Puppy Survival Thread - August

[MrsHerculePoirot]

Discussion of things puppy!

Old thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/4281840-Puppy-Survival-Thread-June-July?pg=1

@littlebilliie I agree 8 weeks is very young to expect to be alone in crate all night. My pup is nearly 10 weeks and I have slept on the sofa next to the crate since getting him.

He voluntarily sleeps in his crate and I have shut the door but he's not completely convinced by this and last night whined so I opened immediately. It will happen in next few weeks without him being stressed. I am exhausted however

I think dogs are all different about how quickly they are happy to sleep alone but I'd focus on keeping him confident so separation anxiety doesn't develop

@littlebilliie would you be willing to try crating her in your room to begin with? It doesn't have to be forever, but she might feel safer (and you might get more sleep) if you can see each other.

Last night he mooched and I took him out at about 2am for wee then 5.30 for poo. I think he can last but in case his restlessness was toilet related out he went

Spudpup slept well last night - I think he likes his new bed. I am going to have to wash the blanket he brought with him soon though, it’s really stinky. I think some puppies may possibly have weed on it at some point before it got here! I want to wait until we’re back from our holiday though, as I don’t know how well he’s going to settle in the cottage 😬

@cheeseisthebest I was told biological laundry liquid is best to clean carpet and stop them using same spot. My pup too disliked going outside but I just kept him outside until he performed. He quickly learned that performance in the garden meant indoors quicker.

Yesterday's issue was not getting him in as he wanted to explore and find snails and slugs to chew. This is a huge issue for us

@littlebilliie I agree with the others to sleep with pup especially at the beginning. They are like tiny babies and have been taken from everything they know and probably slept with mum and siblings for all their life so far.

Either have a crate up next to your bed so you can drop a soothing hand in, or sleep downstairs next to crate. We slept downstairs next to crate initially, leaving door open. PoirotPup would mostly stay in crate but sometimes came out and curled up next to us.

We now sleep upstairs and him downstairs and have baby monitor/video cam to check on him. If he has ever whimpered we’ve gone straight down so he knows he can ‘call’ us. And although it felt like a slow process initially he is so secure and happy now overnight so I wouldn’t do it any faster if differently to how we did with hindsight.

It’s also meant we haven’t had a single toilet accident I think because when he was really little we woke as soon as he did, and I think he slept better and deeper knowing we were there.

Thank you will try that.
Feeling worried now as I'm not sleeping with him but if he's whimpering I have gone down and comforted him and he's ok then. He's so happy and chilled in the day as well.

@MakeMeCleanTheHouse here he is. I'm going to get the kids and him in the car and head for somewhere with a bit of life about it and let him have a good look around.

I think if you can definitely hear him and get to him quick when he cries/whimpers (but generally isn’t and is sleeping) and he isn’t having toilet accidents inside overnight then I’m sure it’s fine. Like with babies every dog and house set up is individual so it’s good to hear what lots do and decide what works for you and your set up.

We're having our bathroom done, starting today. So it'll be interesting to see how pup copes with workmen in the house and all the noise. The plan is to go for a day out (not sure where yet, maybe Hadrian's wall, maybe the beach) once they're here and started. For me as much as for the puppy, I'll need a toilet at some point in the day!!

Very cute @Cookiedough41 - he looks like he's going to be a big boy so can see why you don't want to be carrying him around. I think Ada was quite a bit smaller at 9 weeks.

No he hasn't been to the toilet in his crate at all. Hasn't trashed it either.

@Cookiedough41 he's gorgeous. Mine is a lab too and no you don't want to carry him around all the time, he'll be heavy!!! We were a bit lax with the socialising thing before he had his jabs, we did some people watching through the gate in the back garden and some watching the world go by from the front drive. Between those 2 things he saw lots of people, quite a lot of dogs, loads of cars, buses, buggies, bikes, football, children playing. People came to our house as well, so he met various friends and family in small groups, which was nice. In hindsight, I should have been taking him in the car to more places as he ended up quite stressed in the car which has been an effort to get him used to. We did loads more socialising stuff once he was allowed out though, so he's quite happy most places now, even if he does get a bit excitable when there are a lot of people.

