Puppy survival thread! July 2020

[Juiceey]

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.

@Juiceey I hate to say it, but you're right and you need to try a normal lead. Those retractable leads give them a false idea of being on a lead I think.

@GingerAndTheBiscuits did you hear back from the vet nurse?

@Juiceey yeah, I think you might be right. I've got a 'no pull' harness which is nowhere near no pull but a bit less pull than when the lead's attached to his collar but I'm not doing myself any favours in the long run, am I?

Likewise @muckandnettles & @PuppyBonBon...whistle for recall. I managed 20 minutes in the park on my own with pup today so started on recall training with the whistle. And it ocurred to me that if I see this through and have a perfectly trained dog who responds to the whistle, what happens if I forget the whistle one day? I still need to make sure his recall to calling his name is bulletproof too, no?

@Juiceey I think it sounds like you need to leave the retractable lead for a bit, and concentrate on the short lead.

We get on much better with a harness than with a collar. Pup clearly doesn't understand what a lead is for though, and always has it in his mouth! Trots along quite happily, thinking he's 'helping', but I worry that if I had to pull it I'd hurt his teeth. It does look quite comical though, we get lots of comments when we're out on walks!

@marmite51 that is adorable! I have one of those leads with a handle halfway down (which I find incredibly useful and totally recommend, but I might be lucky with my height and the lead length somehow so it is comfortable) and when pup was messing with his lead yesterday he managed to get it on his face like a muzzle and couldn't get it off. I know I'm mean, but it really made me laugh!

@OwlInAnOakTree Yeah. No magic bullets unfortunately. Suggested trying Kalmaid or Nutracalm so we have some of that arriving on Sunday. Other things she mentioned: giving her some pasta with her dinner (?!). Pet remedy/adaptil spray on the area we want her to sleep. One of those microwaveable teddies/wheat bags on her bed wrapped in our old clothes. A late walk before bed. Work on training “settle” as per dogs trust website. And a suggestion of a behaviourist at a cost of £3-400 She’s going to send me some other videos and links next week.

I have been reading your thread and remembering our dog as a puppy. My DD was terrified of him and renamed him
Mr Bitey. My thick dressing gown still has holes and shredded sleeves from the biting. I had to get up at 5 every morning to stop him howling the house down. He was obsessed with other people’s dogs and teaching him recall seemed impossible. My DH (now an exH) wanted the dog and then disowned him the first time he peed in the lounge (yes we did the research for over a year before getting a pup so shouldn’t have been a surprise). I wfh and trying to train a puppy and work was impossible.

Puppy is now 2. He just stopped biting (not due to my training, he just grew out of it) one day. He got lazier. It’s nearly half past 8. I’m eating croissants in bed with the dog snoring between me and DD (she uses him as a hot water bottle these days). We will get up and go for a walk in a bit and he will walk perfectly on or off lead and ignore everyone but the few dogs and people who are his special friends. He is pretty much perfect, relaxed, chilled and easy.

Hang in there folks - most issues will sort themselves out eventually when the dog grows up! Not sure I’d get another puppy though!

@Home42 thank you for that! Gives us all some hope, though it's quite a time still to go...

@Home42 thanks for coming on to cheer us up! I don't really want to wish my life away but I can't wait for things to get easier.
I lost it yesterday with my family. I am fed up of doing everything. Today I am making a timetable to make sure the load is spread more evenly. I do feel for those who don't have older DC to help. My DH has even agreed to do morning walks which is great (if it happens). My main stress is work because my financial situation is pretty awful at the moment.
Oliverpup is still biting. He now goes for our faces which is pretty awful. I'm still doing the yelping and ignoring. It's so hard though when he snaps at your nose.
Hope all owners and pups have a lovely weekend.

@home42 thanks for the hope!

I was so fucked off yesterday. We went to Pets At Home and there was a man outside with his dog. His dog immediately came up to Juiceypup and started playing and we were making small talk as you do. Then he says, we're just waiting to go into the vets, need to wait outside as he's had diarrhoea over the floor in there 3 times!

What the fuck? I couldn't drag Juiceypup away quick enough. Surely you don't let/encourage your dog to play with another when they're ill.

Made me so stressed thinking he was going to get ill!

That was lovely to read @Home42.

@GingerAndTheBiscuits I hope some of that helps.

@OliveButler, can understand why you lost it! I'm resentful of doing everything and there's only really me to do it. Me and DS started with a reward chart a few days ago so he's now earning tablet time in exchange for doing some jobs around the house to help me out. It's difficult keeping on top of everything with a puppy nipping around your ankles.

Our walk this morning was much calmer than previous walks. Both pup and DS a bit calmer than they have been. Hope that continues. Love how your pup walks himself @marmite51.

That was really irresponsible of him @Juiceey! Hope pup's ok.

@Home42 this is what I needed to hear today.

DD is so desperate to be best friends with dpup and then gets upset when he bites or jumps all over her. Have to keep reminding her of my mum's dog who was just like that as a puppy and now the softest thing ever with her. We took dpup with us to my mum's yesterday for a BBQ and after about 10 minutes he was happily running round with her all evening. Was very cute, every time he tried to jump up DD, my mum's dog was getting in front to protect her. They literally didn't stop running round for the 3 hours we were there and he slept 12-6.30 for the first time ever! Took him out for a wee and he snuggled at the end of the sofa and slept till DD came down an hour later. Unbroken sleep really makes a difference!

That’s nice coffee. We took pup to my mums yesterday and he loved the garden. No other dogs to play with (he’s not vaccinated fully yet anyway) but it was lovely seeing him enjoying a new experience. How old are your dog and your Dd? I’m having similar issues with dd6 who I think thought pup would instantly be here loyal best mate.

