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.

Puppy doesn't seem to understand Saturdays are lie in days even though I've tried explaining it to him 😉

He went out at 5am and then was awake at 6.40 😩

Once school starts I think it will work out fine as my dd will get up at 7 and walk him before school, he will then be ready for a sleep by 9 when I start work (at home) and dd has gone off.

Will give him another short walk at lunchtime and then a longer walk in the evening so in theory he's knackered and ready for bed!

On days when I have to go out for work will book a dog walker for lunchtime or leave him with my mum.

The little sod has now gone back to sleep!! I'm going to put him in his crate and go back to fed myself 🤣

Morning pup parents, hi to smiles I let Bluepup into our garden as soon as we got her home, she had had her first jab, I'll be letting her into the big wide world next Wednesday 🎊one week after second jab.

Skeletonpup reminds me of my eldest child, she was sooo full on as a baby, if she could have got around on her feet and had teeth she'd have done exactly the same stuff. Definitely think there is a witching hour for young things, I just kept telling myself it would pass but its important to vent cos it's tough and feels relentless

Morning all!

My puppy is such a good little girl (so far!) but she does like to eat shoes so I have had to hide them all.

The cardboard box was a good idea as DS could put his hand in to cuddle her - she only tried to get out once but he was clearly in charge. We were delayed getting home because of Bank Holiday traffic accidents blocking the road but we made it home without any sickness etc.

We showed her where her poo patch is in the garden and we all stayed up late in the garden and put her to bed at 11pm.

I’m afraid that I put in earplugs and went to bed and got up at 6am to let her out. She was waiting quietly in the crate so I put her outside immediately then gave her breakfast. She then went to the backside to start doing a poo so I quickly put her out for her poo and she’s now having a cuddle on my knee. She is desperately trying to stay awake as there are so many new sounds around

I need to go and see if she soiled her crate and then put her on her day bed (an old floor cushion).

So far the perfect dog but I’m sure it’s first night luck and tonight will be different.

One thing though, she absolutely stinks of wee. I’m encouraging her to roll around in the morning dew as I’m not sure about buying dog shampoo yet. You shouldn’t wash the dogs too often, should you? She does smell though!

Glad it's all going well greentea I think people say no more than once a week, probably even less frequently because washing can dry their skin. My friend bathed her pup as soon as she got him, we were lucky ours was all freshly bathed when we got her.

greentea you can get puppy shampoo which I assume is kinder on the skin than regular shampoo. Apart from having an emergency bottle of 'fox poo shampoo' the puppy variety is the only one I still use.

Morning all, very impressive first day work green tea!
Mine smelt too when I got him but it took me a couple of days to realise it was wee, I was worried it was just his smell! I got a puppy shampoo and have gave him a very quick rinse in the utility room sink. He wasn’t very happy about it. Luckily I hadn’t husband collar on so could get a grip on him. He is also having a puppy groom next week.

Our night went well again, he settled quickly, few murmurs in the night but I just coughed or yawned etc to let him know I was there. Wee at 3.30 I think and then up just after 6, but obviously napped again about half an hour later!!

We have had 3 wees and a poo inside today. Took him out just before the first wee and the poo which is annoying. But then I went to bed for an hour once dh got up and he never takes him out. He just forgets. So two more accidents.

IVe realised I’m getting a potentially bad habit starting. Although he is more settled in the crate now and will Potter in and out a bit, in order to close the door I have to sort of shove him in and quickly shut it. Same with the new travel crate in the car. That has a zip so he keeps escaping. It’s now becoming a bit of a thing so I need to somehow train him to go in and sit happily while I close the door. Any ideas? I’m guessing lots of food again!!

Spoke too soon as a wee and a poo inside already! She is quite calm but housetraining needs to be a military procedure.

