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....

Thanks everyone he’s going to shut the crate, go out the room so pup can’t see him and if he whines/ yelps he’s going to pat the crate to tell him to shush. He did that this morning while I was on the school run and he just went to sleep.

Sorry to hear that Juicey, I hope you are being well looked after.

@JuiceyBetty sorry to hear that, hope you're feeling ok and can get home soon.

@desperatehousewife21 sorry you are struggling with sleep. I think shutting the crate is a good call. Our first week we shut chocpup in and laid next to the crate and he settled quite quickly.

I'm going to share this now for anyone as stupid as me - try not to laugh. I had been leaving the kitchen light on overnight as was in the mentality of treating chocpup like a human baby. However saw a few posts where people mentioned puppies sleeping in now it was darker later in the morning. Turned the kitchen light off. Chocpup slept through . This has been the last few nights so clearly the kitchen light was keeping him up so I feel like a prize prat for doing this for 6 bloody weeks! Just in case this helps anyone else!!

Training is up and down. His recall and general behaviour off lead is currently super, he has great patience when being given food indoors and can sit and wait, and I can lure him into sit/stand/down no bother. He's jumping like a horror though and the biting is getting more frequent (but also more gentle fortunately) so I hope he's about to lose some teeth!

Grannypup improved a lot when the crate was completely covered. I used to to her saying things like shh, bedtime now and settle down time for sleep. She now goes in and doesn't make a fuss - I still have to physically put her in though and she does sometimes still wake around 3 for a wee. If she doesn't wake she goes from about 9 until 5.30.

I also took the advice of the Happy Puppy book and make my coffee before releasing her in the morning - going into a cold dark garden is much easier with a coffee

Morning all
Sorry to hear about the sleep deprivation, I think it is the very worst, then the biting, then the jumping.
Riverpup has started doggy daycare this morning. I feel quite bereft without her. She is going to go twice a week. But for this week mornings only. It feels strange to wander freely around the house and not have to shut gates quickly etc. I am wfh but eventually will be in the office twice a week so thought it might work to start her now?
Hoping she will sleep well this afternoon but probably after a savage biting frenzy as she will be exhausted. She is 13 and a half weeks now so guessing teeth might be coming out soon?
We are following the door closed toilet training advice and it is working so far, but 2 wee accidents once I had left ds12 in charge and then once with dh50 in charge. Yet ds7 is able to tell me everytime she is looking like she needs to go. She gets a special treat everytime she does an outdoor toilet of a chopped up dried sprat.
Getting some more yucky chews today. Going to try foul rabbits and cow ears which she will no doubt go absolutely and for as she loves all things grim

I hope the sleep is soon sorted for everyone! Nothing worse than disrupted nights. I completely covered Pup's crate last night and she made it to 6.45!!!! So that will be the plan from now on.

Just drove her 5 mins to a little park, she still cries every time she's in the car and then tries to fling herself out as soon as I open the crate door. The first time she flew out I wasn't ready and she jumped right into the floor. Our boot is really high up so I've been worried about her legs ever since! I'm hoping the car crying will settle down soon.

When we walk she is terrible for pulling, she'll literally choke herself to pull hard away from me. I've bought a harness but can't try it on as she just flings herself at it and either bites me or runs off with bits off it dangling around her. I'm hoping the 1-1 trainer will help me with this!

Sleep deprivation is the worst !! Have thrown the rule book out the window and started having the puppy on our bed at night so that this year doesn't end in divorce. I am aware I am setting myself up for him to be a permanent feature but we both work full time and have 4 children and just could do the getting up at night anymore. It has proven though that pup is completely capable of holding his bladder all night and was just crying for company. My will power is weak 😂

DH is going to try shutting him in the crate overnight and any whining leading to full on yapping will get a sharp swift of rolled up newspaper on the crate.

Just shut him in for 5 mins and left the room and he whined the whole time.
I’m not holding out loads of hope for tonight

Funny how he didn’t seem to be bothered when I was dying of sleep deprivation with our 2 kids. Now it’s him and he’s all ‘I can’t do this anymore!’

It’s horrible reading all the sleep deprived posts, I really, really feel for you all and that includes the males that couldn’t find sympathy when we BF/BF babies through the night!

desperate I can only offer advice from lots of previous experiences way before being a puppy mum this time round and I hope you don’t mind. Please don’t do a sharp swift of rolled up newspaper on the crate. You have worked so hard to make it a safe place, it will be a negative experience that will reverse all of the hard work.

I liken it to being put somewhere I’m not sure of, left alone and in a dim light or in the dark and expecting that sharp swift noise any time soon, I know I wouldn’t settle.

