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.

Hello all, hope I can join. We welcomed our 8 week labrador Roxi yesterday. I'm feeling quite overwhelmed and teary. At what point can I expect things to become a bit easier? Feel constantly on edge. I have anxiety anyway so that probably doesn't help!

DuckDuck many of us on here have felt exactly the same at the beginning.

For me I found it very hard for the first few months but I just focused on the fact that they grow up quickly and then become that lovely adult companion you dreamt of. I think a lot of anxiety is because you are told if you don't do all these zillion things in the first few weeks you will ruin your dog when in reality we all did it differently and at different speeds and still got there in the end.

I'm tired today, pup slept from 10.30 til 5.45 which i know is good but I'm not an early morning person!

He seems to have a bit of a bad belly and has done 4 poos this morning already 😳 will keep him just on kibble today I think and see how he goes. He seems totally fine in himself.

The thing that makes me anxious is the worry that he will eat something he shouldn't esp in the garden.

DuckDuck I totally relate to this, I feel very flat right now and the only bit I’m really enjoying is when twinpup is asleep which makes me feel very guilty
I’m not embracing it at all as it’s not how I imagined it’d be, he’s so bitey that tbh it’s not fun.
I’m clinging onto the fact that this is just a stage and it’ll get easier and more enjoyable soon, he’s only 10 weeks so we’ve got a way to go.
Someone said upthread that you don’t see loads of difficult dogs about and everyone can’t be a dog whisperer which means it must be possible!!

They change so fast. Faster than the kids! At 17 weeks now it seems easier for all there are still challenges. We have a routine, we're used to having him around, and we're out walking and adventuring. It makes such a difference.

@DuckDuckGoosey the first night I didn’t sleep all night, even though puppy slept brilliantly, because I spent the whole night wondering why I’d ruined our lives by getting a puppy and feeling so guilty about ruining my older dog’s life. I honestly basically had a panic attack about it.

Two weeks in and I’m much better. Yes she bites and we have nightmare days but I can see that one day she’ll be a grown up dog. I think what has helped is having a puppy two years ago who is now an angel and god he was hard work.

Get out with the puppy - a walk in your arms tires then you and get you out of the house. Don’t beat yourself up - puppies cry, puppies bite, puppies have accidents, it has no reflection on what’s kind of dog they’ll be as they don’t learn overnight and it just takes time xx

I managed a whole morning without being savaged and I feel much more in control today and haven't shed a tear.....yet!

Sleep is a major factor in the whole scheme of biteyness in our house. She was dreadful until I spoke to our trainer/behaviourist who recommended 2 hours out of the crate and then 2 hours enforced rest in the crate and when we started instigating the method it made such a difference. Left to her own devices she will just follow you about even though she's tired and then it all gets too much and she turns into a monster. The zoomies and chasing her tail are also indicators that she's on the edge of loosing self control. It's very much rest management with her, which isn't fun for us, but it's better than being nipped to pieces. I had no idea puppies needed 18 to 20 hours sleep a day. Wish I could get that much

We carried Biteypup around before she was 'street legal' and the trainer said to start socialising her places that you will want to go when she's older - so we took her to the pub

DH is off to a wedding in Essex tomorrow and will be away for the night, so I will be left in charge of pup and miserable cat. Wish me luck!

Glad to hear that your day felt more manageable Bitey. The 2 hour crate rest is interesting. Does your puppy go in voluntarily or does he yap for a bit when you close the carte?

The zoomies and chasing her tail are also indicators that she's on the edge of loosing self control

Today, we carried our puppy around on our street and I have to say she was incredibly nervous and shivering in my arms. Is this normal for a first outing? I spoke to her reassuringly and cradled her but it didn't make too much of a difference and we were only out for less than 5 minutes.

After the second time I took her out, she acted really mad in the garden, chasing everything and nothing so I'm thinking being outside might have been very stressful. I hope that doesn't mean we have a nervous dog?

She is now happily gnawing on her carrot and calm again thankfully.

