 10pm until 4am straight through! Took her for a wee. She woke again at 5:00 🤨i took her out just incase, she needed a poo, then back to sleep until 6:30!! I feel like I've had a tonne of sleep☺she currently fighting my dressing gown, I'm trying to replace it with an "appropriate chew toy"