Puppy survival thread *September!*

[JuiceyBetty]

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

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

@BiteyShark

Thanks for the idea about the lino... that may be last resort!
To be honest i just didnt want pup in my bed as ive only just reclaimed it from co sleeping with my DD's .. dont really want to add in the dog to my new found star fish space😉😂😂

@Bunglemom I had my mum to stay for 2 days when pup was 9 weeks and honestly I was ready to throttle her by the time she left....can't imagine having my in laws for weeks on end at the moment! You're clearly a saint and deserve that extra large gin!

I actually agree with you on the bed thing - our dog isn't allowed upstairs, at all. I want the kids to have a space where they can tip out their toys and make a bit of mess without fear of it being eaten, and I don't want another small (for now!) creature in my bed, I was the same with my kids! He's generally been fine downstairs, I think it's just that he's woken up to poo that is the problem here. We actually found with him if we set an alarm before we expected him to wake and got to him first it was helping him sleep better overall as he wasn't needing to wake up and cry for us.

A good point about the wind as well tbh, our chimney can be a bit noisy when it is windy so that might have disturbed him. I am contemplating moving his crate to the dining room where my DH works as that is where pup spends most of his day anyway!

He doesn't actually tend to nap in the crate in the day as DH is around most of the time, but if he is being lairy generally if you ignore him (no eye contact, no touching or talking) he will give up quite quickly and go to sleep. If either DH or I go to our computer to work he tends to drop of very quickly as he knows we won't play when we're there! However it is much harder to get him napping with kids about as they won't leave him alone! I think you have to be a bit tough and say nope, we are not playing now, then stick to it and they will huff a bit then nod off.

A definite yes to enforced naps in the crate from me! It is undoubtedly how I kept my sanity in the early weeks. I realised in the first few days of pup being home that he sleeps with an eye and an ear open, and whilst he was good at settling himself down somewhere to have a nap, if we so much as moved, he was alert and awake and would follow us if we went anywhere. So I started putting him in his crate for day time naps around day 3. It's worked really well for us, and aside from giving me a bit of space and time to get on with other stuff, it's meant that we were able to leave him napping at home safe in his crate after a month or so which was important for my DS7 who needed his own time out of the house playing at the park or seeing friends without it revolving around pup and pup's needs. I'm honestly not sure my sanity would have survived the first two months if we hadn't done enforced naps. He goes to bed early too, which seems to pre-empt any over tired silliness or zoomies in the evenings. In the early days he was pretty much up for an hour then asleep for an hour throughout the day, even now at 5 months he's only up for around 2 hours before needing a nap.

@Bunglemom hope things get easier. I think, in the 4 weeks you've given yourself, you're likely to see some big improvements in things. The first 8 weeks seem to be the killer bit.

@GingerAndTheBiscuits good to hear you're doing ok and that gingerpup has settled in new home.

@Chocolateandamaretto
Thanks very much for your reply, im honestly not a saint but ill take the large gin 🤣😉

Yeah my DD have moved all their little toys upstairs and like you i want somewhere they can go to play and enjoy not worrying about if the dog is going to eat their lego...

I think im just going to have to toughen up with bunglepup and if my inlaws are unhappy being woken they can go and find a hotel!

Could be a win-win @Bunglemom

Thanks @OwlInAnOakTree - hope people don’t mind me still lurking here despite no longer being in the puppy club. I think I’m punishing myself by reading about all the people settling in with their pups!

Maybe time to add another pup in then Ginger

I’ve had a couple of hours to myself today. DD took them to meet a friend in a big park and they are broken!! Really nodding sleepy dog tired, result.

Hoping you all have better nights tonight. Glad I’m not the only one who likes a gin to numb the pain!

