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....

@Chocolateandamaretto - I'm pretty sure he would have let you know if he was hurt. They're generally pretty bendy and robust so I wouldn't worry if there's no whining going on. Great stuff with the woodland walking! I must try and get brave enough to try off the lead.....

@ Chocolateandamaretto they do bounce back really well, some of the scraps here have my heart in my mouth especially the time they rolled down a steep bank together mid disagreement who should have the toy and they have both been floored a few times by excited older pups wanting to say hi rather too quickly... all good so I hope the same for your pup.

little no rush, you must feel confident in yourself. Do you have a friend with a dog with reliable recall at all? I didn’t so I befriended an old lady in the park first who helped me take the leap and we honestly haven’t looked back.

I don’t know how people feel about borrow my doggie.com? I’ve met with a few local people who are more than happy to help me out with the few odd hours a month I need to be face to face at work so out of the house. They all seemed lovely with insurance and CRB checks but I can’t shake that feeling of 101 Dalmatians A La Frenchie puppy

Hello all
Riverpup is doing ok at walks and likes an off lead potter but it is scary but she is very good. I start my timer for 7 and a half minutes when we go and then when timer goes off we come back.
But I have had puppy blues all day :-( she can be so bitey and I know it will get easier but when I am wfh she can be demanding at times and I sort of dont know how to entertain her if I have been in meetings for a while. I put stuff in egg boxes,lickimats, training, play etc but she has started pulling at stuff to get my attention. I make sure I do things with her in breaks but she can be puppy high maintenance at times. I feel like she has been all consuming mentally and physically and poor DC are neglected.
She is 13 weeks friday and I do love her but just having a tough day and missing my old life. Will absolutely persevere but feeling the blues :-(

So normal to have the puppy blues my lovely. I’m so glad I have you all here to say what I really feel and know you will all do the same.

I’m no expert at all and can only give you what I’m experiencing - currently my two are rolling around the floor play fighting after a walk around the block which I could have easily missed but I need the sleep.

I’m finding really early field walks on work days before breakfast really help. 6.30/6.45 am and the. Play and training and I’ve now added a frozen marrow bone in the garden and I’m guaranteed sleep before 9am for a few hours whilst I work which takes us all to lunch time ish, another walk, food, train, bone which takes us to 2.30ish for another sleep before repeating the above with a longer walk and lots of interacting with dogs and people and swans etc.

I’m really conscious of coming across as very smug, I’m really not. Lots of things aren’t great but I find the pups to be a reason to get up every day and do my best by them. That said, I need to go, they are playing Merry hell and I’m ready for my bed.

Fingers crossed for you all tonight

@Riverhousepuppy

Hope you are ok lovely? its bloody hard work isnt it, juggling everything and having a demanding puppy too... my pup is 13 weeks old too and going through the bitey, grabbing wont listen stage... im finding im doing a lot of defending to DH and MIL who is living with us... judgy knob! and i keep repeating the mantra, it will get better! after all everyone who has had a puppy that i know say its the best thing they have ever done once they are 1 you forget it all, bit like having kids i suppose!!

Sending you my big virtual hug 🤗... will will get through this!

Thankfully this is an amazing board and you guys have been my saviour too especially to vent about my puppy and MIL!

Bunglepup is doing okish... toileting is still really hit and miss...

Nightimes are again okish.. hes started to wake up at midnight and have an hour where he just wines then back up at 4 for a poop... back down again til 5.45.... feel like im never going to sleep again!
When are they meant to sleep through?????

Honestly it gets better. I was ready to rehome ours at 13 weeks. It gets so much better when they can go out. Top tip find a safe space and let them off the lead as soon as you can while you have all the cheese or sausages with you. They'll stick right by you and start to learn that you have the good stuff - really good for recall. Do little games of sitting in a circle and calling their name and they get a fuss or a treat when they come.

Training like that tires them out and distracts them from biting. They are just trying to attract your attention!

Ours is 9 months now and is now longer a bitey, snappy shark but a lovely natured little dog.

Hoops & Hounds on FB are doing a 5 day puppy training challenge of Facebook if anyone is interested, it’s free and starts on the 28th Sept 6pm.

Search The pandemic Puppy 5 day challenge. 1st set of homework is creating a puppy tapas board to work out what the highest value training treat is and it’s covering separation anxiety and leaving pups home alone for more than 5 seconds.

Oh, I am having blues for my old life too - was reminiscing about my lovely after school drop off run in the park this morning - I would not leave puppy that long alone at the moment.