@sunnyupnorth. Yes, I think treats. Food is always a good bribe (unless you have a lab)

@SunnyUpNorth our trainer said we should start letting puppy off the lead ASAP while she’s still a bit needy and more scared of losing you. I guess if you’ve a big park/beach where it’s a bit of a distance before she gets to the road you should just go for it.
As for staying in the crate, we have a fallow deer antler (which are softer than the ordinary antlers and fine for puppies). She spends ages chewing on that. It was expensive but she does like it and it doesn’t feel like just more treats (looks a bit grim though)!

@Putanotherwashon that’s what we do with recall, let them off ASAP or use a long line that they can pull around, lots of treats and a toy, and as tempting as it is to let them have a good play with other dogs, avoid letting dogs become more exciting than you as that’s recall suicide!! We haven’t got a whistle as you’re not allowed them in agility/obedience but I’ll definitely consider it for general walks if she doesn’t ‘get it’. We’re back at the training weekend today and I’ve had her walking around the other dogs and calling away from them to her tug toy which is good progress. I think she’s more into toys than food. It’s a total godsend that she settles in the car and so can rest in between.

The trainers here are using kebab meat, from Iceland apparently. Safe to say it’s going down VERY well 😂

@Greenteawhisky glad you go home incident free, accidents are inevitable really. To begin with I found it helpful to take her out after she finished ANYTHING - playing with a toy, eating, sleeping, chewing something, playing with SkeletonDog, and then when she went, I set a 30 min timer and I took her out when it went off, when I’d reset the timer. It just helped me remember to take her out frequently as time flies by I find!

Getti g dog happy to be in the crate - I’ve had the crate next to the sofa and just sat there dropping treats in from the top and clicking her for being in the crate.

So we have had our first night at home and I am shattered! SmileyPup was very good - he went to bed at 9.30pm in his crate as he couldn't keep his eyes open and slept until 6.15am with one quick wake up at about 1am but I couldn't sleep! I kept listening out for him - it was like having a newborn again! We have had some accidents at home and some in the garden which I guess is to be expected. As soon as he starts sniffing we take him out but maybe I should start setting an alarm for those in between times too. I know each puppy is different but roughly how long did it take for your pup to be doing most wees/poos outside? At the moment I don't feel like I can take my eyes off him for a minute and it is tiring!

He also quite likes chewing clothes - I am just redirecting with another chew toy - is that right? Should I be saying anything to him or just distract him with something he can chew?

I have read so much on MN and prepared as much as I could but I am finding it overwhelming!

Also, when he wakes at night should we take him outside? I was worried by the time we'd got him downstairs and into the back garden he would have gone! But then if I put him on a puppy pad it might confuse him? Do people take them out when they first stir or leave them for a bit? I don't want him to go in his crate.

Keep i always took our pup out when he cried in his crate and always waited with him outside until he went! I always picked him up to get him outside quickly, we've had a few accidents en route to the back door so how after naps or at night I carry him out straight away!! I took the puppy pads out of the crate as he started to chew them 🙄

I think with toilet training you just have to like skeleton said take them outside all the time! Key times here are straight after naps, after food (twice once straight afterwards and then again 20 mins later!) and at least once an hour at all other times!

We're now almost there as he will go to the back door if he needs the loo, we get the occasional wee inside but that tends to be when we've not reminded him.

It's so hot today so of course he wants to charge around the garden...

Thank you @Girliefriendlikescake. How old is your pup now? I've lost track of everyone's!

@Keepsmiling1 congratulations on your first night, sounds like smileypup did amazingly well.

Ours was a bit older when we got him so I’m not sure how much of a difference that makes, but the breeder said they should wee on you so in theory you should be able to make it down to the garden at night for a wee. Personally I think encouraging the puppy pads some of the time could then be hard to undo but I am completely inexperienced at these things!

And yes I think distracting with a chew toy or standing up and completely ignoring them/stopping the play is the correct approach to nipping.

Keep did you read the book easy peasy puppy squeezy? There's lots of good tips in there and it's an easy fun read. I remember that feeling of not sleeping as was listening out for him, I also really struggled to get back to sleep after getting up to him that first week.