Joining you all in the gin club.
@Bunglemom riverpup was in kitchen in crate first couple of days but just didnt settle and I ended up moving her and crate up to our room at 2am one morning. She has settled so much better since then. Plan is to keep her in our room til she reliably sleeps through. She never sets foot in our room though, I carry up her at bedtime then down for night poos and then carry her down in the morning. Would still love a full nights sleep but hopefully it isnt too far away.
I was adamant I wouldnt have dog in our room but i dont really mind it. Plus currently it isnt forever ( but that could change). I even think dh snoring reassures her.
Maybe you could try a crate in your room by the bed for a night, I know bunglepup didnt like it at first but might be different now and being next to you might help. Worth a try.
I sort of wish the crate was downstairs for the evil biting sessions but she gets put in kitchen behind stair gate.
@GingerAndTheBiscuits it is lovely to see you on this board. I remember reading when life was so tough and think you offer a great balance.xx

@Bunglemom I so feel the pain. The bite this morning sent me back to the feeling of immense pressure but it should get easier. I don't know if the crate is possible to get into. Leave it open and put food in and don't make comment. Just make it a great place to be? We (well me over course) slept by polka pup for a while to reassure him and this worked again the other night when he had the runs at 3.30 to get him back to sleep. But it's tough
@GingerAndTheBiscuits lovely to hear from you. Does her new family have dogs or was that the foster? I bet you laid all the groundwork for her lovely new life - I hear you when you say it's the right decision. I think we are stuck now going from lovely days mostly to the odd WTf days but it is getting way easier bit by bit. DH tells everyone he's great but still forgets he needs to take a poo bag out with him - 10 weeks later. I therefore conclude I am not imagining that I'm doing the lion's share !

@polkadotpjs no dogs at the new house but a lot of adults that do different shifts so always someone around to keep her company. They have dogs in the extended family that she goes walking with. I did some Facebook stalking and she seems settled and happy, which was both a nice thing to see and made me feel very sad! We recently got a robot hoover which is the closest we’ll get to a dog replacement I think, and our pet rats have reclaimed their spot in the living room which they are very happy about!

Not sure anyone properly warns you about the 2am moments of being completely broken, where you just want to cry or sleep or drink wine and eat chocolate. And those family days out with a well behaved dog by your side are a long way off ha. Also I swear the puppy has caused more marital arguments than 16 years of co-parenting.

Off topic from all the gin drinking... we are in teething stage now and the biting is ramping up to not very bloody nice. I’m looking at yak bars but they are a bit above my allowance (stares at empty bank account)

Any offers or sites that are reasonable please?

My puppy was 11 weeks yesterday and had her second vaccinations. The vet has told us we need to see a behaviourist as apparently pup growled and tried to bite while the vaccinations were being done 😩

@Whatiswrongwithmykid

My puppy was 11 weeks yesterday and had her second vaccinations. The vet has told us we need to see a behaviourist as apparently pup growled and tried to bite while the vaccinations were being done 😩

I’m torn. Half of me agrees because negative behaviour or lack of mum and litter mates direction between birth and 8 weeks can cause negative experiences but, the only way a pup or grown dog can communicate by expression and then growl and then bite.

Can I ask if you saw mum with pups when choosing? No judgement from me at all

Yes we saw mum with pups when we chose her and again when we collected. For the first week or so she was very sweet and placid but has got bolder. She has started to growl at strangers who get too close to her ( she’s a miniature poodle so small and fluffy and people flock to her) so I think it’s a fear response. We’ve tried to take her out a lot in a puppy sling to socialise her but I’m wondering now if it’s been too much because like I said before people do tend to approach us a lot.

Our puppy caused more tears and arguments than 14 years of step parenting. Love her to bits.

Riverpup slept 10.30 til 5.30 which felt amazing, she is 12 weeks today. And she ate all her breakfast and had a solid poo for the first time in forever. She has suffered from a sensitive tummy and recently changed to James Wellbeloved grain free and it seems to be settling her after a weeks transition, fingers crossed.Feel like we have made some progress.
How was everybody elses night? How are you doing @Bunglemom? How was last night?

@GazingAndGrazing
Gin is life! maybe there should be a gin board? 🙌
I read yesterday that if you rub vicks vapour rub on ankles hands etc the pup doesnt like it and wont bite... might be some truth in it as i have a stinking cold and put some on my chest last night and pup wouldnt sit by me Does it work for husbands and kids too?!

