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

@MsAwesomeDragon I have put in a stair gate so he can't go upstairs when I am out too. I used a basic stair gate before and he scratched the carpet on the bottom stair. Now I have a pen thing placed around the steps so he can't get at them and he hasn't really tried to get through it, so I'm sure it's part physical block and apart knowledge that he isn't allowed up there alone!

What activities have you done with him over the course of the day?

So we've done play- I have some new scent bags and am trying to teach him to find them- mixed success! Quite a bit of tug. Gave him nearly all his food in toys rather than the bowl. Bits of training- reinforcing sits down and stay, and teaching him to spin 😀😀 but he usually has 2 good walks a day and with less brain stuff

He loves other dogs- one of his litter mates is nearby with close family so we get them together quite a bit, and he has a lot of good playmates in our local park and goes to daycare when I have to go to office so it's not just walks, it's dog play he isn't getting at all. I guess he loves it but it fires him up too, and it's nice to see he can be happy and chill just with me 😀😀

Place marking for 3 weeks time 🐶

We were going to not let PoirotPup on the sofas but we kept finding him asleep on them so have now just covered them. As someone said to me you have to pick your battles with puppies and them sleeping contentedly on a sofa probably isn’t one of them 🤣

@LadyCatStark sorry about your lead snapping - I’ve heard lots of dangers of that happening with retractable leads so we’ve stuck with the short one for pavement walking and the long line for non pavement!

Hello can I join? We brought little Dougie home on Friday, he's 8 weeks. A cockerpoo. I'm exhausted haha. But last night was a better sleep, awake at 1 and 4, but thought it was playtime at 4!

His poos are still runny so that's a concern but hoping it's just the new food as the breeders had him on pedigree chum.

I feel a bit naive as we asked all the right questions but when we got him home I noticed his vaccination certificate wasn't filled out properly so rang them to find out the crack and they thought he was I'm ringing our own vets today to hopefully get him sorted!

@juneybean He's gorgeous

He's gorgeous @juneybean. It's a good idea to get him checked over by your own vet anyway tbh. Ours hadn't had his first vaccinations when he came to us, but at least our breeders had been upfront and said they don't do any vaccinations before they leave, because they've had pups go all over the country in previous litters and they've had different vaccines. The vet wasn't impressed with that reason, but at least we knew we had to organise both doses.

Thanks both! I've also discovered the puppy blues but I suspect it is linked to health anxiety about little dougie, so I'm hoping after the vets today I will feel better.

I just feel so daft like we have been took in but so many things did add up and I suspect they were naive breeders. Or they were very good actors 😔

I will let you know how we get on at the vets today!

@juneybean he's lovely, I hope he's ok and his tummy sorts out ASAP!

@juneybean Can you contact the (original) vet direct to confirm? Although your vet may do that anyway. Our puppy came unvaccinated at 8 weeks but our vet seemed to think that was quite standard. Is he chipped? That's the other thing I'd get your vet to confirm.

@juneybean yes ours was unvaccinated too. Many breeders prefer not to as 1) can cause confusion and mean unnecessary repeated vaccinations for the puppy and 2) Delaying to allow maternal antibodies to decline in the puppy.

Hi all, thanks for the replies! All okay at the vets, his microchip matched the one on the document, so will get the owner details swapped over. He's all healthy so I've been worrying for nothing! I had rang the original vets the other day and they said he had only been microchipped and advocate, so I had asked breeder and they were like "oh we thought he was done" - tbh I think they're just complete idiots.

But I'm so pleased he's healthy! He wasn't very happy about his vaccination, poor love cried!

@juneybean he is gorgeous and I am so glad that the trip to the vet went well! That will be a weight off your mind :)

I've read that sometimes with new food doing a mix and gradually building up the ratio of old to new brand can help with funny/sensitive tummies.

Congratulations on your puppy juneybean he looks so lovely.

I have a question. What rules do you have for the kids with regards to interacting with puppy? Now we are coming out of the bitey puppy phase the kids just want to pet her constantly. I keep having to tell them that’s enough now she doesn’t want to be stroked all day long. I always supervise and intervene when I can see she has had enough. But I am wondering if we would be better with more rules in place. Like never go to see her when she is in her bed - even if she is just resting, not sleeping. So that she knows she can go there for peace. Do others do this?

Oh and my other question - does anyone have a remidy for wet dog smell! I bought some charcoal in pouches which are supposed to absorb smell, not sure how well they are working !

@Turquoisesol I am not an experienced dog owner and have only read stuff online, but we are saying when he wanders into his crate no one disturb him, so you could apply that to your pup's bed easily. This includes if he is just finding a dark corner in there to attack his poor stuffed octopus...

As for dog smell, I have no remedy but I can say that it is all I can smell now and it's only day three so I will eagerly be writing down everyone's advice

It’s the wet weather that brings the smell out isn’t it. Turquoisepup doesn’t like me drying her (or washing her for that matter) so I can’t even dry her. She got all muddy on our walk this morning but I didn’t do very much about it afterwards, as it’s such a hassle trying to get near her! She looks perfectly clean now, it seems to just brush off after a while. But she does still smell doggy

Can we join?

This one's been home an hour and half and sound asleep for it all! Was shaking when I put him down poor thing but fine since we cuddled him in. Currently dreaming about running!

Any tips for first night?

Red bull

He is very cute!!

Hello, I’m an interested lurker on this thread. My lovely Springer Spaniel died last year at age of 14 1/2. 6 weeks ago we got another springer and he is 15 weeks now and great.

@Turquoisesol. I use lemon essential oil in an oil burner. Seems to do well at getting rid of doggy smells.
@SaveTheUnicorns. Good luck! We did the thing of staying on put you up in kitchen for first few nights, took it in turns. Can easily pop a hand in to reassure and close by for taking out for wees. Moved it away bit by bit and he sleeps very well by himself now. Some people do it other way round and move puppy away from them, onto landing etc.

@Turquoisesol how old are your children? My boys are 12&10 so they are fine and good at playing tug/rolling a ball for pup or doing a bit of training. My nearly 4yo however is hard work as she loves the dog and wants to constantly pet her. I have to keep reminding her if she's in her bed or resting peacefully just leave her be! I do get her to do a bit of training too which she really enjoys helping with but when pup has had enough I have to separate them and play with my daughter either in kitchen or front room with pup in the other separated by a baby gate so pup can still see me but can have some peace. I call them "frenemies" as they have a love hate relationship and seek each other out to play and mostly it's lovely but occasionally it gets too much lol!

They are 10&12 too! Just a bit too affectionate !
I think I need to lay some rules down maybe

Yes at those ages they will def understand leave them dog alone when it's had enough. Give them a job to help train the pup to do a trick that way it's more structured than them just petting it.

Have you shown them the canine ladder of aggression which shows dogs body language so your kids learn when the dog has had enough. First signs lip licking and yawning (not counting tiredness!) turning away, putting a paw up, tucking tail under, walking away etc all before growling, snapping and biting. My boys are very good at saying to my youngest stop she's putting a paw up or she's turning away etc!