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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Puppy survival thread *September!*

999 replies

JuiceyBetty · 01/09/2020 10:51

Can't believe we're in September now, our babies are growing up!

Newbies always welcome especially if they come bearing photos....

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GazingAndGrazing · 07/09/2020 21:30

Mine love dairy lea cheese on the lickimat and I spread their breakfast-raw chunks of turkey and fish on there for breakfast.

I’m also knackered, 4 days of 7am runs around the playing field off lead. I’m not a morning person and no one was there today so I had to do the running to be chased.

Hmm can’t remember the last time I ran. Probably when I ran out of wine - sorry! Grin

GazingAndGrazing · 07/09/2020 21:32

@puppygalore

Thanks *@OwlInAnOakTree* I'll pick up some paste! I might have to get a whole new mat to try it out though as the bloody peanut butter isn't budging.
Try a tooth brush after steaming with the iron?

Eghh just get a new one

Riverhousepuppy · 08/09/2020 07:03

Full on puppy blues in the riverhouse this morning. Started introducing new food yesterday and mixed with old according to instructions but she was up at 12, 2 and 4 then up for the day at 5.20.
I am beyond tired.
But her poo this morning looked better.
This will get better wont it? I feel like I am spinning with tiredness today :-(

TrufflePioneer · 08/09/2020 07:21

Back with an 8 month old border terrier here - the bitey madness eased gradually, then we had endless zoomies, and now at adolescence he just constantly attention seeks.

He hasn't really been left alone due to lockdown and me WFH - we can go about our normal routines with no problem, he waits patiently for us to return from a shower, doing something in the garage, etc, but actually leaving him 100% alone - while we're not anywhere on the property, even just outside - has been a maximum of about 15 minutes. I've done that repeatedly though, leaving him with a kong, so he's accustomed to it.

He's never been distressed, never destroyed anything or gone mad at seeing me return, but he is always by the door. If I go to the shops and leave him with DH though, he apparently fusses and paces and goes back and forth from back door to back gate until I'm home again. He doesn't cry, he's just super restless. So I don't really know where to go with that, as somebody is still with him while he's fussing about my absence - he doesn't do it when DH is out. It's possible he's over bonded with me as I'm always here.

Don't you find that a kong or a licki-mat only lasts about 5-10 minutes? I'm still at "beginner" stage with his kong so I don't make it too hard for him, he's got it sussed - but I'm wary of making it harder too soon as he might just lose interest.

Our issues at present are mainly with extending the time that he can be left, we need to do more on that. But he's also developed some hysteria in the car - he screeches blue murder whenever we slow down or stop, presumably in anticipation of one of us getting out - even though one of us always stays behind with him, we haven't left him alone in the car yet.

His recall is great as long as there are no other dogs around - I daren't let him off completely as he tends to race up to other dogs and jump in their face, which he's only going to get away with as a puppy for so long before other dogs start resenting it. So I'm caught in the cycle of wanting him to go off lead and learn for himself how to calm down his approach, and not wanting to be THAT annoying owner who can't get their dog back. Or worse, he rushes up to the wrong dog and gets hurt. You can just say his name and he'll come tearing back, but if he's spotted another dog he'll be gone and that's that - no chance. We tried a 10m line but if he smells a dog before we've seen it he's already out of reach, so he's mainly on a 5m flexi. The dog walker let's him off with all the other dogs (he can call back the others no problem and mine will just follow them) - he goes at least once a week for the socialisation.

So there's that. Oh, and he still pees indoors when the ground is wet or it's raining. We've tried EVERYTHING, taken guidance from a trainer and tried very method, but now it's become a "big deal" and he's picked up on our tension, so he's even less likely to go outside when it's raining. He's steadily wrecking my carpets. Sad

He attention seeks all day every day, whining and pacing while I'm trying to work. I'm on a border terrier Facebook group and someone sent a link to a blog about the "attention diet" - we removed all his favourite noisy toys (I feel so horrible, he loves his toys) and actively ignored all the attention seeking behaviour.

