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

Thanks @Aria20, he definitely needs to go out at 2:30 as he does both wees and poos straight away (although a week ago he was holding that until 4:30 or 5). His crate is covered, and Sweet Dog sleeps on the bed because he can be trusted not to move around or chew electric cables . We're in a cul-de-sac, so no passing traffic.
As you can see, @Nix32, we're not precious about the duvet , but at the moment he is such a wiggler, and completely untrustworthy!

@Spudlet, poor spudpup, no suggestions, puppies are such idiots for eating things they shouldn't, if he's staying hydrated, I'd leave it a little longer, but it might be worth ringing your vet for a chat?

@GuyFawkesDay, I'd be really happy with 5:30 wake up, I get up at 6 anyway?, it's the middle of the night one that's doing me in!

Yeah the 2am one is a bit of a killer isn't it?

I'm going to have to prep puppy for when I'm back at school by starting the morning routine once he can go out. The last week of the hols I will get up and ready, walk and feed him and leave the house (even if it's just sitting in the car at first for a few minutes) so when school starts he's got used to it. DH is home all day so he's not on his own by any stretch!

Saw these calming beds on someone's PP and ordered one. It just arrived and fair to say, it's a hit

Sorry, meant to also NC @opalescent.

@GuyFawkesDay how many of us on here are idots working in education who imagined it would all be ok by September .

Sweet Dog was almost 9 months old when he started coming to work with me, Sweet Pup will be just 4 months!

At least we can start Puppy classes next week. Our weekend triumph was to take him out in the car for 20 mins without him losing his voice shouting, essential for the daily commute!

I think someone was having a debate about using the word "no" in training? Personally I think it is inconsistent to say "don't use 'no', they don't know what you want them to not do" and talk about the need to associate words with acctions because dogs don't speak English. For us, 'no' functions as a "stop and look at me" when we aren't close enough to interupt a behaviour straight away, so it is associated with an action. Unfortunately, we can't use it with SP because Sweet Dog hears it as permission to intervene - as he does with the cat!!

@GuyFawkesDay, we have matching dogs!

I just know if I got one of those beds, the cat would comandeer it!

Awww @SweetLathyrus spaniel twinsies!!!! How old is yours? Cocker spaniel? FawkesPup is a show/working mix cocker

Sweet Dog is (we think), a show/wcs mix, but SP is full WCS with a field trial pedigree (and bloody hell he is smart ). He's 12 weeks tomorrow, but big - looking at his father he will be built more like a sprocker.

Fawkes pups ears look much more wcs - higher up the head.

Argh took pup to woods on long line she had a great time until she suddenly spotted another dog in the distance and tore off in that direction she was still attached to the long line but she ran to the end of it and it's really yanked my whole shoulder/arm/wrist! She doesn't normally do that she sits down and waits to see if it's ok to say hi but she was on a mission to get to this dog today! Luckily she was on the long line and couldn't reach the other dog as the owner said she was an old arthritic dog who doesn't really like puppies so she def wouldn't have appreciated it.

This must be the start of teenage dog not listening at 6 months old

Yes he's definitely got a lot of working traits: longer leg, shorter bodies than my friend's Show type. Ears aren't quite so long either. And mentally he's on it, very keen to please. He's mastered sit, wait, watch and comes to the whistle and he's only just 10 weeks. The behaviourist guy who does puppy classes also does gundog ones so I will sign him up once he's old enough.

Beautiful dogs!

@Aria20, I'm pleased to see the more widespread use of long lines (I was lead shamed by a woman whose labs were so fat they couldn't have run away if they'd wanted to), but please be careful - SweetDog once took me off my feet on just such a mission! He didn't get off again until he was two!

I really worry about people I see using log/training lines without gloves too.

@GuyFawkesDay he's a prodigy!

Nah he just likes his treats.

And outside the house, I reckon there will be a very low success rate!!!!

And he just pood on his cool mat so yeah, a long way from prodigy 🤣

Spudpup has swallowed a stone 😖 He’s having x-rays and then probably surgery to remove it.

Bollocks, bollocks, BOLLOCKS! I was away for one weekend!

Oh no @Spudlet won't he pass it on its own?

@SweetLathyrus why were you shamed for the long line? Surely it's better/safer than just letting them off if there's a chance they might run off or not come back?! I let mine off in our local field when it's quiet and she comes back but I'm not brave enough to let her off in the woods or different places and clearly after today that is the right decision for now.... mine is a biothane one so it's not as bad for friction burns as a material one but she has pulled over my 13yo son who is strong and nearly as tall/heavy as me lol he was fine just taken by surprise. It's also tripped my daughter over as pup changed direction so the long line went tight and took her out. So it is a bit of a hazard and I've learnt now to make sure the kids are out of the way and to be honest I can't wait to not have to use it but for now I will continue especially now she is getting defiant!!

They have to have a look with the X-ray to see where it is and how big, but if it’s too big it will have to come out the hard way 🙈 Poor puppy 😭

Spuddog did something similar when he was 2 - got into the kitchen bin the night of a barbecue and ate 1.5kg of rubbish… that was a surgical job as well. I got a crate shortly afterwards…!

Oh no @Spudlet! Poor spudpup!! At least you're on the ball enough to notice he needed to see the vet. I hope he recovers quickly for you.

We use a long line with AwesomePup too, and I do worry a bit about how much speed he can get up by the end of the line. Dd2 got her foot hit by the long lead a few days ago and it really hurt her. It's a good job I've got a travel first aid kit with baby wipes and plasters in my bag at all times.

AwesomePup has obviously eaten something that disagrees with him as he's had very runny poos this afternoon. I'll keep an eye on him and what he's eating for the rest of the week, keeping it pretty bland to give his tummy a rest.

Just spoken to the vets - they haven’t x-rayed yet but from palpating it they think it’s almost certainly not going to pass through on its own. They’re just about to knock him out, x-ray him and then if necessary crack on with getting it out.

My poor baby I feel terrible!

Poor puppy @Spudlet - do they know what sort of size stone? I know with the rubber tag Ada swallowed it was right on the cusp of the sort of size that could cause a problem. I'm was so relieved when she vomited it up as saved at least 24 hours of worry.

@Spudlet sorry to hear about spudpup. Wishing him and speedy recovery and sending you a hug.