AmazingAldi She has a kong filled with some of her kibble and little cream cheese, or peanut butter when she goes in her crate and is more than happy to have that and settle down for a kip. She never protests at being in there. Sometimes when she's tired and knows she wants to sleep she goes to her crate, picks up her kong and gives it to you We cover the crate with a lightweight blanket so it's nice and cosy and she is happy snoozing. The only problem is she needs it to be quiet, so you can't do anything useful in the house while she's in there and I usually use it as time to go out shopping and stuff, or sit and read a book.

Biteypup was very nervous the first few times we took her out and about, or she met new visitors and I too was worried that she was a bit shy and retiring. But it didn't last more than a few days and she's now super confident walking around town with traffic and people about, so I wouldn't take that as your pup being nervous necessarily. The racing about when you got back was probably more that she was stimulated by the experience and it gave her the zoomies. I must admit, when she showed signs of being shy, I didn't speak to her too reassuringly and just spoke in a normal voice so she didn't think I was worried by it too. I hope that makes sense. I think little and often is the key, so they don't get overwhelmed by the experience. Our trainer said that they don't need to be participating to be socialising, just watching and taking it all in is socialisation too

@AmazingAldi I think it’s quite normal - our little one was scared of the cars and lorries going past at first but is getting more used to it now. I think that’s why it’s important to get out and about early but also don’t load up too many scary things at once eg if you’re walking along the road getting her used to the cars I wouldn’t let her get mobbed by the general public who are well meaning but can be overwhelming when they’re already a bit unsure.

Well I have to say house training has gone up the wall today. I’m hoping it’s just the rain but we’ve had s couple of accidents today.

SkeletonSkins The dreaded rain and house training Every puppy owners worst nightmare, especially if you've got one that doesn't like the rain at all. The forecast for tomorrow is more promising for no accidents I think.

Just wanted to add to my previous post after re-reading it, just in case AmazingAldi was worried when I mentioned the zoomies being an indicator of tiredness in our pup. All pups get the zoomies and it's completely normal, it's just I am learning to spot when BiteyPup's zoomies are more likely to spill into launching at me with growling and teeth, rather than the typical 'flea up the backside' zoomies, which are fun and completely harmless Hope that too makes some sense, though my brain is fried from 5am wake up calls

rain + puppy = raining indoors and out
I’ve never cleaned up so much wee and muddy footprints, still it adds variety to the day, no one can say having a puppy is boring!

Totally normal for them to be scared on the first outing, our pup buried his face in my armpit for most of the first outing 🤣 I think keep going, little and often. He's better now going out and is happy with strangers coming over to say hello which before freaked him out!

Our pup has been knackered today, he slept all afternoon and then again this evening. He got very muddy in the garden so we gave him a quick wash which seemed to traumatise him a bit ☹️

I love him so much I'm scared that I'm going to do something to break him, I told him I'd never be so mean as to wash him again 😉🤣

Glad to know it’s not just me having difficulties with housetraining in the rain! No rain today here so fingers crossed for a better day!

One thing she’s started doing which I really need to stop is barking when she’s bored/wants to do something. I really don’t want a noisy dog, and I’m not sure how to stop her really. At the minute I’m just telling her ‘no’ and rewarding her for being quiet. There’s no point putting her in another room or something because she’s not really bothered, she’d just find trouble in that room instead!

Ugh she’s just gone into ultimate horrible bitey mode. I’ve been thinking about the two hours out then nap time and I’m going to give that a try. She was just biting me whatever I did so I’ve just put her in the crate and gone for a bath. She settles really nicely in the crate at night and in the car so in hoping she’ll stop crying in a minute and go to sleep cause I can tell she’s knackered

Thank you to all who replied to my message. I hope it'll get easier soon especially at night time. I cant stop crying either. My DP is working 12 hours tomorrow and I am worrying at how I will manage to do everything on my own especially with having two DC. I just feel completely overwhelmed with it all and wishing I hadn't gotten the puppy at the moment.