Also, this is a horrid one - Daisy loves to roam in the garden. However, twice now we have had these weird huge bugs in the house - one on her food bowl, another crawling up the wall - after she has been out. I called the vet and we are looking into it but they can't advise until they see the bug. I was so distraught and desperate to get rid of them that I did not take a photo (vet said, oh just do it next time, and I cried inside at the realisation this will go on and on). So, it is a large bug, 6 legs, small head, large body, black, clings to surface of water bowl. I thought it was tick but DH said (he didn't see it) that it was too big. But what else could it be? I detest bugs and spiders and I am a little afraid of the puppy now because I keep thinking of the bugs .

Can anyone advise? There are lots of foxes in our area and they go into our gardens, also cats from neighbours across the road.

That sounds good @GazingAndGrazing I think I will have a go at a 5 day challenge. The tapas thing sounds great, I can't figure out what pup is actually seeing as high value.

It's really really hard some days, but I don't think I've hit the puppy blues quite yet. I'm so tired though. My business is still closed down and I don't know how anyone cares for a puppy plus works, it's exhausting! Hugs to all who need it!

I'm struggling for activities to keep Pup engaged, she's got wayyy too much energy for me to keep up with and I know when she's bored she gets extra bitey so I want to do as much as possible with her! We did a little walk earlier, just out of our house is a busy dog walking route so lots of smells to investigate which she loved. Also she didn't flinch at cars or anything which I was pleased about as she's not had much experience with vehicles. We met a friendly little dog, the owner took some time to stroke pup and reassure her and she did really well. As you all said, it was definitely more of a snuffle than a walk!

Out of interest, what time do you all do your walks? Is before bed a good time to tire them out, or does it get them all excited and riled up?

@puppygalore I take my 15 week old pup out at 7:00 pm as this givers her time to settle before I log in to work at 8:00 pm. A quick one at unch time around 12:00 if work schedule allows and final longest walk at 4:40 - 5:00 before her final meal.

Have tried later walks but she was worse not better in the evening - it's not her greatest time of day!

On the weekend we tend to go out for longer e.g. beach or forest and she's properly worn out and will sleep all evening

I still get the blues periodically but it is getting less frequent and shorter. It's totally fine to miss and want things you could do easily before pup! Sometimes it is hard to see the woods for the trees and you can't imagine ever going out carefree again (much like with babies!). I bit the bullet and ran to work yesterday so that I could get a longer run in as I've been struggling to find time and missing it so that was great. I do hazily wonder when the 5 of us (and dog???) will be able to go for a full day out again all together though.

Our parents also keep talking about us coming to stay at their houses with pup and the whole idea just fills me with dread at the moment!! I'm secretly slightly hoping tighter covid restrictions might take that off the cards though...

@GazingAndGrazing ooh that challenge looks good, will give it a go. Has anyone done sexier than a squirrel? Am only contemplating it as it's cheap and I want to mix things up but wondering if it's worth it.

@puppygalore we'll normally take him around 7am for a trot on the streets near our house then I'll take him for more of an explore off lead somewhere after I get home from work about 4. I like to be winding him down by 9ish and the kids bedtime is 7-8 so we can't really fit a later one in although that might change as they all get older.

@Annasgirl that sounds really stressful and gross. I think you definitely need to get a picture if you can manage it because until you know for sure what it is you can't make a plan to handle them. You do describe it as huge so it's unlikely to be a tick.

Dh just proudly text me to say he sent pup to his crate, told him to wait then went into the kitchen to make a coffee, came back and pup was still sat there, all with the door open. Feels like something has clicked in the last couple of days! If you're having trouble with the crate do persist!

What is your DH's secret with the crate @Chocolateandamaretto ?!

Hi all. I posted this morning but it seems to have vanished ?? Virtual hug to all who need it and hope that your days have been OK. Puppy was up at 3 a.m but needed a huge poo so I couldnt really be cross.

@puppygalore copious sausage I think!

@Worriesandwobbles 3am poos definitely still a regular feature here, I feel your pain. Still figuring out a feeding routine really but I find walking round the garden with him until he poos between 9 and 10 seems to help!

I feel like he’s missed me today! He won’t leave me alone secretly delighted lol as normally my DH is definitely his favourite!

@Chocolateandamaretto thanks I'm so going to try this. Is it actual sausage like we'd cook for ourselves, or those doggy sausage treats? I'm confused about what I can give! Some websites say no bacon, I saw others say bacon is great as it's so smelly and tasty, others say no cheese and so on, so when I see people talk about sausage I'm never sure which type!