@desperatehousewife21 I agree with @GazingAndGrazing, don’t hit the crate. I think you probably need to stick with something for a few nights and try and be consistent, which I know is hard when you just hope anything works! Maybe your DH can just be nearby, maybe shhing or Making soothing noises but not going closer or getting pup out when they whine.
I suggest giving DH a whack though it’s definitely his turn to deal with the awake small mammal!

@puppygalore

I hope the sleep is soon sorted for everyone! Nothing worse than disrupted nights. I completely covered Pup's crate last night and she made it to 6.45!!!! So that will be the plan from now on.

Just drove her 5 mins to a little park, she still cries every time she's in the car and then tries to fling herself out as soon as I open the crate door. The first time she flew out I wasn't ready and she jumped right into the floor. Our boot is really high up so I've been worried about her legs ever since! I'm hoping the car crying will settle down soon.

When we walk she is terrible for pulling, she'll literally choke herself to pull hard away from me. I've bought a harness but can't try it on as she just flings herself at it and either bites me or runs off with bits off it dangling around her. I'm hoping the 1-1 trainer will help me with this!

We spoke to our 1;1 trainer about this so this is what he advised, I hope it helps:

Have you tried a harness v collar and lead? It’s very laborious but every time they pull, stop and turn away. High value treats are needed here and also in the car.

Do you use a car harness? Treat and treat some more using sit and stay to avoid the jumping - not easy, I know, we haven’t made it yet but it’s improving

I agree, it wouldn’t have been my first thought. DH put a post on the kennel club fb page (where we found the breeder through) asking what was best to do and the owner of the fb page/ dog trainer advised to do it!

Luckily, he hasn’t needed to do it at all. Pup slept on and off in his crate (only being taken out for a poo at 2ish) but he stayed in there with the door shut and only needed a bit of shushing from DH.

@desperatehousewife21

Glad it went better last night for you!

Bunglepup did better yesterday too... slept from 10.30 til 4am, needed a wee then went back til 5.15... i went down and he just wanted a cuddle...

then DH took him for a walk, bunglepup comes bolting back in as the DD's have got up and goes skidding on his pigs ear and twists his foot.. he yelped for a while then we gave it a rub put him down and he seems to be walking on it ok, no limping or yelping etc so im guessing hes ok. DH is WFH today so ive asked him to look a him and make sure he is ok...

Between the dog and the kids no wonder i drink lol!

@desperatehousewife21 so glad last night was better! hopefully if you stick with it he'll start to settle. Got my fingers crossed for you!

@Bunglemom my dog sometimes twists his legs playing with other dogs and limps about feeling sorry for himself for a few minutes....he's always fine after, I'm sure yours will too x

I got to go to the pub last night and left DH putting the kids and dog to bed...it was glorious! I got a goodnight kiss from the puppy when I came home at 10 but I didn't have to try and manage his zoomies so total win. My turn tonight so I might be posting here grumpy and stressed later!

@Chocolateandamaretto

Ah thanks... ive just checked in with DH and he is ok, walking on it a bit tentative but no limping or yelping so im taking that as a good sign!

Thanks chocolateandamaretto DH is just so desperate to come back into our bed!

Thanks @GazingAndGrazing I've spoken to our trainer at our session this morning (before I read your post) and he completely disses harnesses even though I did buy one to try, funny how each expert has such a different method! He said something like learning to walk in a harness can be tricky for a non-pulling breed so he recommends them feeling the tension under the chin, rather than the harness letting her feel her own strength through the chest. So we spent the session practising lead walking just with her normal collar on and Pup actually did really well. Just went out for another little one the 2 of us and she was brilliant, pulled a bit when she forgot but nothing like previous walks. He just showed me how to kind of 'flick' the lead and add/remove tension while using my voice and it made a world of difference.

Then we met some little terriers and pup immediately had a sniff and rolled over, showing her belly and lying down. I'm very hopeful she's going to be a nice sociable dog without aggression just from the few interactions we've had with other dogs as she does seem to be submissive very quickly. I was worried she'd be leaping on all the other dogs but so far so good.

For the car thing, we need her to get used to being in the boot crate as the car seats are all usually full. So in case anyone else is struggling, the trainer advised using a step or stool to give Pup the mental space to choose to get up, and take her time stepping into the crate from the bumper rather than me lifting her up then wrestling her into it. I thought it was an interesting idea so I'll try that

@puppygalore you have a lab right? If she's not enthusiastically greeting every dog she meets then you're onto a massive winner!