I’m glad the walk went well today owl.

That’s awful juiceey. What a plonker. How are you getting on with jucieeypup in general these days? Is he 18 weeks now?

I needed that read of how they're way better when older. Today has been hard work and it's only lunch time. Polka pup was a star at the pub yesterday. Sat on his settle mat, enjoyed the fuss and slept great. I was so proud. Then today he's been a dick. I have called him shit bag in an affectionate voice but still. Gah!! He's been lunging and biting with wild terrier eyes and tried to bite my face. This really hurt my feelings, ridiculously! Like the hands/ shins/ ankles are fine but DON'T TOUCH THE FACE!! Also, DH is off out this afternoon and could not look more excited - I'm sure to be free of the dog is the reason. I just found the spaghetti bolognese I made on Thursday still in the oven. I'm gutted as it's all gone in the bin. I do ALL the cooking and am so upset I have lost 3 of 4 easy meals. Bloody husbands. Bloody dogs. It's a good job polka pup can be super cute and cuddly. He's whining next to me in his crate refusing to nap. Puppy trainer at 3.30 so he'd better sleep...I'm SO stressed.

Aargh @Juiceey what an idiot! Why are people so thoughtless?

@AmigoDog Oliverpup is not fully vaccinated either and I have to carry him on 'walks'. He's 14 weeks old (his first owner had him vaccinated but my vet doesn't do the same brand ffs). Fortunately I do have a garden but I can't wait to let him run properly.

I have been training 'leave' where you leave a treat near them and they have to ignore it until you say so. Oliverpup squirms and really struggles with the self control but he is doing really well (mostly). If only the biting would stop I would be happy. I really worry about it.

Things are getting much easier for the DC here, pup seems less bitey, or maybe we're just better at avoiding it? Kids are definitely calmer round him and if he's over excited they just don't engage with him. It's easier to spot now that we know him better.

Pup is still super clingy with me, that's my main worry at the moment. I have enjoyed having a wee cuddly puppy to have on my knee on a comfy chair, but it does feel like he's over attached to me now. Can't really leave him without me,never mind leave him alone! I'm going to spend today moving about the house as much as I can. God knows it needs a good tidy!

@AmigoDog DD is 6 and dpup is 9 weeks so still tiny, managing the two of them is a nightmare. My DH is getting cross at dpup as he is biting her more than us and thinks I'm too soft when I'm trying to calmy redirect him. Keep trying to explain just shouting at him isn't going to train him and DD insistence on wearing dresses because she just has to be pretty and jeans are boring isn't helping the situation! Honestly when it's just me and dpup he is golden most of the time

coffee that’s exactly the same as us. 9 week pup and dd6. I banned Dd from wearing dresses last week. I’m also attempting to scrape her hair into a ponytail and it’s almost too short for one. Puppy was definitely getting over excited by floaty skirts and trying to bite her hair. She’s starting to act a little bit calmer round him too which is good. We had a trainer round last on Thursday and she taught Dd to twist her back so she’s facing away from pup when he tries to bite her with her hands in a fist above her head and her face pointing up to the ceiling. It’s helping I think.
Our puppy is definitely worse with Dd than us. I’m sure he’s going to get worse with all of us before he gets better though 😬

OMG. Just read my post back and I sound insane. I'm now breathing again and looking forward to teaching Polka pup new tricks. He's asleep now so likely just tired out rather than suddenly evil!

@polkadotpjs totally know what you mean about having hurt feelings when pup attacks - you aren't going insane! Hope the training went well. I've been doing a bit more than usual today because we have first lesson of puppy class this week and I'm determined my pup isn't going to be the badly behaved one. As he's such a gigantic pup now, we will really stand out.

Training went will. He was a star but was so tired after god love him. Learning to come to heel, stand, how to play tug- who knew there was a wrong way?! Tug helped teach drop. It was good but I'm knackered and want a cider!!

Hi everyone,

Will sit down and catch up on everyones progress when the kids are in bed but just wanted to pop on amd say we are back from our holiday with an almost housetrained pup, something just seemed to click when we were away and he didnt have any accidents after an initial marking the caravan and since we got home last night he has been asking to go out.

He is terrified of people and dogs though so we need to work on that. How good would it be if we were all close enough to have puppy meet ups

We are now on our 3rd type of food trying to sort his tummy out and it seems he can only tolerate james wellbeloved turkey and rice any other flavour or brand gives him instant diarrhoea.

He is walking quite well to heel now and his recall is excellent in the house and pretty good outside if he knows ive got a tasty treat otherwise he just ignores me. He has really bad seperation anxiety though and if i leave him even to walk into a different room he howls and barks until i am next to him even if he can see me through a babygate. Ive been trying to leave him for a few minutes several times a day but it doesnt seem to be improving. The biting has eased a bit so the children are more wiing to play with him which he loves. He is 13 weeks tomorrow i feel like hes been qith us much longer.

DP is finally back at work after 5mths in monday and is away for 7 days leaving me with a needy puppy and 3 children under 5, wish me luck

Ooh a puppy meet! How fabulous!

@smilingthroughgrittedteeth well done you and it's good to hear about a holiday going well as we are taking our pup away for 3 days next weekend to an airbnb. I've looked at the place again today and it's all open plan, which isn't going to work very well for us, but I'm hoping that pup's crate might fit in the car so at least he can go in that if things get bad. Honestly it's worse than thinking about going away with a baby for the first time. I really hope I don't end up sleeping downstairs with pup!