Puppy survival thread! July/August! Roll up!

[Juiceey]

Here we go, hero puppy owners.

We've just got back from the vet where I was shocked to discover he now weights 4kg. Little lump! He's 19 weeks old tomorrow. Wonder how big he'll get? On a miniature poodle group I'm in the adults are anywhere between 6-12kg. I hope he's small as easier to carry about!

That’s good to hear @muckandnettles !

Oh god after a relatively calm day, my mum called round and AmigoPup went CRAZY. Running round, bouncing, jumping, biting... Totally manic! He was obviously hugely overwhelmed. He had a few moments of calm but it took only the slightest thing to set him off again. It’s a shame because although we’d had a few moments today he’d also had some totally lovely moments with all of us - including Dd.
I think he’s really hungry too. He’s not really eating very much of his kibble unless I feed them to him as treats. Not sure if I should change his food (he’s 10 weeks).
He’s currently asleep at my feet.

MEM pup is a nightmare-I couldn’t even have a shower this morning-she whines outside the cubicle and then gave in and I turned round and she was in with me!😱

I've had my pup for 9 days. I'm so tired. The place smells of wee and I feel stuck in the house 24/7. They're manic and I go through moments when I hate her. Then she falls asleep and I love her to pieces. I'm exhausted.

Grannypup has now worn a harness in the car - not keen on the little car seat thing but OK clipped in on seat. She's not bad in her crate at night and the potty training is going OK but with the inevitable accidents. She's a bit bitey but can be distracted by a chewy toy. On the whole she's a delight but I don't have children at home, my DH & I are on leave. Next week it's just me here and the following week I'm back to WFH - I think that's going to present more of a challenge

@grannycake what harness do you have? We've been using the crate in the boot but it takes up all the space. I think I need to investigate a harness. I've been wfh this week and dc haven't been around as much (they are both teenagers so really helpful). I'm finding working quite tough. Fortunately I've not been too busy (self-employed) but I've got lots over next few weeks so it's going to get more challenging!

I too need a harness for the car. We have a basket thing currently with a karabiner you clip onto.
Polka pup is a border terrier crossed with a Patterdale. So many people have said Patterdales are horrible, vicious, wild, cant be trained etc etc, that when he does nip at me I get really stressed he'll be horrible as an adult. He is taking to training brilliantly anc sits nicely, walks on but us crazy with other dogs unless we keep distance- wanting to play, not biting, but gets crazy excited. Tonight he lunged and bit my lip. I've put him in crate and I'm in bed sulking while DH watches footie (he's grumpy as he feels ill so we are a bundle of joy). It made me bleed and I'm hurt by him biting but I did move him from off my low legs to try and cuddle him to my chest, obviously annoying him. But still. The face! 😓😓. Although if he'd done more central a bite I'd have great beesting lips ...

I’ve never heard that about Patterdales @polkadotpjs though I have heard they are stubborn! GP has a Patterdale face, complete with beard but one of the sibling adopters did one of those DNA tests and it appears she’s a staff/pointer/GSD?!/mix of all sorts. Sorry to hear about the bite. It feels so personal when we’re the ones doing so much for the little buggers.

GP had a good day but really, really, really need her to settle well tonight because DH is just miserable about the whole thing :(

We've just got home from an epic 10 hour drive home from our holidays, through heavy rain, diversions, and biblical floods. Apart from two motorway stops and an hour's walk in a forest near Keswick, DPup was in his crate the whole time and didn't whine once. I feel so bad though! Need to make up for it tomorrow.

Aw well done @marmite51 pup! You can have lots of fun together tomorrow.

Crossing all my fingers for you @GingerAndTheBiscuits that tonight goes well!

@polkadotpjs I think you’re right with the intense excitement at seeing other dogs and not being able to control himself, rather than aggression. Maybe intense socialisation would help?

@polkadotpjs We have a light harness from Pets at Home - I didn't want to spend too much as pup is going to grow so quickly at this age. We'll buy a better one once out and about walking.