It worked in less than an hour, and after a week he's been much better and far less needy. You have to harden your heart a little to be able to steadfastly not speak to him, make eye contact or laugh when he's waggling and slapping his paws around and being adorable. He's killing me.

GazingAndGrazing · 08/09/2020 07:40

Riverhouse what new food are you feeding? One of mine suffered with vomiting on switch over but only for a few days and then it got better so fingers crossed

Truffle I wouldn’t be too concerned about the pacing, he has company. Can you DH make a fuss or be with him when you are gone?

I left the boys for 15 minutes yesterday and recorded them, not a peep so that’s good. I couldn’t be bothered with the field run today so we walked along the main road with cars, bikes and buses they did really well.

Bunglemom · 08/09/2020 08:57

me again.... well bunglepup seems to be sleeping better (totally jinxed it now!) from 11.30 til 5.30 this morning!

Toilet training is a nighmare... hes so hit and miss! Please tell me it gets better?! hes out religiously every hour, sometimes every half hour and we can be in the garden for AGES and he does nothing then straight away once we let him in he does a wee on the carpet! He's 10 weeks old... how much longer til he gets it?!

On the plus side hes had his second injections so wont be long til he can be walked in the great outdoors!

MagentaRocks · 08/09/2020 09:01

Can anyone recommend any slipper socks that are not thermal and designed to keep your feet super warm? I have been wearing slippers as the pup is still biting feet but my feet absolutely stink by the end of the day. Normal socks are too thin so I still feel the bites. I don’t want anything that will keep me warm because I am menopausal and having hot flushes. So I need some thick slipper socks that won’t make me over heat but are thick enough to stop it at least reduce the pain when he manages to bite my feet. Probably unlikely to find anything but if you know of any I would appreciate it.

Riverhousepuppy · 08/09/2020 09:08

Morning
Riverpup is moving butternut box as she just wasnt eating the food the breeder gave us. She wolfed down breakfast today so hoping that after a few days she will be much better.
Well done @Bunglemom bunglepup on that sleeping.
Riverpup is ok on the wee front but she does get a bit of chicken after each wee. She will do a sneaky wee on our rug in the evening in the lounge though if not watched like a hawk. The other night she was having a huge zombie fest in our lounge and started doing a Usain bolt style speed poo run and then suddenly she had speed pooped on the floor.
Well done leaving pups @GazingAndGrazing. Riverpup accidentally got left this morning because I went out the front door to put some rubbish out and the front door closed behind me! I knew the back door was open but our house is very secure so I ended up going to our neighbours and going through there and then on through the gate we put between our gardens. Thank god for that gate. I didnt have my phone on me or anything. On the plus side riverpup seemed fine after a minute or so and then was very surprised to see me walk in the back.

LittlePoot · 08/09/2020 09:11

Riverhouse - sorry you've had such a rough night. Fingers crossed for something good today to help you through. And Bunglemum (sorry for spelling/forgetting names and not having worked out bold font yet!) - I'm the same with toilet training. Out first thing, four mini wees in the garden then peed on the kitchen floor once he came inside. And often asks to come inside when he needs a poo - luckily we've stayed out so far but it's just so unpredictable! I started writing it down to see if there were any patterns. He currently wees 16 times a day and at least 4 poos. No wonder I have no time to do anything else with trying to be outside at the right time 20 times a day. Got a little bit more sleep last night so I feel slightly more human. Still not loving it though.

Bunglemom · 08/09/2020 09:17

@LittlePoot I know what you mean about not loving it at the moment.. i feel like i was just getting some life back after DD's now im back to square one and feel like ive made my life 100X more stressful then it needed to be!

OwlInAnOakTree · 08/09/2020 09:25

Morning all, sounds like sleep is going in the right direction for a lot of you. Toileting seemed to just click into place for us @Bunglemom after a few weeks of frustration it was very suddenly fine.

So, OwlPup is 5 months today. Already! Good things: sleeping, toileting, being able to leave him happily in his crate, capable of calm in the house when it's just me and him (another story entirely when DS is around), leave it, drop it, car travel. He's confident and friendly and adaptible, have seen no signs of fear or aggression at all.

