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.

I'm considering putting pup into doggy daycare once a week purely for him to socialise, social distancing is making it hard to properly socialise him and none of the usual puppy parties and training classes are running and the ones that are can only take half the normal numbers so have long waiting lists. Im confident we can train him by ourselves but i am worried about him mixing with other dogs so a morning at daycare seems like a good way for him to meet others.

I have used dog daycare since my puppy was 13 week old. However, some daycare settings have not suited him at all like large commercial environments. Lots of dogs around either upsets him or even in home daycare settings they over stimulate him and I can see he is wound up when he returns. One large daycare actually made him really fearful and that was when he was used to daycare.

The best ones for us are dog walkers that do daycare in their own homes as they typically only have a few dogs they daycare rather than walk. What I am saying is do watch out for any issues but equally don't be afraid to try different daycare environments to find ones that suit your dog.

Lovely post @KDOWKIZO.

@OwlInAnOakTree whats the relaxation protocol?

thanks @BiteyShark daycare is just an idea at the moment, the kennels we used with our old dog runs one and several of my friends use it, they have a seperate section for puppies which sounded ideal and i was thinking just a morning a week but ill have a look around.

Great post @KDOWKIZO

After a week of looking very confused, this morning puppy put his paw on my hand when I said 'Paw'. And then did it repeatedly.

I am very excited. I'd almost made up for him walking up at 3:40, weeing in the kitchen then drawing blood on my foot

We are becoming fond of radio 3's through the night programme

@smilingthroughgrittedteeth it's a quite structured way of teaching dogs how to relax and stay calm. I heard good things about it on a collie forum. Going to give it a try.

Oooh, just reading the relaxation protocol, looks good!

But I have to teach him down first he can sit and stay for 2 steps back, but down is beyond him. I think he is part tigger...

@Emrysmcdogface looks good, doesn't it. Weirdly seemed to take OwlPup ages to get 'down' too. His body just didn't seem capable of going from the sit position to down. Figured it out though and now has the most un-graceful down I've ever seen on a dog. Makes me laugh every time.

Well she lasted 20 minutes on Duvet Mountain then hopped onto the bottom of the bed, curled up and went to sleep. No reaction when DD5 crept in in the early hours, just a quick look them back to sleep. Slept til 8 then had huge fuss in the bed for being such a good girl. I feel like a new woman!

@GingerAndTheBiscuits love that pup was so good with the little boy! It's such a small thing, but I can see how that pup is just tearing you into pieces. Hope you have had a good night.

Muckypup is living up to his name and just wants to be outside digging all the time and I feel bad our garden is inadequate for him - he has now started digging up the lawn right in front of the french doors so you can't miss it. I call him in and he tramps mud round the kitchen, I try and clean it up and he loves a clean up drama so that's something I try and leave. So we have brown patches all over now from the wee and now holes from the digging, plus toys and the bits of plastic and card he loves ripping up. Honestly, when we moved into this house a year ago I had so many plans for this garden (I was even going to have a pond - can you imagine if I had??) and now I'm embarrassed about it as it's such a tip. Good thing Muckypup is so gorgeous...

@GingerAndTheBiscuits cross posts! Sounds like it's been a good night. Makes such a difference doesn't it?

@GingerAndTheBiscuits great news!!! Glad you had a good night's rest.

We're struggling with crate training at the moment. BonBonPup won't settle in there in the day. She will nap in all sorts of places but not her crate. She'll protest to be let out and then curl up just outside her pen door, not in her pen. At night she has a small area by her night crate where her water bowl is. She will curl up in the smallest places around her bowl, instead of sleep in her crate. We've changed bedding set ups etc but she's adamant she doesn't like crates. I think it's because it's just dp and I, it's quiet in the house in general, never too busy. I think she doesn't feel the need for a "safe space" because the whole bloody house is her safe space. She's not clingy either, she'll nap the other end of the house, doesn't mind us going up and down stairs. We can even go out and she's fine. As long as she's not in her crate/X pen. If the downstairs was fully puppy proof I wouldn't mind her having the freedom. But it's not something we can do quickly. Plus we're o my just getting to teething and extreme chew phase, so there's lots of vulnerable furniture she could get her teeth into.

So pleased for you @GingerAndTheBiscuits! It makes such a difference when you get some sleep.
We're taking DPup to a local reservoir today for a splash, her first experience with water so hope it goes well.

Also just to add, I have moaned about my pup as much as anyone on this thread but to see me in RL with her you would never know. I vent all my frustration on here so that it never gets taken out on her or my family. If someone can't understand that we all need a supportive place to talk I think that reflects far more on them than us.

