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

@Spudlet 5.50 is very good we were stuck at 5-5.30 for weeks, am pleased to say it's now 6.15-6.30 which I'm fine with as that's what time we all start getting up anyway!

@puginamug (such amazing colouring) and @Spudlet such gorgeous photos! Spudlet I would give a hundred games of tuggy for a 30 min cuddle with my lab. But he prefers a bit of play instead. Enjoy every moment of their smooshy side!

@LadyCatStark it took me days to realise the sleep woofing, running and suckling was normal.

@GuyFawkesDay Hamish is a lovely name! It is also one I haven't heard recently. If you have to shout it out in a park one day, you probably want one that is unique enough not to draw random pups (if ours even responds at all )

Maybe its me being fed up of reading every chew as 3 month plus but I can't wait until morningpup can have something like a pizzle. Albeit I haven't smelt one yet, so I may regret this in the short term!

@Aria20 did you do the alarm technique to make your pup sleep later? Currently facing a 5.50am but would love a 6.30am.....

Spudlt I'm he's gorgeous

@MorningInspiration we started using white noise which helped drown out other noises that must have been disturbing her, so now she sleeps until 6.30 when she hears us start getting up and coming down... 6.15 if she's desperate for a wee lol

I’m going to be that person squashed flat under a gigantic ‘lapdog’, aren’t I… me too! Mines a lab too, 15 weeks now. I was up at 2:30, 4:30 and then 6:30.

The middle of the night ones were me waking up and him taking advantage of hearing someone moving around to go for a wee. We had a hedgehog in our garden last night so he was extremely interested in the new smells (I managed to keep him away from the hog while also feeding said hog as we'd like to encourage it back)

6am is my aim initially, that's when we're feeding breakfast whilst still feeding four times a day.

We're still feeding 4 times a day, but should be moving to 3 meals a day soon. I'm not quite sure which meal to cut out and how to go about it. He knows when it's food time and lets us know, so I'm not sure how he'll cope with that changing (he'll be fine, of course).

We left him home alone for the first time on Wednesday. I was worried about it, as he needed to be alone for about 45 minutes between me leaving and dh coming home. He was absolutely fine apparently, still intent on his pizzle when dh arrived home.

Our pup has had to fit in with our lives, so has had to be left in his crate every now and then for 30 mins or an hour

(We live in the sticks, and sometimes I need to drop the kids off somewhere)

He seems to accept that, have asked the neighbours (semi with thin walls) and they have not heard him cry. He’s usually just lying there or asleep when I come back

He also is fine left overnight in his crate from 10-6:30, he has a real chilled out vibe between the moments of madness

@Aria20 perfect - another item in my amazon basket ;) My partner says if I spend any more on the pup I am having an intervention

@ChubbyLittleManInACampervan sounds like the dream sleeper!

@MsAwesomeDragon the magic of the pizzle! Leaving pup at home for the first time anxiety is real. Glad it went well

@Spudlet yup! At 17 weeks, Billy still loves to sit in my lap but only one legs still fits on 😂

@MorningInspiration we use sleep music rather than white noise but it works and Billy now sleeps until we get up, which is awesome!

@MorningInspiration yes I also got eye rolled by DH for spending so much money on the pup buying it toys and snuffle mats, puzzle feeders etc he was like why does it need all this stuff?! What's wrong with a tennis ball and a stick and feeding it in a bowl the latest one was the dog dressing gown from Amazon he was like wtf?! But even he had to agree how soft and fluffy she was and less hassle than trying to dry her!

I have a Hamish

I loved Humphrey for a boy but DP wasn't having it. We ended up with a girl in the end anyway. It's so hard choosing their names, I'm so happy with what we went for in the end though.

On my list for boys - Monty, Louie, Hugo, Teddy, Merlin, Barney and Theo
Girls - Heidi, Ivy, Hattie, Cassie, Posy, Margot, Tilly, Bramble, Laika and Tessa

Love all the new cockers on the thread.

Just wanted to highlight that pizzle sticks maybe aren't the best chew for leaving the pups, I'd always supervise a chew like that as if it breaks it's a potential choking hazard. I only leave pup with a Kong.

@LadyCatStark I think I underestimated the power of white noise and sleep music. Now time to find something I can also enjoy

@Aria20 have the mantra would you rather he chew the sofa or this (though he still chews part of the sofa when I am not looking). Ahh a fluffy dressing gown... will add that too and pretend its for me and arrived to small haha

@ashmts monty's cute! Shame about the pizzle as I was using that as a saving grace. Will rethink

@MorningInspiration yes exactly my point about chewing the right stuff although touch wood pup hasn't chewed anything destructively. Our issue is barking.... The snuffle mat and puzzle feeders are intended to keep pup quiet with her food while we have dinner.... that's still a work in progress if what we have smells better than hers she still barks!!

Pretending to be innocent - she'd eaten the egg shells I'd used as slug repellant for the dahlia earlier in the week and she was back checking if they'd been replenished!

Talking of buying too much for your puppy, I just ordered a doggy paddling pool for Billy as he’s too hot today!

Elmpup is 8 weeks old and a goldendoodle. We picked her up this afternoon, so I'm avidly reading the tips here!

@LadyCatStark

Talking of buying too much for your puppy, I just ordered a doggy paddling pool for Billy as he’s too hot today!

I'm ahead of you here. We've had a doggy paddling pool and a cool mat for a few weeks. I've also been told off for spending too much on the pup. I've started him on raw food as well, and dh has no idea why I would want to feed him anything other than kibble and table scraps. It's a good job I'm the one who does the shopping so dh doesn't have to know how much it costs.

@Elmrosie so cute and fluffy!

I have had a cool mat for a while but first day she used it she pierced it so one part of it no longer cools! She never lays on it anyway lol

So many cute pups!

My little pup had her first visitors today and was an absolute dream; happily getting fusses off them without being too hyper. Made me think I really should chill out and just enjoy her more.

I think the heat has made her a lot more relaxed today because she’s too hot to run around like mad so it’s been a really nice day. She’s currently chilling (literally) on her cool mat. Had to get one for the cat too and he’s enjoying his as well

AwesomePup loves his cooling mat, is his favorite place - other than a human lap of course.

This is he. I think he looks like a Hamish.