Puppy Survival Thread - March - April

[PugInTheHouse]

Just starting a new thread before we run out on www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/4141698-Puppy-Survival-Thread-January-February

Welcome to everyone trying to survive the puppy days!

Thanks all, sounds like we're still in the realms of normal biting. I think he is tired as it's after his nap and before he crashes for the night.

once his back teeth were through, so probably 6/6.5 months, the chewing/biting got a lot better but he was never really a biter, more of a mouther and chewer but huge improvement once all teeth were through. We always enforced naps though and I think that made a huge difference.

I had genuinely forgotten how trying adolescence is though. We are at 7.5 months and he has the most amazing nature and I'm very grateful for that. But he is still totally over excitable outside of the house on his walks, particularly the first walk of the day and he is so strong willed. He knows exactly what you want him to do but if he doesn't want to do it, he absolutely won't do it (no matter what the treat is!). I wasn't going to do proper gun dog training with him as I felt it was a bit too regimented for his character but I'm now seriously reconsidering it!

Any ideas about how to encourage her to wee when out and about?
Touch wood she hasn’t had an accident in the house for about a week now and has started to wee occasionally on the usual field but if we take her anywhere new she won’t wee (will poo) and then sometimes ends up having an accident in the car on the way home!
We haven’t used puppy pads at all but wondered if it was worth investing in a few to encourage her to have a wee next to the car before she gets in or do they not work like that?!

First 10 metre lead meeting with another dog today! It was a bit chaotic as I was picking up poo and then got tangled in the lead and then pup tangled the other owner up too. It was good other than that though! The other dog was older and not really up for playing but he got to say hello and see her response.

Well done rabbit!
We had a really good walk today too (until she weed in the car!)
Went with my friend and her older lab and she was very sensible just trotting along with the lab and not annoying her.
Then there was a group of offlead dogs a bit of a distance away and she came back to me and we waited while the group dispersed a bit.
The owners said it would be ok to play so let her go for a sniff hello and then she came straight back to me and carried on sensibly!
Couldn’t have asked for more really (except a wee)

I've got an issue in that since this lockdown and the kids were off the puppies will walk as a pair but not on their own any more. They're great together or all 3 dogs but when I crate one and try to take the other they both cry and I cant get them out the gate, even with high value treats. I'm hoping that as I keep trying they'll gradually just do it.

@Petalpup wow that sounds like petalpup was brilliant! Ours is still far from calm when out.

I think having the older dog there was a really good influence! And nice to be with me friend for a not of confidence/ normality too

We've been out for a couple of off-lead walks with older dogs. DPup just follows them around so it's great for his, and my, confidence.

So... today I bought some of the more high value chews for DPup - pizzles, cow ears and a lambs gullet. I can't remember who it was, but I went with a recommendation from here for a company called Dragonfly.

DPup is currently chewing through a pizzle stick. Do your pups chew and then put down, or will he just keep going until it's finished? (It's currently looking like the latter!)

I've had a bad few days with Puppypup who has a really bad stomach and is now on antibiotics. He's waking early and pooing everywhere poor thing. Plus he doesn't want to go in his crate any more and I don't know what to do about that either - he was only using it at night. So far I have been able to just put him in there and he has protested for a couple of minutes and then settled. But I feel it's a matter of time before he realises that he could make it harder by whining/ barking/ scrabbling etc......

@Doje my small dog returns to them - no way he would get through one in a sitting

@Petalpup I think they get distracted if too much going on on walks so if you're able to have some 'quiet' time just doing a sniff and a loiter then that worked for my pup initially. Now he's marking everything when we're out so he runs out of liquid!

Urgh....

I got arm chewing and leg humping today, because I made the mistake of trying to tire him out before I had a work zoom meeting to do and instead got overtired and crazy.

I suppose at least it’s fairly normal puppy behaviour instead of reactive rescue behaviour...

@Puppypuppypuppy so sorry to hear about the tummy troubles, do they know what it is? We also had the same issue with the crate, also only used at night by GeorgiePup and to be honest he was an early riser anyway so we ditched it altogether. I spent a few nights on the sofa just checking what he would do/ where he would sleep and apart from changing position a couple times, he slept the whole night through. He actually sleeps in later now! He has the run of the lounge and the kitchen which is the same as during the day.

Plantpup has lost a grand total of 6 teeth today! I keep finding teeth everywhere. I had no idea it was going to be this quick!

@Plantlover23. how old is Plantpup?

Six teeth in one day, @Plantlover23? That is NOT how I thought this would work

@Brazilianut 17 weeks today These are her first teeth!

@morethanacondiment I’m not sure she’s quite normal...but no me neither!! I’ve only found 3 but I can see the all the little gaps! All her front bottom teeth have just vanished

@Brazilianut first teeth to lose, I mean!

The teething does seem to be rapid! Petal’s lost at least 4 or 5 in the last week and they were replaced within a couple of days!

@Doje be careful with the pizzles, Doboopup has swallowed the final couple of inches of them whole a couple of times. She’s been totally fine with it but was a worry the first time. We are using up the last of our supply (under supervision) then no more - they stink anyway 😂

Hope Puppypup is ok.

When do the pups start sleeping less? Doboopup is 16 weeks and usually only up for an hour at a time, but can actually handle longer much better than she used to - just wondering if we are keeping her up too long!

@Doboopedoo Dpup is 19 weeks and sleeping less now. Quite rapidly one hour awake time stretched to 90 minutes and then two hours. Now it's more like he can manage 3 hours or so if needed, but he's also more likely to chill out and watch stuff inbetween doing things.

God this dog is going to be the death of me! How do you all cope with the stresses? I’m an anxious person anyway and thought a dog would be calming and open up a real soothing part to my soul.... absolute rubbish. I’ve never been so on edge! 🤢

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat

God this dog is going to be the death of me! How do you all cope with the stresses? I’m an anxious person anyway and thought a dog would be calming and open up a real soothing part to my soul.... absolute rubbish. I’ve never been so on edge! 🤢

I’m thinking of taking up drinking tbh... lol

It’s got to be more fun than sitting in a corner just going, I know he’ll get easier, I know he’ll get easier...