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

[Petalpup]

Petal is on eukanuba too and seems fine on it but I don’t think she really loves it.
Old dog was on Burgess supadog and was always fine on that too.
There seems to be so much fuss and angst over food nowadays. That’s one thing I’m trying not overthink!
Vets this morning for second vaccinations and she cried all the way there and back in the car 🤦‍♀️ I really need to sort this as in normal times we do quite a few long journeys.

[Plantlover23]

@Petalpup sounds like they feel similarly about Eukanuba! She often leaves some of it when it’s in her bowl but is was more enthusiastic if it’s part of training and I treat the kibbles like treats
I’m considering Pooch and Mutt or Lily’s Kitchen as the ingredients seem really good but not heard any actual experiences from anyone

[Petalpup]

Yes very similar! When she had fish and rice for an upset stomach she wolfed it down but old dog was similar and I never really worried about it-I put down food. If he ate it, he ate it. If he didn’t I saved it for later. He got some leftovers and treats occasionally. Lived a very healthy 14 years so I’m hoping a similar relaxed approach will work with petal!

[PoleToPole]

Placemarking, thanks for the new thread @C4itl

I agree with all the fuss about dog food, its turned into the new thing to be able to be snobby about/virtue signal about here.

As Ive mentioned on other threads (its my soapbox issue <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Blush" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/assets/images/mumsnet-emojis/base/blush.png">) so many people use dog food comparison websites, and yet the methodology they use to rate the foods is extremely flawed. <br /> This article, written by three vets who are also university Professors of Veterinary Medicine and board certified Veterinary Nutritionists explains why, if anyone is interested:<br /> <br /> <a class="break-all" href="https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2016/06/why-you-shouldnt-judge-a-pet-food-by-its-ingredient-list/" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2016/06/why-you-shouldnt-judge-a-pet-food-by-its-ingredient-list/</a><br /> <br /> Grain free dog food seems to be another trend lately, however the FDA opened an investigation in 2019 into grain free dog foods, as there is concern that they either cause, or greatly increase the risk of heart disease (canine dilated cardiomyopathy) in dogs. And for the FDA to bother doing something, let alone open an investigation is quite a feat!<br /> <br /> Many of the "trendy" dog food companies have been in a lot of trouble lately for falsifying ingredients lists, and lost have lost lawsuits here over the matter.<br /> <br /> PoleDog is fed Pedigree Chum, its the only food he will actually eat, as opposed to pick at and not finish if there is something even fractionally more interesting going on, like paint drying on a wall somewhere within a hundred mile radius.<br /> PolePup gets Purina Puppy food as it contains 100% of his RDA of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, and again, he will actually eat it, if begrudgingly. PolePup also subscribes to the not interested in food mentality, even more so than PoleDog.<br /> <br /> With my fosters I fed everything under the sun from raw, to homemade (such a nightmare), grain free (as it was the only thing that particular dog could tolerate) and everything in between, and at the end of the day the food that you dog will eat, which your vet feels keeps them healthy, and that you can afford is always going to be best. <br /> <br /> Through fostering I saw a lot of people who would have their dog on the snazziest, trendiest ultra expensive dog food, but then couldnt afford insurance, or even a proper worm and flea schedule, or God forbid vet treatment when something awful happened.

[Frenchfancy]

Frenchpup is on Affinity Ultima (no idea if it is available in the UK). It seems to strike the right balance between having all the necessary goodness whilst not being too expensive. And she likes it.

Another thing we took into account is that I would rather not buy dog food from one of the very big corporations. The main big players here are Royal Canin, which is owned by Mars and Hills which is owned by Colgate-Palmolive. Affinity is a Spanish pet food company. They make pet food not chocolate and toothpaste.

I do think that there is a lot of fuss made about nutrition these days. DDog was fed on all sorts of supermarket own jbrand canned food mixed in with which ever biscuits were on offer. She also got a lot of leftovers. She lived a good 14 years never having any digestion issues.

[C4itl]

We currently feed C4pup the step up range from Pets at Home, but his poos are quite soft so I’ve just signed up for a trail of the butternut boxes, it arrives on Monday so I’ll see how that goes...

I have a discount code if anyone else is interested in trying? Let me know

[Plantlover23]

Yes please @C4itl if you wouldn’t mind! I am curious about the more fresh food approaches to it all.

[C4itl]

@Plantlover23 here you go ☺️

To find out more and get 50% off your first box and 25% off your second box go to: //www.butternutbox.com/Caitlin73

[Plantlover23]

@C4itl thank you so much

[incinemasnow]

Just wondering where your dogs go in the car. Our lab is 20 weeks & hates the front & back seats & won't jump in the car on his own. I'm wondering if it would be easier if he was in the boot. It just seems such a long way away to reassure when he gets stressed

[CarolEffingBaskin]

Hi all, glad to see the pups are all still doing well!

Have a question for you: BaskinPup has learnt to accept her harness now (just about) but the lead is a bit more of an issue. She’s happy to wander around with it attached for a short period, but the second I try to hold it, she does nothing but try to eat it Any advice for distracting her or getting her used to walking properly with it? Not even worried about pulling just yet because she needs to walk before she can pull and she just throws herself around on the ground trying to get to it constantly

Thanks!

