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 @LadyCatStark 🙂.
Did you use the method of stopping everyone your dog pulled? And only moving forward when the lead is loose?

@opalescent yes and treating “good boy walking” it hasn’t taken him long to work out that good boy=treat!

Spudpup is home! 🥳 He wears the Cone of Shame and is very cross about it… 14 days of restricted exercise here we come 😬

If anyone wants to see the rock, I have it and can post a pic… it wasn’t going to pass through on its own, that’s for sure

Yay for spudpup being home!!! He does look sorry for himself wearing that cone of shame. I'd be interested in seeing how big this stone is that he ate.

Yes, please show the stone. I feel like I need to know what size I need to worry about for future reference!

I've bought Ada a new bed today which should arrive tomorrow. She naps so well in the lounge on the sofa but she can't be in there unsupervised so it's a bit limiting. There is an armchair in the kitchen diner which she is fond of but I don't like her leaping off and on it so it's currently surrounded by cushions which is a bit of a pain, so hoping she takes to it. It looks nice and comfy so if nothing else I'll have somewhere soft to sit whilst she's on the armchair!

Here it is… I don’t know how he didn’t choke on it to be honest!

@Spudlet Eek - that's a whopper! The whole chewing stones thing is really difficult - we've got lots of gravel in the garden and pup loves chewing on it. Crossing my fingers he doesn't like swallowing it . . .

He's just turned 18 weeks and has lost 2 top teeth and 3 or 4 bottom teeth over the last couple of days. I can't believe how quickly the new ones come; literally overnight.

I don’t know how he didn’t choke on it to be honest

It's a bit of a design flaw really isn't it, that they can swallow things bigger than they can pass

I may rename him Darwin 😬

Flipping heck, that's a whopper stone!!

We were doing so well today. 100% toilet record until.....I turned my back for 2 minutes to do the washing and he pooped on the floor

We have gravel paths everywhere

Pup was with DH all day. Came home to cross DH because he's not slept, peed on kitchen floor repeatedly, dug up the lawn and been an arse all day

I have sympathy as I've been trying to write this post for three hours! Constant chewing, attacking other dog, trying to access kitchen to pee, knocking over the barrier etc etc etc

Wow big stone!! Was it covered by your insurance in the end?
Got a nippy, bitey puppy tonight who's just discovered scratching the sofa is fun! Trying to distract with toys but not having much luck!

I've done lead training, sit, fetch etc - he seemed tired and disinterested in food but is padding around like a caged lion looking to find something bad to do. This pic could well be him.

I have an important meeting going tomorrow, DD has gone away and I don't feel I can ask DH again as he has something arranged and is totally fed up after today. How do people work?

@Spudlet I'm struggling to find local gun dog groups. Have joined that Facebook group and at some point when it sleeps will browse more

@GuyFawkesDay ..... re gun dogs not @Spudlet

@cheeseisthebest Yes, thank goodness - and they’re going to pay the vet directly so we just have to find the excess.

Spudpup has been home since around 4 and aside from the odd minute here and there he hasn’t stopped howling about his cone yet… really hoping he adapts soon. I know he needs to have it but the thought of two weeks of this is pretty unbearable 😭I don’t think one of the inflatable ones would stop him getting to his incision, unfortunately 😖

Oh no!! The cone of shame sucks.

FawkesPup was left on his own with DH for first time today for 3hrs. He was v happy to see me when I got back. So much so when playing tennis ball fetch he sunk his ruddy teeth into my thumb and pad underneath it. Little git. I know it wasn't intentional but it's drawn blood.

How long does the cone have to stay on for? Is a bodysuit thing an option instead? I know my friend fashioned one from an old t-shirt

Those of you with kongs- what do you stuff them with?

Two weeks, but we have a post op check on Thursday so if he’s still miserable I’ll ask about alternatives. I can’t stick two weeks of a miserable puppy if there’s a decent alternative.

I normally put kibble in, either mixed with something, e.g yoghurt, or loose and then seal the end with some pate or sweet potato. Sometimes grate the JR pate to stuff inside too.

So far it's been kibble and a little bit of the long puppy pate. I'm not sure he's really "got it" yet.

@opalescent Billy’s favourite kong filling is hotdogs cut up really small and stuffed in tightly. Or he has kibble topped with primula or frozen with baby food that doesn’t contain onions.

We've had a busy day and poor pup zonked about 9. Going to be an early start tomorrow!

@opalescent we mostly stuck to long line outings on a local common to us initially so it didn’t matter about walking nicely. It’s still a work in progress at certain times - he can definitely do it, but is much better on local routes he knows well and not so good in new places full of smells and other dogs!

@Spudlet hope he gets over the cone of shame soon bless him.

@GuyFawkesDay just wanted to mention that I think tennis balls aren’t good for dogs (dog ones obvs fine!). Can’t remember why - something in them (microfibre?) or something damages their teeth? Sorry that’s really vague and apologies if you knew and have a dog one!!!

They're doggy tennis balls (puppy sized!) not really tennis balls at all I suppose. Pets at home pack.

I'll remember that though and make sure I use safe ones!