@Riverhousepuppy
Yes the evil teeth are another thing that never gets a mention as well!
Glad to hear your pup has settled next to you (but not so much happy that your DH snores!)

Last night was a lot better said in hushed tones so pup doesnt see this and revert back to being a knob We sat down and made a plan of action which looks like this:
Last feed at 5.30is
Walk at 6.00 -6.30
Pup has a snooze from 6.30 til 7.30 then 7.30 onwards its play time for as long as we can, last night he lasted til 9.30 - took him out for last loo break at 10.30 all in bed by 11!
He woke up at 3.30 for a poop (which in my dreamlike state didnt realise hed already done it in the pen) so took him out didnt do anything then he went back to bed... woke up at 5am this morning so feel slightly more awake and definitely less tearful!

I said to DH that this needs to be a concrete plan of attack now and then when he gets older hopefully he will be able to miss out the 3am poop run and go through...
Pup got himself comfy again at 6 in bed but DH and i both work earlies on a friday and DH took him for a walk... DH looked half asleep 🤣

Fingers crossed our plan of attack works (although also closing the kitchen blind might of helped as pup couldnt see street lights and the big tree blowing in the wind!)

@polkadotpjs
Hows the bite today?
the teeth are the most evil thing as well as the lack of sleep... i printed out yesterday a guide of what stage a puppy will be at each week and stuck it to the fridge to help remind me it will get better! failing that im having a gin bar made in the dogs cage and locking myself in 🤣

Yay @bunglemom that's good news. Once you get down to one wake up per night it makes life so much easier. Then you just need to work through the very early mornings. Ours woke between 5 and 6 for months but now at 6.5 months he generally goes until after 7!

@LBee2020 7am sounds like a glorious dream right now 🤣 what time does your pup go to bed at night? hoping for something i can cling to!

Hi All! I'm just dipping in her for the first time and trying to catch up on the thread. We are bring our puppy home in a couple of weeks. All very exciting, if a bit nerve wracking. Just worrying about a few practical things. We have a long-ish journey to bring him home. Any tips? I wasn't planning on getting a crate for the boot for long term use but might that be better than a harness and seat when he's so little? I'd rather he was in the back seat with one of us, so we can stroke and cuddle him, but not sure if a harness is a bad idea as he won't be used to it and whether we should go down the crate route. Also re stopping, I presumably need to avoid taking him for a wee stop at a service station as he won't be able to go where other dogs are/have been. Any advice much appreciated. Thank you!

*dipping in HERE not her!

Glad you both had good night @Bunglemom and @Riverhousepuppy. I am pleased to report that Chocpup was also much better last night and only got up at 3.45 for a pee then slept until 5.30 (which is fine here, me and DH both early risers). He also no longer has diarrhoea (hallelujah!)

Vet said he probably just ate something weird, she wormed him just in case as his appointment is next week anyway. And he had the zombie eye drops and just has conjunctivits so we have hilarity of eye drops for the next 5 days.

@Luisa77 congrats - how exciting! We had a 2 hour journey to collect pup. He went in a crate in the boot as DH had to go on his own, and he was fine. I suggest loads and loads of newspaper and towels (puppy will almost certainly be sick and shit in the car, just be prepared) and then binbags to put any grubby stuff in. Take lots of water and a bowl and stop often so pup can drink, and DH didn't let pup down on the floor because he had to stop at service stations where dogs tend to be. He just got in the boot and cuddled and gave him water.

If you can have someone go with you then I'd probably still crate and stroke through the bars as you'd have to put a harness on. That's just personal preference though. Good luck whatever you decide!

So to clarify, pup just weed in the crate on newspaper on the journey home as we couldn't really have him anywhere we couldn't guarantee dogs had been.

Thanks Chocolateandamaretto. Yes, that makes sense re just weeing in the car. I would prefer to having him in the backseat with one of us, rather than in a crate. But not sure that's a good idea as he wouldn't be used to a harness

@luisa77 I had our puppy in the front of the car with towels, newspaper, blanket etc. We only had an hours journey though and I wasn't driving. I'd be surprised if you could find a small enough harness (and as they grow so fast it will be a waste of money)