I need to take him out in the car today, he hasn't been since he came home Friday. He's met lots of people but no other dogs yet.

Hi all, finally joining after lurking on this thread for months. Technically I have a teenager rather than a puppy now at 11 months old, but lurking on this threat gave me a wonderful lifeline.

To all those in the earlier days, if does get easier. I have memories of standing outside in the pooing rain in December with bare feet, unable to go inside as she'd just had off my already shredded ankles. I don't think I'll forget the pain of puppy teeth in a hurry!

We found from 6-10 months we had an absolute delight of a dog. And then all the hormones hit. We have no idea what happened (and we know something MUST have triggered it) but she suddenly started crying at bedtime having slept in her crate downstairs since 11 weeks old. This has developed into not wanting to be downstairs at all on her own at night and starting to show signs of separation anxiety (mainly with me) during the day. Still happy to sleep on the sofa whilst we work upstairs, but only if the doors aren't closed between us. Starting work with a behavourial expert on separation issues this week as we need to tread carefully as we don't want to push her too hard or too soon! Shes also a LOT more hyper and zoomy than she was previously, we've upped the training and enrichment which is helping. Think we also have a phantom pregnancy starting to add to the mix...

Hired a dog field for half an hour this morning, nice to be able to just potter around, not having to be scanning for dogs/people on the horizon and not having to put a lead on at all. She travels beautifully in the car now and think she's really starting to associate it with going fun places.

@TerrierOrTerror a Facebook group Dog training advice and support was recommended on here and they have loads of guides to read. One covers secondary fear in adolescence hopefully this link will work

I've taken bigpawspup out every day bar yesterday when I was self isolating. Just back from a long coffee at seaside cafe and this afternoon we are going padldleboarding (well DD and friends are...we will view from the beach)

I carry him which is hard work and don't go far but he's seeing lots and has visibly relaxed around cars, people etc. He's desperate to meet other dogs

Well we took cookiedog out in the car for "socialisation" and he promptly fell asleep. Waking only once we were on the way back home and crying he wasn't that happy . Luckily we were only a few minutes away from home. We'll keep doing it every day and see how he gets on.

Pup has been a brat since we got back. She's finally fallen asleep with her head on my foot. I'm ignoring the tidying I need to do, too risky to disturb her

We've been up to the park with the kids, sat on the bench and watched people/had fusses from strangers. He's tired after yesterday's excitement and was asleep on my feet. Needed to go into school this morning for A level results so as he was sleepy popped him in the crate. DH on phone call..... and he howled and pined for me noisily. I've got to get him used to me going out...argh!! DH let him out and he pottered about looking for me and took himself out for a poo (yay!!!)

Having trod poo through the house and been cleaned up he eventually settled on DHs feet in the office. So a not entirely successful morning, but he's taken himself out to toilet 3 times since too. Progress.

I posted back in June/July to introduce SweetPup. Well we finally brought him home on July 18th and he is settling in well (it's a good thing I'm an early riser, 5:30 am is only a little before I usually wake up anyway).

And here he is with big brother Sweetdog.

But Oh My Goodness, he is a SHOUTER - esp in the car - I don't think Sweet Dog barked until he was over a year old.

@MrsHerculePoirot

Ah poor Elmpup! *@Elmrosie* I don’t sorry but I have read to make sure they haven’t eaten too soon to a car journey if they are prone to it. I’m sure someone here will have experience though as quite common especially with puppies I think. My dog growing up used to have a tablet when we went on long journeys but that was many MANY year ago 🤣🤣🤣

Thank you - bless her, she looked very sorry for herself when she got out. We took her ok on a brief journey over the weekend. DH and I took turns to sit in the back with her (in her harness!) and she was fine, so hopefully that will help in the short term.

She seems to have started the night time hunger pukes now!