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

We still do 4 meals a day but we don't have super fixed times - breakfast between 6.30 and 7.30, then lunch 11.00 and 11.30, afternoon tea 3.30ish , evening 7-8pm. We'll combine the two meals in the middle at some point.

Hamish is on 3 "larger" meals so I split the majority between breakfast, lunch and dinner but he gets a little something for supper about 8pm.

We always gave our dogs a bedtime biscuit or two. It told them it was bedtime and helped their tums overnight too, stopped the weird "hungry puke" dogs can do.

I'm probably going to pets at home tomorrow or Monday. What would be good for bedtime biscuit or is he too young? 11 weeks old and sleeps through the night but did puke this morning.

We just give Spudpup a few bits of his normal kibble to settle him into bed.

Will try that

We had 1st injections today and dpup now has soft poo. It’s hard washing it away before he has walked through it or licked it 🤢 Any advice? He isn’t interested in his food tonight.

We just give Spudpup a few bits of his normal kibble to settle him into bed.

Same here, maybe 5/6 pieces of puppy sized kibble. Initially we used to put it in the crate to tempt her in, but now she'll run straight in at bedtime and we give her the kibble after we've closed the door.

@cheeseisthebest we use the Lily's Kitchen night time biscuits, or Pooch and Mutt 'calm and relaxed' biscuits. Just 3 little ones before bed.

We do 3 meals a day but MaePup only eats a little bit of lunch, she's just not hungry I think. She wolfs down breakfast and dinner though.

I'm not sure I've noticed how much he eats at each meal, will try and pay attention tomorrow and not leave it out as long!
He's had some crazy time and now zonked out on the floor by my chair!

@Jigsawtrain ours was the same. I'm afraid he did have a couple of baths after doing the squits walk of doom.

H has been ON ONE today. Took him to in laws and he had zoomies round their huge garden. No dogs so nice and safe, all fenced in. Ran round like a bloody lunatic, jumped in the water feature and got himself way too hot and I had to take him to the shady corner on the cool patio (it's porcelain!) and calm him down and get him to chew and then nod off. Like a flipping hyperactive toddler 😩

Elmpup has been quite picky the last couple of days, but she tends to graze. I might start picking her food up after 20 minutes to see if it stops her dithering.

She's currently playing with a cocktail sausage wrapped in an old sock. What a great way to occupy her - must sort through the sock drawers for more.

We've started making a big performance of 'time for bed' and Indy gets a Lily's bedtime biscuit for her snack after she started getting hunger pukes. She'll only 12 weeks, but there doesn't seem to be anything dangerous in the biscuits. She only gets one.

Hi everyone. New puppy owner here too - Nixpup is 4 months old now. He's absolutely gorgeous and we're all besotted. He lost his two top teeth yesterday and I can already see the new ones coming.

A couple of questions for you all - those of you who have switched to a new food, how did you do it? Did you mix the two foods together or replace one meal at a time?

Also - how are you doing with lengths of walks? I know he's only supposed to have about 20 minutes at a time for now, but we've had a few family days out where he's been out for a good few hours - is that really awful? He seems to absolutely love it, but is just wiped out for the rest of the day.

Photo attached just because I couldn't resist!

He's lovely! I was wondering about length of walks too. Mine only has little legs!

Hi @Nix32! He’s gorgeous!

What time do everyone’s pups settle down for the evening? Mac seems to conk out about 8.30. I take him for a last pee at 10 and then we go to bed for the night until 6.30ish. He’s 11 weeks today, just wondering if others are similar.

He gets plenty of rest through the day. I expected more evening zoomies than we’ve had but I guess it’s only the first week he’s been home…

Oh @Nix32 what a beautiful dog!!
We moved FawkesPup a week ago. I am slowly changing the ratios of his feed from the high carb old one to a high protein one. He's currently on half and half measures of each. Am taking it really slow, and feeding 3 smaller meals and a little supper kibble...but he's only 10 weeks tomorrow. He had a really gummy tummy at first but this is definitely settling. I'd like eventually to use the wet and dry versions of his food for a bit of variety.

Tonight H has settled about 8:30 but it's often later but he's had a very busy day!! Zoomie central here, and a new place and people and smells. He must be shattered.

@Nix32 we introduced butternut but mixing it with original kibble initially - probably replaced quarter of first meal, then third, then half and then three quarters then whole thing over a few days. PoirotPup didn’t have tummy troubles though so I think we increased at each meal rather than each day. With new kibble we’ve just changed when we’ve run out and had no problems.

Walks I think it’s more if you are walking direct and fairly fast on pavement type walks. We’ve mostly stuck to soft ground and lots of sniffing but have used how far we might walk in 20 mins as a guide for example. We were away this week with some long days out so I made sure to stop and sit regularly for rests as much as I could. He loves it and just keeps going and then zonks out, but I know it isn’t great for him so will definitely try for a quiet week this week!

@TheBigMacDougal PoirotPup is 6 months now but he’s gone through various phases and timings since we got him at 8 weeks. Currently he chose to sleep about 8.30-9 pm usually, we get him to do last week between 10.30-11.30 and then he usually gets up about 6.30 ish hut has gone later.

I've just sat and written out the current routine. Helped get it straight in my head! Bed about 10.30 up about 7. I usually wake up earlier but don't go down unless I can hear him. Today I went down at 7 and he was awake but just dozing in his crate.

Have introduced an only on the sofa if on a blanket rule today! At least easy to wash the blanket.

But dozes on the sofa from 8.30 ish. Was more like 9 today. Kids were playing with him.

Oh my god this dog is driving me mad. Been up 5 times with him whining. Go to loo, nothing. Put back in crate, whines. Wakes half the house up. I sit next to crate to reassure/stroke and he bites.

Went downstairs to sleep on sofa, ran back upstairs to his crate....whined a bit more.

Eventually he's gone back to sleep but just .....why?!! I am getting to the point where I can see why some people just let them whine and ignore it because I can't do this too much longer

@GuyFawkesDay Urgh, that's not fun. It really is like having a newborn. My OH is useless with sleep deprivation so the night time wake ups were down to me. We've had him 8 weeks now and I think the first 5 were the hardest for sleep.

We failed at crate training - we're now at the point where he starts on our bed and then moves to the floor. Smallest child has just come to get me and he was asleep on the landing. Not quite what we planned but at least we're all getting sleep.

Apparently AwesomePup was unsettled last night so DH slept downstairs with him. I've tried taking him out for a wee but he refused and went back to lie on the sofa. That is most unlike him, but we've had a really busy week so he probably needs a lazy day today. He had runny poo yesterday afternoon as well, which I've put down to too many treats on days out, so today we're back to normal meals at normal mealtimes with all rewards just being his normal kibble.

@GuyFawkesDay that sounds like an awful night. I hope you got some sleep eventually. Poor you!!

@Nix32 we don't use a crate either, but we do use a playpen. Our house is too cluttered with things he likes the look of but which are unsuitable for him to eat for him to be allowed free rein of the house, but he's quite happy in his big pen in the living room. I feel a bit stupid for even buying a crate now, it's not been used for more than a couple of weeks (just like the cot I bought for dd2 was never used because she slept in my bed from day 1)

Good to hear some are similar for sleep. It really is like having a baby and not knowing what you’re doing! I think I had a bit of the puppy blues yesterday. We’ve been so lucky that he’s slept from day one but the pee and poo watch all day and having two kids (4&7) is HARD. Hats off to those with broken sleep too!

Is it normal for them to lick their bits? The slurping noise isn't pleasant!

Have now distracted him with an empty kitchen roll! He's eating it though!