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The doghouse

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Original poster

Puppy survival thread! July 2020

974 replies

Juiceey · 02/07/2020 10:28

Roll up roll up... I'm a day late but here we are.

Latest update: Juiceypup is obsessed with DS's feet, who is now starting to get upset by it. He doesn't do it to anyone else, only him, and we don't know why. DS goes stock still as instructed but we have to prise his mouth open to get him off his toe. Has brought him to tears a few times.

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muckandnettles · 03/07/2020 08:51

Morning all. I could have cried with happiness when I woke up as pup hadn't woken me, I had woken up all by myself at 7am. So lovely not to have a broken night's sleep. I went downstairs and he was still asleep as well, so that was also amazing. Obviously at that point I was about to go and check he was still alive, but he woke up and came for a cuddle and a bite. Aww.

LBee2020 · 03/07/2020 08:57

So envious Muckandnettles! Our lab is 16 weeks and sleeps through but still wakes between 5 and 6 every day thinking it is the start of the day! 😴

marmite51 · 03/07/2020 09:21

Our puppy is the same- conks out in his crate at ten, sleeps till half five. Can't complain at all, as that's 7.5 hours sleep, but even so, half five every day is starting to smart a bit 😣

HeyLala · 03/07/2020 09:31

I've got a big blanket over the crate so it's dark because I can't be doing with 5.30am every day.
I can stretch out his sleep until 7am now.

Mrskeats · 03/07/2020 09:38

Here's Bluebell 13 weeks

Puppy survival thread! July 2020
RonBurgundyspanpipe · 03/07/2020 09:55

@Mrskeats very cute, what breed is she?

Mrskeats · 03/07/2020 09:58

She's a cross jackipoo (jack russell and poodle)
She's v sparky and confident-much more than my older dog.

RonBurgundyspanpipe · 03/07/2020 10:12

@Mrskeats that's what we have too, she reminds me of mine. Do you mind me asking where you got her from?

OliveButler · 03/07/2020 10:12

Finding it difficult today. DH has permission to work in the office so of course that's what he does. I don't think Oliverpup can be left along for more than five minutes without whining. He has no interest in a Kong (he is quite food motivated but that's just way too hard). I am sitting at the dining table trying to get work done. I've done two 5 minute sessions of sit and stay but now I have things to do.
Also, still sleeping on the floor at night so everyone else can sleep without being disturbed. Sleep deprivation is a form of torture isn't it.

Mrskeats · 03/07/2020 10:20

I got her from a farm ron
I have a feeling she was the dominant one in her litter.

RonBurgundyspanpipe · 03/07/2020 10:35

@Mrskeats she's gorgeous. We got ours from a town near Blackburn but I only met ours and her brother who was left. Ours is very confident too, loves meeting new people and gradually gaining confidence with new dogs too. She's very small as well, only just 2kg at 13 weeks.

Mrskeats · 03/07/2020 10:50

Thanks. I have a dog of 3 who is the same cross. They are fun dogs. I think the new dog will be the boss!

muckandnettles · 03/07/2020 14:01

@OliveButler still sleeping on the floor you poor thing! Oh my goodness, the things we do for these pups!

SimonJT · 03/07/2020 14:26

We had our first indoor brown accident in two weeks, good job Link is cute as he made sure to do it on the woodfloor, all those gaps...

Next door have just got a babboe bike to take their dogs out, I thought it was a brilliant idea, then I looked at the price Shock

RonBurgundyspanpipe · 03/07/2020 15:16

Feel like we've cracked the walking issues we've had, she did a lot of refusing to move. Started to use an extendable lead and it seems to give her time to sniff before she needs to move on and she's always back with us before the lead goes tight. She has also walked twice the distance so it doubly wiped out when we get in. Currently flat out while I get some work done.

pleasecaffeinateme · 04/07/2020 06:25

Well 4 weeks in and I'm breaking. I've never known a puppy like this and he is relentless. Another 5:50am wake up, it was my fiancé's turn and he refused to get upSadso I had to and I'm shattered. I need a break and I'm not getting one any time soon. I'm already struggling with lockdown and a toddler, why I thought it was a good idea to get a puppy, I'll never know!

I've had to get really harsh with him the last couple of days as he's started to jump up at DS and tried to bite him several times. We got this puppy so they could grow up together and it's just making DS more fearful of dogs.

He's OBSESSED with finding cat poo in our raised beds. I spend most of the time watching him to make sure he's not getting it but he's got out the cat flap a couple of times and eaten loads.

His bedtime/overnight is good now, he goes in his crate happily and sleeps all night without crying. One positive thing.

Fiancé promised me he'd help and now that it's so much harder than he thought, he point blank refuses to do anything harder than playing with him for 20 mins a day.

I just don't think I can do this. I'm at the point where I think it'd be easier if someone stole him from the garden because then at least I don't have to look after him. How terrible is that? I wish I could turn back time and never get himSad

BiteyShark · 04/07/2020 06:30

I just don't think I can do this. I'm at the point where I think it'd be easier if someone stole him from the garden because then at least I don't have to look after him. How terrible is that? I wish I could turn back time and never get him

I used to hope that someone would magic my puppy away. I would have never returned him because he was my responsibility but I wished I hadn't done it.