Grannypup has been up for about 30 minutes but was asleep in crate from 10.30 so pretty good.

50 mile trip in car today to see MIL in retirement home - fingers crossed

Here's a photo of grannypup this morning

Too cute @grannycake.

I've recently bought a step in harness from pets at home for £12. Pup's already grown out of one so I also didn't want to spend too much. It's fine.

We've got a trainer coming round this afternoon. I'll have the perfect pup afterwards, right?!

Absolutely owl. And then you can pass on all the secrets to us...

I’m going to buy a perfect fit harness for Pup when he’s bigger but think I’ll get him a cheaper one from pets at home first too.

I can’t see your pic for some reason granny

I can’t see it either!

Offered to take GP for a walk, she went straight to her bed and went to sleep 🙄 probably that 6 hours sleep she had overnight catching up with her...

How was last night @ginger?

@LBee2020 Got through almost an entire bag of treats trying to keep her on her bed in our room. Pulled her off our bed every time she jumped on. After an hour and a half she jumped up on our bed, lay down and went to sleep. So we avoided the manic biting phase we usually get (positive?!) but I’m shattered and she’s going to be the size of a house 😂

DH’s alarm went off at half 6 so she was up for the day

I think treats isn't necessarily a problem - if it removes the biting. Glad you didn't have that. Polka pup been ok this morning but I'm super paranoid as looking after other kids today too and one is scared

@WentworthPrison

I've had my pup for 9 days. I'm so tired. The place smells of wee and I feel stuck in the house 24/7. They're manic and I go through moments when I hate her. Then she falls asleep and I love her to pieces. I'm exhausted.

I felt exactly the same after 9 days! I promise it gets better xxx

Just had a puppy photoshoot. Can't believe how much money I spend on this dog. Can't wait to see the pics!

He woke up at 5 this morning and I told DW to ignore him and see if he'll go back to sleep. 5 minutes later and we heard him peeing in the corner. He's never ever peed upstairs! DAMN!

Oh no juiceey how annoying! How big is jucieeypup now? I met my friends 13 week old miniature poodle the other day And he was huge! Could easily have been mistaken for my 10 week old toy poodles dad!

Finally found a freaking chew that MEM pup likes-little bones things from Waitrose🤨

She’s just not interested in little treat things for training-though I suppose she’s still very young. What can you do without a treat for training, if they aren’t bothered with treats? She also won’t eat unless you sit with her though, which is a pain! I sense she’s just not that food orientated...

On a positive note, she sleeps through the whole night with her heartbeat teddy and the posh lady from radio 4! She does have the major advantage of having old lady dog in her own crate next to her though. Old lady dog still doesn’t like her though and growls whenever puppy goes near😢

Another positive is that she has started going into her crate during the day on her own volition for a nap!

I've found my people! We are nearly four weeks in with our Springer pup. He's gorgeous and can be totally adorable but chews everything in sight, barks at the slightest provocation and gets totally manic every evening before collapsing on the sofa and falling asleep. Wouldn't be without him but I'm looking forward to when we can take him out properly rather than try to contain him in our garden - second vaccinations on Friday so won't be too long before we can go for some very short walks outside.

Toilet training was going well but we had some setbacks yesterday (thankfully only of the yellow variety!) so today he's been confined to the kitchen with me, so he has instant access to the fenced off area outside the back door. He expects a treat after every wee but I'm trying to move towards lots of praise instead. Has a bit of a squirty bottom today so I'm giving him chicken and rice instead of his kibble to see if that helps.

Anyone got any tips for the barking and chewing? He has lots of toys to chew (trying to give him a hard toy if he's trying to chew the wooden table leg, and a soft toy if he's attacking towels or throws) but will try to chew on anything, even the doormat today (no wonder he gets a squirty bottom). I've seen people recommend barking deterrent collars but they sound a bit too punishing to me - anyone have any suggestions for what we could do?

He is lovely, though. Here he is in all his spaniel glory