Puppy Survival Thread - May

[Doje]

Starting May off! If someone could link I'd appreciate it....

“I actually no idea what loose lead waking is, is it just them walking next to you nicely but on the lead?”

Walking next to you, with the lead loose... instead of being at the end of it pulling away, like a kite as someone put earlier.

Mine is definitely a kite just now, lol

all the dogs on the street here had the vest @PugInTheHouse and seemed quite happy with it. Must be easier for them than the cone!

Thanks @familychallenge @HappyThursdays I definitely think he'll be happier with a vest than a cone, he'll happily wear a dressing gown after a shower

Thanks @tabulahrasa I think pugpup does a mixture, he has a great heel so often walks right next to me but is very excited when walking to somewhere he knows so walks really fast, not necessarily pulling but faster than a normal walking pace. Weirdly off lead he walks right next to me also.

Snooppup has been a nightmare teenager! All rugs removed in house, 3 toys binned in a week as they were shredded. He’s barking at everything, walking is a disaster, trying to chase cars and barking at random people and dogs. Also had an expensive out of hours vet trip to make him vomit the large bit of a plastic bag he ate on a walk. Wouldn’t give it up, even for sausage and DH nearly lost his hand trying 😬.

We’re going back to the start and trainer is coming to our house this week to go back to the beginning 🙄. Frustrating but has to be done 🤞

Oh no snoopdog that sounds so stressful. Hopefully the trainer will be able to help

@LadyCatStark it will totally depend on the puppy but I wouldn't be comfortable walking mine using her collar because she does pull (still, at 8 months) and she could do herself some damage. We're always on the harness. I think some people worry that the harness encourages them to pull but personally I feel like that just means the collar discourages them from pulling and so is borderline aversive.

@PugInTheHouse was it pre-op bloods and stuff? I paid for that too, I think it's worth doing as they'll have a baseline if any of their bloods go off in future. The surgical vest is really good too, especially if they're used to coats and dressing gowns. So much comfier than the cone. It's expensive but they're worth it. Also if your dog pulled you'd know all about loose lead walking Mine is just too excited to get places and I walk too slowly for her liking. She's getting strong too, I'm just glad we didn't get a lab.

Pugpup is home, they said he did well and will probably just be sleepy today. He is so tired he has gone in his bed in his pen and I even managed to go for a wee without him even being bothered. Usually he'd howl if I left him. He has a surgical vest, although he had a cone on when I first got there and he really didn't seem bothered. They have given us the cone just in case he wees on the vest. They said he can go on lead walks but guessing we will have to remove the vest for that otherwise he'll be weeing all over it!

@ashmts yes I have read the invoice and it was pre ops bloods and an extra intravenous something or other, plus the vest and some food that is suitable for after anaesthetic. He always wore a coat in the winter as he was so tiny when it was freezing so he should be ok. He only pulls to go towards dogs really but yes he's the same, he just has one speed which is as fast as possible. I think they are amazingly strong even when they are small.

The vet said he kept running away from them when they tried to give him the pre op, he was trying to get out the door. They were then worried as he was still really hectic and not calming down, then suddenly he just crashed.

Crashed as in sleepy not in a bad way haha!

@PugInTheHouse Aww bless him. You'll be glad that's over. I got a spare surgical suit off Amazon so we could wash one, wear one cos she did get a bit smelly. For toilet trips and even short walks I didn't bother taking it off, I just unpopped the bottom, rolled it up over her ribs and popped it to the other poppers if that makes sense. Saves a bit of hassle, especially for the bedtime toilet trip. He'll be tired today but mine was more or less back to normal by day 2.

Thanks @ashmts, thats a good idea now I know the size actually. I was on edge all day, it felt awful leaving him. I couldn't think about him being under anaesthetic.

@PugInTheHouse glad he is home safe, he looks very sweet in his vest! I think I will try that and have the cone as back up.

@SnoopDogisamenace you have my sympathy! No advice from me as am in same position, but something that my trainer suggested was even more important than the first round of training was reinforcing the behaviour. So when I was training him first time around when he learned something the inclination was to trust he had got it and give him a bit more freedom. Now because it's about reinforcing what is expected you have to repeat more to embed it. I'm finding this particularly true of recall - if we have a good day not to assume it's nailed now but to do more work with the long line next day because he knows what to do, it's about him testing the boundaries! And I have no rugs and he has no beds for the same reason as you have no rugs and no toys!

Snoopdog for chasing cars we are doing click as soon as you see/hear a car and treat as a distraction. Only 15 weeks here but could that help?

@familychallenge reinforcement definitely needed. We relaxed thinking we’d nailed training! It will get better 🤞. He’s currently trying to eat his bed 🙈.

@Turquoisesol this is a new problem we’re having. Maybe would have been better if we’d started what you’re doing earlier on!

Looking forward to trainer starting.

Sweet little pug in his vest! Hope he is doing okay and the extra money paid was worth it!

@familychallenge and @SnoopDogisamenace you have my sympathy regarding the teenagers. Definitely feels like one step forwards two steps back.

An update on the "guarding" issues. I'm waiting for a behaviourist to get back to me but in the meantime we have realised it's his release work "okay" that sets him off. I said "okay" to one of the children and he did the same thing - lunged and barked at me. So we've tested it a few times and sure ebkogh, every time we say "okay" he barks and lunges. So now I need to work out how to change his release word and I'm hoping that will sort the problem. He does it when we come in from a walk and tell him to wait while we take his lead off, then say "okay" to release him so we thought he was just being a stroppy teenager annoyed at us for making him wait but it seems to be the word. Very odd. Anyone else had anything like this or had to change a cue word?

@PugInTheHouse love him, hope he has a speedy recovery

Awww, big love to little PugPup! 😍

Awww you're both so brave @PugInTheHouse! Wishing him a speedy recovery

That’s interesting sparkle. We use okay as a release word too but I did read somewhere that it’s good to use a word that isn’t used in every day. Like “release” for instance because I expect it can be confusing for them

Thanks everyone. He is still very sleepy, he cried when I had to take the kids out (DH stayed with him) and got out of his bed when I got home but he hasn't actually left his pen. The cat is very confused as pugpup hardly looks up when he walks in and is used to being on high alert from being chased!

Aw I hope pugpup feels better quickly @PugInTheHouse!

We are now debating waking him to take him out for a wee then going up to bed. He looks so peaceful I dont really want to disturb him

@PugInTheHouse hope he has a swift recovery for you!

@Hightideattheseaside yes he pulls a bit, but is getting better at trotting next to me. I can do about 30 steps between treats at moment before he sits down in front of me waiting for it 🤣 it’s harder when lots of people about so we’re only practising it when quiet and I say “walking walking walking” which he seems to now recognise at cue for nice trotting for treats!

I don’t like clipping lead into collar because of his neck so have just used harness no problem. I can get him trotting nicely on the long line too when gathered in sometimes so he knows the difference. The harness does have a clip at the front underneath also but I’ve not used that yet! I’ve also got one of those leads that clips to both but have no clue how to use it or what is good for 🤣🤦‍♀️

@PugInTheHouse oh he's adorable. Hope he recovers quickly and there aren't too many wees on his little vest!