@GingerAndTheBiscuits glad you had a good night

@PuppyBonBon do you have a puppy pen? My mums puppy (my pups brother) hates the crate but happily sleeps in his pen with a comfy bed, that way he is still contained so cant cause damage but has a bit of freedom to roam, weve been lucky with smileypup he has loved his crate from day 1 he now has 3 (downstairs, upstairs and in the car) and as soon as we come in he runs into the downstairs one and from 9pm he sits on the bottom step waiting to be let up to his night time one.

@muckandnettles we have a digger too although he likes to dig under the trampoline so at least it cant really be seen, i do keep having images of the trampoline disappearing down a massive hole complete with screaming children.

I resisted BiteyDog on the bed for over 2 years. When we let him on the bed we got so much more sleep and now he is even older it is us that gets him up in the morning rather than the other way round.

Sometimes our initial 'best intentions' aren't actually that great

@GingerAndTheBiscuits that’s amazing and shows the capacity of dogs to be insightful and calming. I bet you were so proud. This is exactly as people have said- a thread for those handhold moments or tips exactly like you get with newborn threads. How many of us bought a seahorse toy or a rubber Sophie the giraffe (showing my kids‘ ages there ) in desperation of needing something to help sleep. It’s no different yet there are bad parents and bad dog owners - we are trying to be good by posting here. Back in the day many puppies were accidents. People adopted them (no payment!) from families who couldn’t afford to have dogs spayed/ neutered and took their chances that the dog would get caught. Pure breeds were the reserve of posher people (I’m very working class but went to a school with kids with more cash. They all had spaniels and true breeds but we always had mutts or rescues from random folk who needed their dogs rehoming. We ourselves never bought a dog ever. Always took them on from others including a massive dog mum took on when his owner went blind. She didn’t tell my dad but he became the dog’s biggest fan! Anyway. We are trying and we love our dogs. I’ve not had a dog as an adult but always had one growing up. Does that mean I shouldn’t have one now? Will I have rescues in future now I’ve had a puppy ? Absolutely- if I’m suitable. Anyway. I’m rambling. I’m using this thread for support so will ignore the unhelpful.

@gingerandthebiscuits I spent so long typing I missed your news. Brilliant you've had a good sleep. Maybe that trust is growing in her!

Great news Ginger! We're getting lots of sleep with puppy in our bed too. When he was in the crate downstairs I slept badly, on edge all the time, and had to get up super early. Now, DH lets him out for a pee when I go to work, and he comes back for another few hours. Then eldest DC comes in for a cuddle when he wakes up, and it's his job to take pup downstairs and give him breakfast.

We have his dog bed on top of our bed and he mostly sleeps on it.

@smilingthroughgrittedteeth your puppy looks like ours! Beautiful dogs. Here's a picture of him on our holidays.

@marmite51 hes gorgeous. How old is he now?

I need to get smileypup a harness but cant find one that fits hes still small but very stocky. Im going to take him to pets at home when DP is back and try some on him. Fortunately he walks nicely with a lead and collar and hardly ever pulls so its not an urgent need.

He's 14 weeks? I think. He was born on the 14th of April.

We had trouble getting a harness to fit - went to Pets at Home and got a cheap one in a Medium, but it was hanging off him so wasn't much use. We got a Doodlebone in a medium from Amazon and it fits him perfectly now, but not sure how long it'll last. When he outgrows it I think we'll get a Perfect Fit, as apparently you can replace sections of that as they grow.

GingerPup somehow managed to slip her harness yesterday, we still haven’t worked out how. So will watch harness discussions with interest.

We will get him a julius harness eventually but for now i just want something that is nice and soft and padded.

Smileypup was born in the 26th April so is 13 weeks today

I read something on a cocker spaniel group about julius K9 harnesses not being good for them. Can't remember why though!

The Doodlebone Snappy is great, really easy to get on and off.

@AmigoDog

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?

He is 18.5 weeks now and mostly a delight!

The early days feel like a long time ago. He's nowhere near as bitey and when he does it's soft. He sleeps through the night til 6/7am on our bed. The chewing has pretty much stopped. Toilet training is mostly there- if we miss his cue then he pees by the door but it's always because we're distracted and didn't see him sat there!

He still gets completely overexcited, and then humpy, with DS though but DS has learned not to hype him up quite so much.

The only issue we have is him being terrible on walks zipping all over the place tripping us up, but that's our fault for using a retractable lead.

Overall I really do find myself adoring him, even though he can be such a terror when he's got the zoomies and is full of beans!