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

@tizwozliz haha I often get compliments on pups behaviour out and about.... but if they saw the state of my garden they'd realise she's not always so well behaved!

Apart from the wildlife pond, my garden has survived pretty well thus far (far from pristine to start with however). In fact, the cats no longer use the raised beds as a toilet so that's an improvement. Not many of my mange tout have made it to the table this year though, pup loves them.

@tizwozliz we lost all our raspberries, strawberries and pansies! She had a nibble on a courgette but the stalks are spiked so it put her off it's the digging that's the problem and the scorch patches everywhere from wee lol

Spudpup is currently howling and growling in his crate. Bloody hell. He’s also wrecked his buster collar, so that’s held together with gaffer tape now.

I honestly don’t know how we’re going to make it through 14 days without him hurting himself at this rate, it’s been less than 2 days and he’s going bonkers already. And DH is already stressed out with it too, so I get it in both ears. I want to cry

@Heretherenow @MightyMeerkat 11 month old Sprocker here - it does get easier!! I was in tears most days the first couple of weeks, I think I lost almost a stone from stress. They need SO much sleep at that age so I would encourage that as much as possible - if I could go back I would start working on calmness and settling from day one.

It’s much easier when they’ve had their jabs and you can get them out for short walks, then gets easier again when those sprockerdile baby teeth fall out

When should I expect the teeth to fall out? I think AwesomePup has lost a couple at the front, but most of them are still puppy teeth. He's 5 months and a lab.

We went to visit a friend this morning and they've got a lab X Cocker (is there a fancy name for that? Cockador?). She's 6 months old and has never been allowed to run around a field, just pavement walks, because her owner is terrified of other dogs hurting her.

Hi @Spudlet. I lurk on this thread and find it very useful. I have a 5 month old springer who ate a stone and needed surgery a few weeks ago. When I picked him up the vet said to try him without a cone and see how he gets on as puppies can find cones very distressing. She said if we noticed him bothering his stitches then to use a cone.

He actually never even licked the stitches luckily and recovered very uneventfully, I think the lack of cone definitely made things easier. The only difficult thing was trying to keep him quiet! The vet did give me a bodysuit for him which she said was worth trying before a cone but we didn’t need that either.

Just thought I would share this, all dogs are different, I know our old dog would definitely have needed a cone!

Thank you @BarkingUpTheWrongRoseBush. Nice to have hope.

@Wolfcub also nice to have common ground (which has been passed on)

@Spudlet this sounds really difficult. I'd second trying a vest not a collar. You will have to watch him like a hawk but if it gives some respite it would be worth it. Then perhaps reintroduce the cone with treats like you would a harness ??

@Spudlet I have a body suit and a soft halo collar and would happily lend them if you wanted to try

Anyone want a 10 week old cocker? kidding, well maybe half kidding

Geez he's hard work today!! Started humping the snuggle puppy too.

Send help. Or gin. Or both.

Has anyone left their pup yet? As in- left them in the house while they pop to the shop or whatnot? If so- do you put them in their crate? Or restrict to a room

Opalescent yes a few times with mixed success. Always in a crate and always with a treat that will occupy him for at least a little while so sprats or kong or frozen yogurt

Just back from the vets for flea treatment. I was a bit concerned that she might be a bit skinny but vet declared her perfect It's so hard to judge at this age when they seem to change shape daily

Billy is happy to be left in his crate for a couple of hours as long as he’s been fed, watered, walked and has his sleeping music on. In the holidays I’ve been taking DS to any indoor activities in the evening and making sure Billy has had a really good, fun trip out (and for him, this means the beach!). He just sleeps the entire time and actually, I think it’s better for him as he is easily disturbed when we’re at home, especially at the weekend or in these school holidays as we’re pottering around all the time. I’m not gonna lie, it’s soooo nice to get a bit of puppy free time every so often too!

@opalescent we leave ours in the kitchen which is safe and with stair gate. We leave the radio on and I bought a cheap camera off Amazon so I can watch on my phone. I make sure she's had a walk first so is tired and usually leave her with a kong or some kibble in a snuffle mat to distract her for a bit. She'll then sleep most of the time. She does usually sleep by the gate waiting for me to get back. She occasionally barks if she's heard the postman or next doors dog has barked.

The longest I've left her is 3 hours and that's only happened twice - both times fairly recently so she was almost 6 months. I had to leave her to do the school run, only 15 mins max, a few weeks after we got her and she did bark for the first couple of times but she had to get used to it and is fine now. She didn't like being left in the crate so that's why I ended up leaving her just in the kitchen but she's fine with that. I can confidently leave her for 1.5/2 hours though.

Thanks all, that sounds really positive. I will invest in a snuffle/licky mat!

We've only gone so far as leaving and waiting on the drive for 10 mins. Next step is a trip to Tesco express - 15 to 20 mins. So far we've left in the crate, but I'm looking into puppy proofing the hallway where the crate is and giving her a bit more space.

We can confidently leave pup for an hour or so, as long as he's got a Kong while we leave. The first time I left him I hadn't really planned it, but I had to go out with dd2 to guides before DH was home, and dd1 was out with friends. He was left for about an hour until DH got home and was absolutely fine. So we've happily left him alone since then (he was about 12/13 weeks then). I'm happier leaving him alone than I am about leaving him with just dd2. If he's alone he just sleeps, if dd2 is there he wants to play with her, and she lets him out of his playpen but he doesn't listen to her when he's jumping up on counters etc.

@SpreadHummusNotHate Thank you for the encouraging words! Any tips on getting pup to settle or calm? Nothing I try works.

Thank you, @Theluggage15 and @MakeMeCleanTheHouse. I have a bodysuit that I’m going to take with me to his post op check tomorrow, to see if the vet thinks it will work. I’m also desperately hoping we’ll be allowed to do a bit more soon - he has to be on the lead even to go into the garden for a wee and he’s going nuts with it. He keeps jumping up at the work surface, I’m so worried he’s going to pop a stitch 😬

I have a selection of chew bones so I keep swapping g those around, a treat ball that I can give him some food in, I’ve made a snuffle mat for tomorrow’s breakfast / lunch, and we’ve done some brain training today as well. I e also got half of his dinner soaked, smeared onto his lickimat and in the freezer ready for in a while. He’s still bored though and getting really barky and frustrated. Ugh.

I can't imagine leaving 10.5 week pup I wish I could but he would just howl and shred the room. I don't have a safe space. Must make more effort with flitting. Its really hard to balance watching his unsocial behaviour gnawing the furniture or peeing on the carpet plus I'm really conscious of DTAS advice of not leaving him unless he's happy. I can't contemplate managing both

New bed is a success. It arrived about 5.15 and she's been asleep in it in various positions since. Normally she's mithering us to get on the sofa at this time of day

I can't imagine a bed like that surviving Wolfpup.

That looks like a lovely comfy bed. He looks very settled there.

@MightyMeerkat I wish I had some good tips on settling but sadly not - it’s just a regret. I wish I’d started rewarding/capturing calm as soon as we got her but quite honestly I was so overwhelmed at the beginning I didn’t even think about it and I wonder now if she’d be better had we started earlier. Mat/settle training is still very much a work in progress here - just back from a rather unsuccessful trip to the pub garden here

@MakeMeCleanTheHouse do you have a crate…? I still leave pup in the crate at 11 months old if we go out - I’d love to give her the run of the kitchen but she paces about in there but falls asleep straight away in the crate 🤷‍♀️