Ours is a not at all aggressive but an extremely overenthusiastic greeter and we are having to work very hard to ensure he is learning that you don't just bimble up to every dog you don't know for a play. He particularly loves adult labradors who will often approach me or DH and try to help themselves to the treat bag I love labs, they are the best!

Great idea about the step into the car as well - chocpup doesn't really like being lifted into the car at all and the step gives them a bit of autonomy.

We overthink absolutely everything to do with this pup! We got paranoid we were allowing him to fall asleep on us too much and worried it would make him dependant on us to fall asleep, thus making his nighttime more disturbed so now we’re not letting him fall asleep/ even cuddle up to us. But now I’m like are we going to create some loner, antisocial dog who doesn’t like humans!? Gah! This is honestly harder than having kids

@desperatehousewife21

We overthink absolutely everything to do with this pup! We got paranoid we were allowing him to fall asleep on us too much and worried it would make him dependant on us to fall asleep, thus making his nighttime more disturbed so now we’re not letting him fall asleep/ even cuddle up to us. But now I’m like are we going to create some loner, antisocial dog who doesn’t like humans!? Gah! This is honestly harder than having kids

Oh, how much would I like to send you a great big hug!!

It’s so like children and I’ve sort of applied my chaotic, anxious thoughts to exactly that. You can’t hug, love, enjoy and make too many lovely memories Too many times or to much with a baby or a pup. Soon they will become teens and not smell as sweet as before, relax, enjoy and be consistent in your daily and evening routine. Set alarms, make schedules and enjoy watching them grow before they get to big and look after yourself and let your family look after you as you do them.

Anxiety is a very true part of taking on so much for me and I’m in no way doing the right thing so it’s nice to be here helping each other.

Ah @desperatehousewife21 I don't know the proper rules but I'd think if he wants a bit of a sleepy snuggle can it be that bad or mess things up? Would it maybe be helpful for him feeling that love and reassurance? Pup is not a cosy snuggler by any means, so not a problem I've researched much on. Here she occasionally has a moment resting her head on my feet when she's tired but mostly likes to take herself off to snooze.

Yes @Chocolateandamaretto Lab here, before choosing her I did read lots about how they tend to just leap on every passing man, woman, dog, car and try to be best friends or smush them, so I've been really pleased to see so far she's quite gentle meeting others e.g. sat nicely to watch a few prams and toddlers go by. Now just need her to stop trying to knock my own kids over in her excitement and I'll be 100% happy!

Hope bunglepup is ok now?
Riverpup went to doggy daycare for the morning on monday and loved it and was so tired when she got home that she was almost too tired to bite.
It's so hard to get it all right isnt it. Riverpup had another pee in the house tonight which I know it be be expected but still frustrating.
I think puppies are beautiful but such hard work. So hard to get it right and definitely anxiety inducing.
One minute we are getting the hang of one thing then something else is going wrong.
At the mo I am so ready for the biting to stop, I am so over being bitten all the time and also the toilet training to be complete.
Lead walking is fine for very short bursts but walks start off with her almost strangling herself in excitement and I dont know how to stop that. No matter what we practise in puppy class she gets it fir like 2 minutes then back to self strangling.
Also she really struggles to settle and again I have no idea on how to deal with that either. She is 14 weeks on friday which seems strange to say, but so much easier and more predictable that she was at 9 weeks. So much like having kids though

Mine loves snuggles. He is 17 weeks. He has been cuddled up to me all evening. Just took him out for last wee and he went into his bed by himself and settled. He has learnt if I take him outside at night I put him to bed after.

So as you can tell from the time sleep is looking far from on the agenda with my 13 week old puppy!

He isn’t crated (don’t really want to as i think I’ve missed the time to try that) he is in a pen in the kitchen...
routine is as follows:

Last meal at 5.30pm (still fed 3 times a day)
Took for a walk at 6 til 6.30
Sometimes sleeps for an hour after (not always sometimes gets the zoomies) Or continued play
8pm flakes out on the living room carpet, 10.30 took for last potty outside then bed

He will sometimes wake up at 2am already will have done a poo in the pen so took out and will do nothing in the garden but then like tonight just will not settle (we do no eye contact no interaction in the night) we try lying next to him, everytime he gets out of bed putting him back...
we’ve tried putting a ticking clock under his bed, a heat pad, cuddly toys in or out

We’ve tried letting him cry but that just ends up in howling which wakes everyone up in the house

I’m seriously at my wits end and I have no idea what the hell I can do or try next to just make him sleep!

Everyone i speak to who has puppies my dogs age they are sleeping thought.. does my dog hate me that much confused

So sorry to hear you are having such a tough time @Bunglemom. Can you get a nap today? You must be exhausted :-( big virtual hugs