My big lovely dog is 4 this year and DH and I adore him. But it took time and it was awful in the early months. All I can say is stick with it as it really does get better and not everyone feels that love for their puppy at first.

muckandnettles · 04/07/2020 08:00

I met with a friend this week who has a 1 year old dd and she said they are thinking of getting a puppy - I wanted to scream 'don't do it!' and the same when the really sweet young couple down the road from us said the same when they saw us walk past with our angelic looking muckypup - 'no, just don't!!' I didn't in either case, though did indicate that muckypup isn't always so amenable. I don't think anyone believes you though.

Pup slept through the night again, exhausted from dramas in the house yesterday. We had to have an electrician come in the kitchen and all the doors were open as he and dh went round the house testing things. All the doors were open, no one was taking enough notice and before I knew it I was chasing muckypup down the road as he had escaped. So quick! It seems it is my job to keep him safe and watch him at all times, no matter what happens. Then the little bastard walks at dh's side when we go out and he's off lead, sits at his feet at the park, etc. Looks at him adoringly...

We also met up with someone who has two gorgeous dogs and they played nicely with muckypup for ten minutes and he loved it. They are beautiful dogs, same breed (GR) and I think dh was impressed by how gorgeous they are. They didn't have to tell muckypup off once, either, as he was quite respectful and they were gentle. It was adorable!!

muckandnettles · 04/07/2020 08:01

@SimonJT 'first brown accident' made me laugh!

midnightstar66 · 04/07/2020 08:12

@muckandnettles haha after this I'd never get a puppy with a 1 year old. Dd7's hands and arms look like she's been wrestling tigers. Dpup is much better now thankfully after 9 painful weeks but I'm hoping the marks have faded before she starts back at school in August 😬. I can't imagine trying to deal with the situation with a baby off toddler. Last pup was 14 years ago and was no where near this bitey so we were not quite prepared on that part.

midnightstar66 · 04/07/2020 08:21

We're 9 weeks in now and things are getting much better. 8.15 and dpup is still asleep under the covers at my feet. The biting is getting so much better and when she does bite it's rarely hard now so she's learning restraint - too late for dd7 who's arms scars I'm hoping fade before school. However after smugly telling someone on here to train for the pulling issue only a day or 2 ago rather than buy any anti pull device, she strained against her harness the entire walk yesterday. Treats worked for a while but then she got fed up and stopped coming back for them so looks like back to basics and very short walks before she gets bored of the treats, for now. We were just enjoying getting out a bit further too.

Polkadotpjs · 04/07/2020 10:46

I'm back in bed sulking at polkapup. DJ refused to get up saying "your mate's awake" when he woke 6.20. Fine. I went down and he played a bit then weed outside then in then out for poo so all ok. Then he started to get bitey and then started growling at me and lunging yo bite me. Of course only me downstairs and could g get him off to get a treat/ toy. I managed to growl back and he let go and I did "time out "3 times where I left him in front room and I left but each time he was excited again to see me back and bit me. 🤬😩🤬. However, I need to stay positive. I put him in crate with treats and he's now fast asleep. He has got a very good sit so should I use that for biting incidents? It's pissing me off that I was most realistic and reticent about a pup but am doing all the work. I knew it would happen but part of me hoped it wouldn't. And I'm stressing that we didn't see pup with mum and that he's actually borne of a great white shark dog ...talk me down? My sympathies with all who have the same

midnightstar66 · 04/07/2020 10:58

I've taught 'leave it' for biting and it seems to be working. If it doesn't work I scoop her up and hold her with my arm and hand under her body (obviously only works with small puppies) while I get a toy, she seems to be distracted and stop with this anyway. She couldn't reach anything even if she wanted in that position. Time outs aren't really recommended as it's a punishment rather than positive reinforcement.

GingerAndTheBiscuits · 04/07/2020 11:01

We’ve contacted our rescue with a view to rehoming :( we were naive and unrealistic about how much intensive support pup would need to settle here given the start she had. The reality is that once the summer holidays start, without our usual access to childcare and with a change in working arrangements, we cannot work, supervise the dog and keep the kids entertained and safe. Seems obvious now and feeling thoroughly idiotic and humiliated to have launched into this without considering the reality of it. She’s being really good just now sleeping on her bed next to me but that is after sleeping downstairs with DH last night because she won’t settle in her crate or on our bed, and was interspersed with biting episodes at both children and us, climbing on top of her crate repeatedly to launch herself at various bits of furniture, a nap, a walk and some extensive crate training (and I still can’t close the door!). And it’s only 11am Confused

Polkadotpjs · 04/07/2020 11:11

My time put just removed me - so like ignoring him but actually left the room but I do think rewards are better. I need to get everything with pockets with treats in to treat all the time ! I was stranded with growling biting pup without toys or treats at the time. But I'll go again