Puppy Survival Thread - January - February

[C4itl]

Continuing on the thread from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/4105422-Puppy-Survival-Thread-December?pg=28 before we hit the message limit

Ugh. Lead walking. Rapidly becoming my nemesis!
Books say to practise walking next to me without the lead at home which she can do for the distance across the kitchen but putting the lead on indoors gets her over excited and attempting a lead walk outside just means she pulls.

@Sparkle79 Plantpup has had a growl and snap on occasion - it is almost always if she is overtired and often in response to being picked up (still minimising her walking up/down the stairs) As the others have suggested the best approach I’ve found so far is if I know she’s overtired but needs carrying which triggers the growl and snap I give treats on the floor, scoop her up and carry on treating. Works a charm And very similar idea to swapping things with another toy/food.

@SaveMyGrass Plantpup is 12 and a half weeks now near enough sleeps through the night. She generally sleeps 9-5:30 and then until 7:30. And it’s getting better every week! The first two weeks or so were really hard but it definitely gets better.

@LondonPupMum how I’m training separation....badly? I haven’t left Plantpup alone in the house at all yet as I haven’t really had to, which is probably terrible. She will quite happily be in a different room to me now which is huge progress and will chill in her crate whilst awake for short periods provided she doesn’t need anything. But I’m not really sure where to start with the actual separation! So have kind of just avoided it

@Petalpup Having similar struggles with lead walking! I have found the only thing that sort of works with Plantpup is making sure I have lots of treats on me and every time she comes near to me / sits and looks at me etc she gets a treat and it has helped with the pulling a little as it seems like she is starting to understand that coming back = treats! As soon as there is something very exciting like another dog or person this goes out the window however...

@Petalpup the key to good lead walking for me was to get attention and focus on me on the walks. We did 'watch me' at home with eye contact - basically have a bowl of around 30 bits of treat and find 30 opportunities through the day when puppy makes eye contact and treat. Then with lead walking reward lots of eye contact and checking in rather than pulling and sniffing.

Puppypup also needs a bit of time to noodle about before I can get him to walk nicely. Some things I have read recommend a two point harness - so when the lead is clipped on the back it's 'do what you want' mode and when clipped on the front it's 'training on lead mode' but this doesn't really work for us .

Oh I miss wearing nice clothes! I wake up and think 'I'll put on something nice today' but then I look in my drawers and think what would I not mind if the pup snagged it a bit? And then settle on the same knackered hoody and (now and very much non-trendy) ripped jeans. I'm such a scruff bag all the time!

Can I join in please?

Picked PicpoulPup up today at 8 weeks 6 days and she’s been a joy so far, even after a 2.5 hour drive home.

I’d forgotten how much pups sleep! She’s fast asleep in her crate in the kitchen (I’m close but can’t see her, but checking on her every few mins and the Crate door is open). She has constantly just taken herself into the crate with absolutely no encouragement needed today when she’s needed to sleep.

She had a bit of runny poo in the garden after her dinner (and she’s on the food we were given by the breeder) but although outwardly she seems settled, I'm sure It must be hard being away from siblings and mum.

Fingers crossed for a settled night and lots more puppy cuddles tomorrow.

Here’s my puppy tax too (I’ve read the rules!)

Oh wow, @PicpoulDeMeNay, she is really gorgeous and it sounds like you are doing so well!

Can I also join? I have had nine-week and two day old Mediumpup for a week and am currently feeling a massive failure as a mum and as a dog owner. Pup is a collie and is super cute but I think I have let her get overtired and very bitey this evening especially, my 12-year-old seems scared of her and she barked at us tonight when she saw us cuddling. She has growled too but thanks for the tip @Plantlover23, it does seem when she is scooped up when she doesn’t want to be so will try the treat on the ground.

What do people think about giving a treat when she is biting a sleeve or laces? Am trying to substitute a toy but she seems reluctant but I think a treat could seem like rewarding bad behaviour.

We haven’t really managed with the crate, she just sleeps where she drops but I wonder if the sleep is not good quality as she wakes up a lot to check on us, the house is peaceful but of course there is household noise etc
at night she has a little pen but we only just started doing that after she was sleeping by us but trying to get into bed.

Have a Zoom call with a trainer on wed. Here’s pic.

@Mediumred she is absolutely gorgeous! Don’t feel a failure - it is so easy to let them get overtired. I found when she was 9 weeks it could literally be a difference of a minute and she would tip over into overtired and become all nippy and growly. Now she’s that little bit older it’s a lot easier to predict when she will be overtired and I can almost always pre-empt it now. Definitely don’t be hard on yourself!

I generally try to avoid swapping for a treat unless it’s something she really NEEDS to let go of, like chewing gum outside or a wire or something like that. Not sure if it is rewarding the bad behaviour really? I’m sure someone more knowledgable will be along who knows! I generally find with toys if I make it out like the most exciting toy in the whole world and play with it myself she eventually gets the idea and goes for the toy

Can i join too. Im have a 10 week old. Sleep and toileting fine but the biteyness is getting me down. I really need some hope and tips on this aspect. The ignoring seems to land me with a puppy hanging off my ankle

@Puppypuppypuppy yes know what you mean about the training. I'm home working/home schooling but as my husband is at work and work shifts it's defo more on me to do most things. I'm the one reading the books, watching the training videos and trying to put into practice on top of everything else. I'm frazzled by the end of the day.

I've got our pup into doggy camp one half day a week. It's helping him with his puppy manners and socialisation and just having that half day to crack on with work, just be with my daughter and not having to think about pups routine is a god send.