👋pup parents. Yesterday was v hard and boring, I got cabin fever with the rain, I should have just chucked wellies on and done a carry/walk with pup. I'm realising having a pup is so similar to a baby (without the benefits of nappies or dummies 🤣). Every time pup gets too crazy (normally twice a day at least) we either take refuge on sofa and don't interact, she calms then we stroke/groom/talk/ try and train etc or I pop out of the room to do bits round the house for 10-15 mins, she's normally calmer when I return. Crazy nipping definitely seems to be a sign of tiredness/overstimulation in bluepup (like the toddler tantrums in the kids). I do feel that the longer we have pup the more I'm getting to know her and see a routine of behaviours and how she reacts to stuff which is helping me relax a bit more.

We had our second visit to town today, pup much less wiggly, less phased by everything so I'm happy about that.

I'm very reliant on double shot flat white coffees at the moment though, the crate is clean and dry at night 🎉, pup let's me know when she needs to go out. Front room floor during the day....not so dry 😉

Our pup wee'd in his crate last night for the first time in over a week, he did cry to be let out for a poo though.

I can't believe how much he has grown this week!

I think enforced rest is a good shout, I'm putting him in the crate for a long morning and afternoon nap atm.

I'm leaving him with my mum and daughter later today for two nights, I'm at a wedding tomorrow. As much as I will miss him I am really looking forward to two nights uninterrupted sleep!!!

@DuckDuckGoosey I promise it does get easier. Could you make a plan for tomorrow, take everyone to the park and sit with the puppy on your knee while your kids play? And if that means you need to put puppy down for a wee then so be it. Then back home, puppy in crate for a sleep as it’ll be knackered and gives you a couple of hours to get sorted.

Call in at Pets at Home or similar and buy some natural chews - mines never been interested in nylabones or Kongs but lambs tails and tracheas have saved me the past few days and buy me a few hours peace!!

Had a heart attack today when i lost my puppy after leaving her alone for literally 5 minutes while I put on some washing, came back and she was gone. Looked everywhere, called for her, no sign. Just as I was about to have an emotional breakdown I spotted this little face!

@Girliefriendlikescake I know what you mean about them growing - I feel like ours has doubled in size!! Then I start worrying I’m feeding her too much the worry never stops haha!

I feel like we’ve turned a bit of a corner. She’s 12 weeks now. Pup is sleeping a bit better and seems to be almost getting the hang of toilet training. She can sit, stay, leave it, lie down etc which has been good fun. She’s good in the car, we’ve done a few long (an hour) journeys and she happily goes to sleep. She doesn’t bite (yet) and hasn’t really chewed anything (yet)!
BUT I just can’t leave the room without her having a nervous breakdown! It doesn’t matter who’s staying with her she just wants me. It’s really frustrating for me and for everyone else.

What are your puppies good points and not so good points?

Putanotherwash on it sounds like your pup is doing so well. I can't wait until Bluepup gets the hang of more things. At 9 1/2 weeks she keeps her crate dry/clean at night that's probably her main achievement, she does a tiny cry for the toilet at night.

In the day I just watch her like a hawk, if not, she wees indoors. She is super cheerful tho, she takes meeting everyone, everything in her stride which I love. I think she has learnt her name too. I have left her in the front room for up to 15 mins (not confident enough to leave the house but Ive gone to the back) and she's ok with that. I'm celebrating the tiny achievements and thinking she'll get there with it all eventually.

Sit,stay, leave etc...she's no where near getting that, and she likes swiping manure from our flower beds, totally does it for the chase. 😖

Skeleton, love your peekaboo pup 😊

Awwww @Blueskyandsmiles she sounds like a confident little thing. Mine likes gardening too!!
We watched lots of youtube videos to train her to do tricks. Ours will do literally anything for a treat so she’s been really easy in that way x

Hang in there everyone. We're at the stage where we can spend time at the beach with pup off lead and we had no disasters. It was a really lovely family afternoon. We're at 17 weeks, well into puppy classes, and working hard. He's not perfect but it's noticeably improving all the time.

Just waiting on that teenage regression now

Beautiful puppy @MsMarvellous. Can’t wait to take ours out. Monday is the day...we’ll definitely be heading to the beach.
We’ve been practicing coming to a whistle in the garden and she seems to have got that...not sure if she’ll manage it with all the distractions on the beach though!