Things that still need work: lead walking (ugh), recall's getting there - I let go of the long line when we're in the middle of the field at the park and he sticks with me as long as we're not too close to get distracted by other dogs or kids, BUT his over-enthusiastic greeting of dogs and people makes me wary of having him off-lead when it's busy about, so that's something else that needs working on, although it's better than it was.

Mostly he's fab (annoying at other times, of course!)...I need to pull my finger out and really work on boundary training in the house and getting him to stay in a room when I leave a room so I that I don't have to wait until his nap time to go to the toilet! But days fly by and little seems to get done...

Bunglemom · 08/09/2020 09:28

@OwlInAnOakTree fingers crossed it just clicks for my pain in the arse lol!

Sounds like youve turned a corner with your pup... how old is he?

Annasgirl · 08/09/2020 09:36

[quote Bunglemom]@LittlePoot I know what you mean about not loving it at the moment.. i feel like i was just getting some life back after DD's now im back to square one and feel like ive made my life 100X more stressful then it needed to be![/quote]
This is me to-day. DS has allergies and I honestly think if I found there was a link to the puppy I would let her go. And then I look at her and I think, but no one could love her like we do.

Oh, it is stressful and I would not encourage friends to do it, but she is here now, so we will need to plough on to the promised land of a quiet dog!!!!

GazingAndGrazing · 08/09/2020 09:40

@MagentaRocks

Can anyone recommend any slipper socks that are not thermal and designed to keep your feet super warm? I have been wearing slippers as the pup is still biting feet but my feet absolutely stink by the end of the day. Normal socks are too thin so I still feel the bites. I don’t want anything that will keep me warm because I am menopausal and having hot flushes. So I need some thick slipper socks that won’t make me over heat but are thick enough to stop it at least reduce the pain when he manages to bite my feet. Probably unlikely to find anything but if you know of any I would appreciate it.
What about hiking socks, they are quite thick aren’t they? Or water sport shoes?
LittlePoot · 08/09/2020 09:44

@Annasgirl and @Bunglemom - exactly that there. Exactly what you say Bunglemom about wondering why the hell I did this to myself when life was just getting to the point of being manageable and straight forward! And the same with allergies - in this case mine. I've been snotty and sneezing since he arrived and have had to take occasional antihistamines. Apparently it can also be a sign of stress rather than just an allergy, and lord knows how stressed I've been this week. But if it turned out to be him then I'd have an "excuse" to give up. I've lost sight of why I even wanted a dog in the first place as well which doesn't help. I think if I could get that idea back then maybe I could dangle that as a carrot to get through the days....

Currently sitting outside with my laptop in a coat with puppy pretend napping by my feet. Feels less stressful than worrying where he is and when/what he's about to pee on. Don't know if it's a good idea, but at least I won't be cleaning up wee while on a call. With amazing timing, there's a mental health first aid session with my work later this morning including access to counselling services so I'm all in. Hoping desperately for some advice that isn't just take a deep breath and remember it'll pass. That's only got a limited effect.

Has anyone ever tried Kalms daytime (valerian I think) or any other anxiety meds that aren't prescription?

Bunglemom · 08/09/2020 09:54

@LittlePoot I am currently taking Karms! they do seem to take the edge off 😊 i just keep thinking it will get better it will get better.... Can you take your pup out yet?

Annasgirl · 08/09/2020 10:00

@LittlePoot and @Bunglemom - oh I have found my people Grin.

And yes, I considered that at least allergies would be a socially acceptable way to say we cannot have the dog any more - God, I used to be so judgmental about people who re-homed their puppy (and now it could be me). DD would never forgive me and DH would never, ever let me live it down, as I was the one who insisted on it for the past 5 years while he said no, they were too much work (easy know he had grown up with dogs and I had not!).

BiteyShark · 08/09/2020 10:00

It will get better. Honest Brew.