Hi all, just checking in. VanPup just over 5 months now and we've had some ups and downs but nothing too dramatic, mainly he's a delight. He really stryggled with teething in Jan (smaller breed) and lately 'crazy hour' has turned to scaredy hour with him barking at himself in the oven door (reflection), french doors and strangers on walks. Also balls have well and truly dropped, hello testosterone and leg cocking - the little red lipstick has made an appearance and humping cushions is ON! He's lovely though, really.

MildredPuppy teething is intense, on and off for the first year. You sort of have to find what works for your pup in terms of alleviating his/her teething discomfort & anxiety. We tried nylabones, kongs and frozen muslins, no good. Great success with yak sticks (esp when held by one of us for resistance), pig ears and dentastix. Also my son's discarded wellibobs and any cardboard or milk containers in the recycling. Ans the odd frozen chip!

Well Archerpup is doing well although it seems like a lifetime since she arrived on Thursday. Day 6 today! She's slept through now for three nights and we've had few accidents indoors. She's beginning to get a bit giddy sometimes and yesterday we had to put her in time out for five mins to calm down. However, she's been itchy since her arrival by courier and yesterday the vet found a flea! I'm itchy too! Deffo reacting to being bitten - I have a very reactive system. Because of the whole collie thing, she's got to have a particular brand of flea treatment so need to pick that up later today so will be spending the day washing everything and hoping my machine doesn't die as it's making a funny noise.

Glad to hear others are having similar lead walking issues - doboopup has been a nightmare so far! We thought the snow wasn’t helping but it’s gone and things are still rubbish. Gah.

For those new to biting - we are three weeks in and I find offering a toy in first instance, but if that doesn’t work - does she need a poo? Or is she tired? We do timeouts where we go in the kitchen behind a baby gate too. We have to enforce pretty much all naps here - the crate is a lifesaver!

Oh, and ice cubes provide great fun for them

Good morning everyone!

I hope you don’t mind me popping back, sorry for dropping out so abruptly. We’ve had an incredibly difficult few weeks, GeorgiePup began having seizures and after a referral to a specialist he has been diagnosed with epilepsy.

He’s on medication and we’re just taking it one day at a time. He’s still a complete delight (most of the time- he’s also 20 weeks and still a bit bitey when he’s tired and overexcited to play with DH) but sleeping is great, housetrained, and though we can’t leave him alone in the house, he is unfazed by being left alone downstairs. His lead walking isn’t great but we haven’t done a lot of training with that, other things on our plate etc

Hope you’re doing well! I’ve had a quick scan though since I last left and just wanted to thank everyone who sent well wishes. It’s been horrible but hopefully we can begin to adjust

@Georgie, it's great to hear from you! Glad to hear GeorgiePup is doing ok.

Good news about Georgiepup, hope the medication continues to do the trick

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat hope the medication helps you guys out! Poor pup

Londonpup was being a pain in the ass yesterday but this morning is being good as gold. Sometimes I think he just senses that we’re being stressed and reacts.

So pleased to hear Georgiepup is doing ok. Hope the medication carries on doing its job.

I'm also pleased to hear the positive news re Georgiepup - I was thinking about him earlier today

That’s great news @GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat!

Thanks for all the bitey tips. I tried an ice cube this morning, which she liked, and will look into your other suggestions @VanellopeVonSchweetz99.

I just find that none of her toys are as much fun as my shoes, shirt or even arm and it worries me that when tired there does seem an element of aggression to it. I know they said you shouldn’t use the crate as a punishment (well, for us its her pen) but when the naughty/tired behaviour combines and you pop them in there then I guess it does feel like that. She’s conked out now despite sleeping really well in the evening/night time. I think we were just letting her sleep where she lay during the day but it was poor quality sleep as she was always waking up to check on us. The pen is in the office/spare room so DP is there tapping away now but I think if he tried to move it would wake her again. I’ve been sleeping in there at night with her but I got up to use the loo at 6.30 and then she got up, I thought that was the day started for her but within 30 mins she was so aggressive/bitey that I popped her back in and went back to bed myself but when DP came down at 8 that woke her again. He’s looked after all morning and said she was really bitey, he just sent DD to her own room as pup was being so unreasonable.

Ugh, let’s hope for a better day from now on!

@Mediumred the early days are really tough with the biting. I found that me and the pup were living separate lives to my two kids as they couldn't be I the same room. DPup got better around 4 weeks ago so at around 12 weeks, and the kids really enjoy playing with him now (with only the odd bite 🙄).

The best thing I found was to get up and move every time he made contact with your body. Just a small move that says to him 'nope, I dont play that way'. We also have a baby gate across the kitchen door so used to step over that if it got too much.

Also, I read on this thread that they bite when they want to play so you have to teach them that you don't play without a toy. We taught him 'find a toy' and as soon as he comes towards us we say 'find a toy' and off he trots to get a toy and he comes back over with it in his mouth for a game of tug.

@Mediumred ice cubes are great although did mistake a melted patch for yet more wee! Also using an old sock with treats in it ..not sure if this will cause us problems in the future.

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat, good hear things are looking up.

@Mediumred I know exactly where you're coming from re the aggression as I feel the same with SparklePup and also see where everyone is coming from with regards to the crate not being used as a punishment, but when he's gone over to the dark side it's the only thing that works. We used to just put him in a play pen but then he would just be naughty in there and not sleep. He tends to be quite clockwork with his sleeps now so first time he bites I just walk towards his crate calling his name cheerily and then put a little handful of his kibble in and then shut him in and he goes to sleep. Hopefully that's neither rewarding him for the bad behaviour or using the crate as punishment! So hard to know what to do.