Puppy Survival Thread - June/July

[MrsHerculePoirot]

Discussion of all things puppy...

Old thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/4234193-puppy-survival-thread-may?msgid=108567452

I've had such a lot of support and reassurance from this thread it's been brilliant! We all go through it- I think most of us have had regrets after some difficult moments so I've found it very helpful to have a place to talk through it! And there are still bad days, or bad behaviours, but the ratio improves, and you get to know them, and know when they are genuinely distressed versus being a bit of a sod!

I've definitely tended to the positive side- I've had lots of 'show him who's boss' advice but I just wanted him to feel secure in the early days and then to build the bond. Recall and destructiveness are still my biggest challenges but it's improving and I know he trusts and loves me so we will get there (I hope!). But when he cuddles up to go to sleep it's all worth it. Even when he is farting abominably as he is at the moment because I gave him some salami as a recall treat 🤣🤣🤮🐶

@Jloco that is one cute pup!!!

We've had Choc2 for a week now and she's honestly a dream

I’d echo the positive re-enforcement does work just have to keep it going even when they are being sods in those first 6mths. I struggled at dinner time with pup jumping up and harassing me as I was trying to prep tea when she was 4-6mths old. I got really fed up & stressed with it, but now I have to remind myself how far we’ve come as she nice and quietly sitting stealthy literally right behind me just waiting patiently in case I drop anything but equally she’s learnt if she leaves me alone 9/10 times I’ll give her a small reward just chopped up veg etc. Or bit of ham depending on what I’m cooking’s she gets reward for being good.
A friend has a got a pup same age but her DH didn’t really believe in the positive reward style and they have had endless behaviour issues and finally he’s gone ‘oh maybe we should do more positive stuff!’ It’s not easy but life does get easier with them eventually!

@Biking0077 fully agree- I think remembering that when they are being sods too that they are still quite little helps! And quite often don't understand what you want, so shouting at them just upsets them but doesn't help them understand what you want them to do, it just scares them and hurts your bond. But again as you get to know them you learn better. So my boy doesn't have separation anxiety- he doesn't like being left alone, he has major FOMO, but he will settle if I leave him for a short while (I have cameras to check!). So I do leave him, because he has to learn, even though he doesn't really like it, but that's different to him being distressed by it. And I feel happy doing that because I know him and I can see when he's upset versus when he would just prefer to come too. So the positive relationship helps me now to train him to do things he doesn't totally want to do.

@MorningInspiration we never got Billy up in the night since the second night we had him We do get him up for his last wee at 11 and then he sleeps til we get up. At fist though he was getting up at 5am 🙈 I think it was because the crows woke him up with the sunrise and once he got used to them he started to sleep later and later. He’s 16 weeks now, it does get better really quickly!

@MorningInspiration forgot to add he’s never had a toilet accident in his crate.

I was reading posts about toilet accidents, and missed AwesomePup's cues to go out, so he had an accident right at the bank door 🤦 That's definitely my fault rather than his (although tbf to me, dh had been in charge for several hours while I was out, and I'd just come home so didn't know when he'd last been out). The only accidents he's had in about 3 weeks have been our (dh's) fault for not watching properly.

Verdict on the dressing gown. Wrestling an octopus in crack amplified to the power of 10, bloody hell.

@Wolfcub he looks so pissed off 😂

@Wolfcub yes mine had the same face but she fell asleep with it on and was so soft after!

Was it worth it for a dry dog wolfcub? Will you use again?

Turquoise I will try and use it again. Whether he lets me or not without shredding my fingers I don't know.
He is currently asleep in it having failed to escape it so maybe he will learn to love it

Just spotted Billy has lost his first tooth today 🥰.

@LadyCatStark pup has lost 5 now loads of gaps lol starting to wonder how she's going to eat kibble!! Did Billy bleed? A couple of pups bled a fair bit on rope toys she was chewing at the time!

We seem to be doing lots of wees indoors today. This is not normal. I'm not getting signals. Could the weather be putting him off going outside

@Aria20 no not at all. I noticed a few days ago that his teeth look too small for his mouth now so I’ve been checking for gaps and he had his first one this morning. He did have a very ‘boisterous’ play with our friends’ dogs last night so it may have come out then!

Hmm I wonder if I should be worried then?!

We had a lot of blood on turquoisepups chews when teething. And when she has her mouth open panting I can see blood where the new teeth are coming through the gums

And we have never found any teeth lying about. Not sure if she just swallows them

@Turquoisesol ah phew. Lol the first one pup lost she did a cough like she was choking and then spat out this small white thing and I realised it was a tooth!

@Aria20 I don’t think so, it is normal for teeth to bleed when they come out. Billy’s was only one of the tiny front teeth and I can already see the new one coming out of his gum so I guess the more ‘ready’ it is, the less blood, just like children’s teeth.

We’ve found two teeth this week after a day of blood on various toys and chews!

@Wolfcub maybe ring vets if unsure just in case some infection/uti? Or go back to the taking out every half an hour, if nothing come back in but keep paws off the floor and rinse and repeat? Make sure to clean with the special cleaner that removes the smell so they don’t keep going in same place?

Hello All,
Newbie here hoping for some advice.We’ve just reserved a male WCS puppy that will be ready for collection mid-August. We’re visiting it this weekend and I was wondering whether there is anything that you would recommend we ask the breeder or look out for when we’re there?
We’re as comfortable as we can be that they’re reputable but want to make the transition as smooth as possible for the little chap.

Hello All, please ignore the above message - I’ve started a new thread and will ask admins to delete. I have a feeling I’ll be reading this thread, however, quite a lot over the next few weeks.