The first two weeks were so so tiring but we're now into the 3rd week and it is feeling a bit better. He will sleep 9pm til 6.30am ish with two toilet breaks one at 10pm (I wake him up and make him wee outside before I go to bed!) and one around 5am when he tends to need a wee and a poo!

Our pup will be 11 weeks on Monday.

Well. We've taken the plunge and are camping with an 18 week old Dalmatian pup. So far so good. But I don't know how he'll sleep. Wish us luck!

Yes I have read Easy Peasy - I am just flicking back through now to remind me of the key bits.

I think it is the constant watching I am finding difficult. I am lucky as DH has taken a few days off so he is here to help so we tend to do things in shifts like I'll eat tea then he will so there's always someone watching him. We've got 2 DDs who are 4 and 8 - I'm not sure how I will get them ready and me showered next week when he is back to work. All our floors are carpeted (except the kitchen but it's not that big) so I'm constantly watching to save me having to scrub the carpet I didn't expect to feel so anxious

Keep the first couple of weeks are stressful, I kept telling myself it would get easier and easier which it is slowly the sleep deprivation doesn't help.

I felt really anxious today because of the heat. We only popped over to a friends house but he got himself hot and bothered running around with their kids and the car was like an oven!

@keepsmiling1 at the start I was so so anxious. I spent one night lying awake wondering how I could give her back since I’d ruined our lives. It was just anxiety though and I think it’s normal after making such a big commitment. It really really really does get easier. Do you have a pen or a crate? You could try putting puppy in with a chew while you get the children ready. It might cry a bit but really that’s inevitable with normal life!

We’re having problems with the heat too. She’s woken up tonight really hot, panting and very restless. Took her out and think she’s got a bit of a sore tummy too, bless her, not sure if it’s the heat or the excitement of being st the training weekend the past couple of days. I got the fan on now and put a couple of cold wet tea towels in with her as she likes to lie on them when she’s hot so hoping she settles. She’s going to stay at home today with my husband and hopefully her little tum will feel a bit better.

The dog is the reason we have a portable air con unit for the bedroom. He really struggled last year and was up panting and wanting to mooch about the garden in the early hours (even with all the windows open and blinds closed the house was really hot and never cooled down). A few hours each night with the unit has been enough to take the temperature down enough for him and is to sleep through this year.

Another good night (apologies for daily night updates but no one in rl is interested 🤣) I put him out for his last wee at 10pm and he went through til 5.45, did a wee/poo then and went back with minimal moaning until 7am.

He is def getting bitier which I'm guessing is teeth/age related. It's normally when he's over excited or playing he just gets carried away!

@SkeletonSkins we have a crate and a pen but we haven't put the pen up yet. I don't want to use puppy pads any more and I thought if I put the pen up he may be tempted to wee on the carpet when he was inside it?

@Girliefriendlikescake that's really good! SmileyPup went to sleep at 10pm and woke at 3am for a wee. He then whined for about 20 mins on and off and went back to sleep until 5.30am. He had another wee but wouldn't go back in the crate so DH got up with him. He is quite bitey/chewy so I just keep removing myself and giving him something else to chew. Anyone got any recommendations for good chews?

Those with slightly older pups what does your typical day look like? I want to make sure we are playing with him enough but also giving him enough downtime and time to play on his own.i like a routine!

Keep the going back til 7am is very new, he wasn't doing that last week!

Currently our day goes;

Up at 7ish has breakfast, plays with us/toys/potters about.

9ish nap time, when he starts to flag he goes back in his crate.

11ish up again, plays and runs about.

Midday lunch

1ish naptime

3-5 playtime

5 dinner time

The evening varies, if he's tired he'll have a short nap, we normally take him out for a carry about after dinner.

Bedtime is 9pm.

Toileting is done before and after all of the above 🤣

@Girliefriendlikescake thanks for that! Does he choose to go into his crate for his naps or do you put him in there? Currently SmileyPup tends to nap on the floor next to our feet and I'm not sure if I should be putting him back in his crate for naps!