Pup's naps have been rubbish today, she did a grand total of 15 mins earlier despite the fact I gave her another tiny walk after the school run - I thought she'd be wiped out! Plus her biting and jumping is def getting worse, probably as she's so overtired. Since Monday morning I've been doing what my trainer guy said - letting her mouth a bit then with a 'sh' sound firmly say 'no!' when she gets too rough but that isn't effective at all. The sound seems to excite her so she bites more and she's so bloody strong already. So then I read up on some more methods and tried 'freezing' - her bites just got harder as she felt me make my hand go limp. For the jumping up when I sit down, I ignored but then that changed to biting my thighs and knees. So then I turned away from her as I read elsewhere and she just grabbed my top and played tug with it resulting in some holes! So I feel like my only option now is to completely leave the room whenever that behaviour starts, whilst rewarding quiet, calm behaviour. This evening I've gone through tonnes of treats every time I stroke her and she doesn't nip or whenever she chews a toy instead of me. Fingers crossed!

We thought we’d try leaving pup downstairs today while we took kids up to bed (usually DH stays down there with him) all seemed fine for 5 mins then he starts whining, fair enough- he’s only young and only been with us 12 days. But we thought he needs to start being left even if only for a few mins.
He started making little whines after 5 mins so DH went down to him cos we didn’t want him getting stressed out. He was met with a wee and poo on the front room carpet
Now we are worried he’s done it because he was anxious.

I googled. He’s 52!!!

Also...this pic- yum!

Shit wrong thread!

Thank you all so very much for all the virtual hugs, support and kindness. You are so helping me get through the tough times and this community is wonderful.
Was still a bit bluesy today but tried a kong which she hadnt been interested in before and she enjoyed that. Also tried to teach her some new stuff, she couldnt quite work it out but could see her thinking. That tired her.
We went for walk tonight and had just done some off lead games when a huge lab came bursting round the corner and ran up to riverpup, hackles up and i dont know if he caught her but she did a proper squeal and was scared. I went into super protective mode and did a firm ah ah and then a strong sit at the lab. Shockingly he listened and then his owner appeared and was lovely and apologetic. I thought I do love you poor little riverpup and she came home and crashed out.
On other good news she did a really firm poo today, I was so proud.
These pups are such hard work and between biting,no sleeping, general attention, lack of freedom there are glimmers on the future. I run too and got a breed that I can run with which I know is a year off but hopefully one day I will be running along with riverpup and thinking how far we have come.
Thank you all so much xx

Hideous week with DCat being put to sleep this evening. I’ve been hand feeding him and up with him through the night. He was 18 and I’m sad but also looking forward to getting a full night’s sleep. He’s been on hyperthyroid pills since November last year and regularly would wake at 4-6am confused and wanting cuddles, meowing loudly and waking us all up. The puppy has been a breeze in comparison. I feel guilty but it’s a bit of a relief.

We have puppy training 1:1 session tomorrow evening so hoping that will reassure us we are doing the right things and correct things we’re getting wrong.

Dpup sleeps 11pm-7am but walks are still fairly tricky and we’re scared about taking him off the lead but all advice says to do it early. We’re going to do it at the weekend. Great advice up thread. I think I’ll get some hot dogs cut up.

I was reassured that the puppy blues is a real thing as I felt so bad feeling low about things we couldn't do and wondering what we'd done in getting her. Especially as it was me who'd pushed hard to have a pup!

However having a bit of time as me and leaving her to shop with dd and see a friend while she was fine in her crate at home made me feel a lot better.

Also just knowing others had felt that way too (as I can't tell dh!!)

I'm finding puppy training classes useful too and Picklepup has been great while I've worked at home.

Here we go again bunglepup being an absolute arshole and won’t settle again... throughly pissed off with him tonight... Why can he be ok with sleep one night and not the next

I refuse to put him in my room, he won’t entertain the crate and it stresses him to the point of being sick

I’m going to remove the pen tonight and just shut him in the kitchen I think —rip my kitchen I’m guessing —

Feel like it’s always two steps forward and a million back

Haven’t been to bed at all... massive argument with DH about me doing everything for DC etc and had enough of everything

@Bunglemom so so sorry to hear you had such a tough evening with Bunglepup and Dh.
Biggest virtual hug and before 7am gin pass.
@m0therofdragons sorry to hear about your cat and hoping you can get into a better routine asap.
Riverpup did another solid poo this morning, so strangely proud and relieved