[Petalpup]

@CarolEffingBaskin have you actually taken her out on a walk on it? If not I’d hope she’d be more distracted and interested in the outside world that the lead? If so-sorry! No idea! Maybe try a different lead that she doesn’t associate with chewing?
We’ve got a week to go before we can take petal for walks so will practise with the harness this week.

[Literaryseed]

Thank you everyone for your responses re food.

@CarolEffingBaskin we find literarypup is a nightmare in the house and garden for chewing the lead but we won't put it on until he sits nicely. We're lucky to have a long, shared driveway that no other dogs use so we've been doing practice walks down there and find he's so distracted outside he doesn't bother with his lead.

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

GeorgiePup is eating Sainsbury’s own brand puppy pate at the moment, we have tried quite a few including some very expensive ones and he always ends up with runny poos. The Sainsbury’s one seems just right for him at the moment.

[LDpuppy]

Hi, just wondering if you could give some advice re first crate for our new boxer pup who arrives with us in 2 weeks. So we've already got a 42inch crate with a divider ,which is grand for downstairs, but won't fit i our bedroom for the first few weeks/months. She's a big pup, would 36 inch fit for now?? Thanks.

[QueenOfToast]

Hello Everyone! Joining this thread as I'll be collecting my terrier puppy Ziggy on 13 February. Look forward to getting to know you and your puppies 🐶

[grannycake]

@QueenOfToast Ziggy is beautiful. I have a Border Terrier who is now 7 months old and she is adorable and very eager to please

[DustyasaFieldinSpring]

Hi everyone, I posted a couple of days ago but I guess it got lost.

I'd love to share the puppy journey with you all.

DustyPup is a lab and is 15 weeks now. Just started a training class. Tricky via zoom but hey ho.

We've got snow here today and she wasn't phased at all by it.

I'm feeding Carnilove which is great. Moved her off the Step Up stuff very quickly as it made her very loose.

[Plantlover23]

These pups are all absolutely lovely 💞

Has anyone had any growling type problems with their puppies? It is generally if she is doing something she shouldn’t (chewing something she shouldn’t, or trying to bite my clothes/hair), and if I go to stop her by putting another toy in her mouth or picking her up she has started to growl at me today. No biting or looking like she is going to really but definitely quite a distinctive growl.

[Petalpup]

Yes petal has been a bit growly-mainly when picked up. I’ve taken it as a reminder that she’s a dog and not a cuddly toy! I was a bit worried thinking that old dog hardly ever growled until I remembered that I wouldn’t have dreamt of swooping him up when he was half asleep!
WRT taking things off her we’re trying not to let the situation arise but if it does to have a really good treat or toy to swap it for. So so far no growling there yet.
Today’s issue is her trying to dig or chew her way past the temporary fencing we’ve put up to keep her off the flowerbeds and confined to a smallish section of the garden. She goes at it like a demon!

[Plantlover23]

@Petalpup very true about the dog not a toy! I’m trying to teach her to walk up and down the stairs (I live in a coach house so it’s the only way to the door!) so I don’t have to carry her anymore. At the moment it’s the only way, but I can’t wait until it’s not. It just seems to be her lead she gets like it with. Her toys she drops and gives back or my clothes she will generally let go if swapping to something she prefers. It’s literally just the lead. Not sure if she gets bored of being outside when she doesn’t need to go to the toilet so does it to entertain herself possibly. If I didn’t need to put it on her I wouldn’t but my garden is out front and she could quite easily wriggle out!

[Doboopedoo]

Joining with Doboopup! This is harder than I thought but check how cute she is.
What are your general awake/asleep times for pups at 8 weeks? It’s 1030 and I think she’s still napping.....I think? It’s only day 2 and timings worked much better yesterday!

[C4itl]

@Doboopedoo C4pup is 18 weeks today and our days pretty much go like this

4AM - wake up pup and out for toilet
7AM - same again
8-8:30 AM - pup wakes up ready for breakfast
8:30 - 9:30 - pup potters about or sits on my knee with a toy and usually falls asleep, he sleeps till around 11
11-12 - play time
12 - lunch
1-2:30 - pup usually has a nap around this time
2:30-3:30 - walk, he will only walk for around 25 minutes at the moment but it seems to tire him out, but he’s a dachshund so a lot smaller than yours!
3:30 - 4:30 - another nap
4:30 - dinner time and some play
5:30-7 - nap
7-8 - another play before an enforced nap (he tends to get quite bitey and a bit crazy around this time if not)
10 - out for a final time for toilet and into his bed in the kitchen

Sorry for the long post! Hopefully this gives you an idea

[Frenchfancy]

But don't forget that there is a big difference between 8 weeks and 18 weeks. At 8 weeks they sleep a lot (except of course when you want to sleep)

[Maybenexttime08]

Can I join? 9 week old pup - Marley. Sleep going well for the first week - first night he was up 3 times, then slept through on night 2, 3, and 4, but now back to being up 3 times.

He is in a crate at the end of the bed. I keep reading that you shouldn't go to them when they cry, but that is how they let you know they need you for a wee? Am I encouraging the crying by going to him?