Mine has taken himself off to another room for a snooze as I am boring as WFH. He will ignore me for a while now until his stomach gets hungry or he hears me doing something exciting.

And he was a monster as a puppy. Took ages to toilet train. Used to get me up at night and early morning way into a young adult. Now I have to coax him out of bed with chicken for breakfast Grin

Annasgirl · 08/09/2020 10:17

@BiteyShark - thanks for the reassurance. I better go get my own work done and get off this site!!!

OwlInAnOakTree · 08/09/2020 10:30

@Bunglemom he is 5 months today. I'd say the first two months of him being home were absolutely awful. And then it started getting slowly easier. There's hope!

LittlePoot · 08/09/2020 10:34

Annasgirl - yes, me too about rehoming. I even asked my nine year old yesterday (who really doesn't seem to want to spend any time with a bitey pup yet) if he'd rather we just took him back but he looked outraged at the thought!

@Bunglemom - which Kalms are you taking? There are a few different ones. I'm sure resorting to self medication isn't an ideal fix, but I definitely think things mighty be more bearable if I can take the edge off for a while.... I don't really drink and don't think that would be a healthy or helpful habit to start at this pointBlush....

pistachioicecream · 08/09/2020 10:35

@LittlePoot @Bunglemom @Annasgirl

Am with you all too. Particularly with the "Why did I willingly destroy my life?/ she's here now so we have to make the best of it and hope it gets better / couldn't deal with the judgement of giving her away or the thought of what it would do to her and no one else would love her like us. (well - me and the kids - I don't think DH has any loving feelings towards her at all!)" thinking.

But in the spirit of trying to be positive we have made progress in the last 9 weeks....

  • She's far less bitey than she was. She no longer hangs off our feet and legs when we're just trying to walk through a room.
  • She is 99% toilet trained. Accidents are v. v. rare now which is a big positive.
  • She's very good at "sit" :-)
  • She gives the best cuddles.
  • She's really good off the lead - for recall we use a squeaky ball. If she drops too far behind or ahead of us we squeak the ball and she comes running. If there's something particularly interesting she's smelling it might take a couple of "squeaks" but she does come back. So that's good.
  • Walking more is lovely - and even gets the teenagers out of the house with me which I'm really enjoying. Particularly as one is due to go to Uni next year so my time with him is limited.

There's still a long long list of things we need to work on though...

  • Being left alone. Haven't done this at all yet and I really need to be brave and do it - worrying massively about this
  • Leave it and Drop it are terrible - and potentially dangerous. She picked up deflated balloon someone had dropped in the park last night and was massively difficult & stressful getting it off her.
  • Loose lead walking - not good either.
  • Boundary training - she won't stay anywhere unless I'm near by. If I get up she just follows me. Is really annoying.

Hey ho... today is another day. Am sure we'll get there in the end.

LittlePoot · 08/09/2020 10:40

@pistachioicecream - it sounds like you're doing really well with her and there's nothing on your list of things still to do that sounds terrible. And that's after having pup for 9 weeks? Sounds like a really long way away given I'm broken after just one week, but better than nothing! How old is she then now? 17 weeks?

pistachioicecream · 08/09/2020 10:47

@LittlePoot She was 19 weeks yesterday. We got her at 10 weeks.

And thank you - you're right I probably do need to be more positive. She has come on along way in those 9 weeks.

Don't give up hope - weeks 11-15 were really, really tough here and then have slowly started to calm down. I think it's the loss of freedom I'm still finding the hardest to adjust to. The post from @BiteyShark this morning gives me hope that might get better soon though. I think they're a few weeks ahead of us!

Are you still outside? I did that on a few occasions too. Hope the weather is nice where you are!

Bunglemom · 08/09/2020 10:48

@LittlePoot I am just taking sainsburys own version... ive read the back of the pack and it has the same ingredients as the other 'Karms' branded one 😀

@Annasgirl Totally with you and we are all in this together! thank god for forums like this where we can just vent!

@pistachioicecream see you make it sound like theres light at the end of the tunnel!