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!

I just wanted to say hi. I've been lurking for a bit trying to prepare myself as much as possible for the craziness to come. One more week before we are bringing our puppy home! She will be an 8 week old lab called Mable.

My Dpup is horrid for at least a part of every day. It is when she is tired and won't give in to it and yes the bites really hurt. However she is my 7th dog and I can't remember these times with any of those so the memories must fade fast When she's not biting she is lovely.

Pigs ears work well at getting her to sit and bite and then fall asleep but I save those for her worst moments

@m0therofdragons thats the breed we are getting! Fingers crossed mine is chilled lol! Yes im more then up for the exercise especially after lockdown pounds have come on the waistline!

Welcome and good luck to all the new owners.
We are one month in with our first dog. I’ve had short moments of puppy regret but nothing major... yet! I know we still have a long way to go and SO much training ahead of us, but we are loving having a dog, and now we can actually take him in a lead it’s great.

I’ve ordered some new food for him because I’m not happy with the kibble (and neither is he!). I’ve gone with Birchbox because it seems to get a good write up. How do I switch over? I’ve read a few different things. Half and half? Less than that?

Thanks

I'd go less than half, we transitioned to butternut box over a week. He puked the first day, just to warn you! @AmigoDog

Welcome @MandUs and the other new owners! @Bunglemom I didn't sleep for the week before we got JP, I was sick with anxiety. So I hear you!

Thanks Juiceey. That’s good to know about possibly being sick. So did you end up on 100% butternut by the end of the first week?

Aw, so many new puppies arriving on the thread - how lovely! We are nowhere near the end of the puppy months yet in our house, but looking back on the first 3 months of puppydom and it's a roller coaster with more mixed emotions than I was expecting. I think I expected it all to go better than it did because I felt I had put the time in preparing, but actually nothing quite prepares you. I felt really down about it when for example I'd been badly bitten, pup was running around like a maniac and I'd had no sleep. So my advice is to not expect too much of yourselves and the pup as it's a big adjustment for all of you. It helped me to sometimes think of Mucky as a baby who was crying for something - usually because he was too tired. He wasn't naughty or aggressive, just cross and tired!

Whoever suggested doggy TV up thread - thank you. One blissed out pup by my feet and only nature sounds so not annoying me

@Bunglemom smileypup is a working cocker and not much fazes him, hes super intelligent and loves life.

Serious puppy regret today im fed up cleaning wee and poo off my carpet

Hi all
I am sorry I have been MIA and so I hope you don't mind me coming here for a hand hold and to provide a cautionary tale.
Some of you may know that Oliverpup had his vaccinations late because his first owner (I bought him from someone who had got a lockdown puppy and just couldn't manage) 's vet used a different brand and that didn't count according to my vet. So, for walks I carried him around to the amusement of everyone who saw.
For the last two weeks it has been amazing. He is part greyhound and seeing him run is a thing of beauty genuinely. One thing though. He ate everything he saw. Stones, moss, sticks, paperclips, ketchup sachets. We would run over shouting 'leave it' but often too late.
For the last couple of days, we have noticed Oliverpup sleeping more. Well, he's just growing surely. Then today he had awful diarrhoea and cried if you touched his tummy. He even refused water.
I have just come back from the emergency vet. Oliverpup is on a drip, pain relief and waiting for an x-ray. Most likely he needs an operation tomorrow. Vet is pretty sure he has eaten something that has caused a blockage.
The house is so empty. It breaks my heart that I can't comfort him. I worry about the what ifs and feel total guilt at the times I got mad at him and resented him. I will never let him off the lead without a muzzle again.
So, sorry for offloading but I know you will understand.
I'm going to have a shower and sit by the phone. Sending love to all pups and their families x

OliveButler BiteyDog had to have an emergency operation to remove a blockage. It's awful seeing them in pain and that empty house feeling is horrible and alien.

Hope pup is ok soon and handhold for tomorrow.

Oh @OliveButler how worrying ill keep everything crossed that Oliverpup makes a quick recovery

@BiteyShark
Please tell me what happened and what the process was? I am catastrophising at the moment.
Thanks @smilingthroughgrittedteeth we've only had him a couple of months but the house feels all wrong.

OliveButler BiteyDog was ill (vomiting)and examined by the vet but we thought it was because he also had a chronic stomach condition so sent him home initially. However, overnight at home he yelped in pain when he vomited and deteriorated overnight. When we went back in the morning to the vets they thought they could feel something in his intestine. We had to rush him to the main vet branch and he had either an X-ray or ultrasound (can't remember which one) which showed a blockage and build up of fluid in a distended stomach. They phoned me and asked to operate immediately.

They pulled a big rag out of his stomach which was jammed at the entry of his intestines. His intestines were bruised but they thought he was lucky that they didn't have to remove any intestine. He was in for two days after as he wouldn't eat but eventually they let him home hoping he would eat which he did. The scar was massive and all his stomach shaved (obviously covered initially with dressings). We had to go back a few time for checkups, pain killers, antibiotics etc. He wasn't allowed any exercise or jumping for a few weeks and I think it took about a month before we could start to let him exercise.

This is about 2.5 years ago and all his stomach fur is back and you can just about see a faint scar. No problems at all from it.

Oh @OliveButler, how awful for you. Everything crossed that Oliverpup makes a full and quick recovery.

@BiteyShark oh my goodness. That sounds so difficult. So glad Biteydog is better. Do you muzzle or is Biteydog just more restrained in his eating habits now? Also, is a crate ok for bringing him home or should I lie him on the seat on his bed?
I think I realised something was properly wrong when Oliverpup's bites became really half hearted.He was super affectionate too.

@OwlInAnOakTree Thank you. Hope all well with you

OliverButler its a bit unique in that we think he ate the rag as he was acting oddly due to a very high dose of steroids he was having for his stomach condition. His behaviour was all over the place and coupled with excessive hunger as well we think that was the cause. luckily he hasn't shown any inclination to repeat that since (he only gets a very short term lower dose of steroids now and only occasionally).

BiteyDog used to try and eat stuff when a young puppy but nothing more than the normal puppy moments where everything is edible but he grew out of it hence the shock of eating the rag.

For bringing him home he was so out of it my DH has to carry him to the car and I sat beside him on the back seat. We kitted out a room with no furniture other than a mattress on the floor for his recovery. I essentially stayed with him (working at home) and slept beside him all that time so he was settled.

It was horrible and very scary given how serious it was. But when we went to pick him up he was the second dog they had to operate on that day to remove a blockage so unfortunately it is very common but both dogs survived and fortunately for us it's now a distant memory.

Hoping OliverPup does just as well if they find it is a blockage and they have to operate.

Sorry my phone keeps changing Olive to Oliver.

Oh @OliveButler crossing everything for a quick recovery for your pup :(

We have a cocker spaniel puppy and he's actually very chilled. We're starting Puppy classes tomorrow, he's doing really well with training at home so looking forward to doing a bit more with him.

Our main problem is him being at home now we're all back at work. We have a dogwalker to help sometimes and a mix of family and friends helping occasionally too. Its a logistical nightmare.

I miss him so much when I'm at work 😭

@BiteyShark Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I am hoping that Oliverpup doesn't need an operation but that seems remote.

@GingerAndTheBiscuits I am so glad you are still on this thread. I have been thinking about you and hope you are ok. You have always been so supportive to others.

OliveButler fingers crossed for tomorrow. I know from experience you won't have a very restful night worrying

Big hugs to OlivePup, hope it's sorted soon!

Oh @OliveButler I really hope your puppy is OK. I have everything crossed for you.