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

@LadyCatStark damn I have a chicken paste jar too. She loves salmon and will also try the crab one, she loves anything fishy even though I can't stand it!

Just bribed her with some salmon on a licki mat to trim her long eyebrow fur so she can see again haha I got a bit scissor happy and did under her chin and chest hair too.... tried to get to her fluffy paws but that was a step too far so will leave that to a professional but at least she can see now.

@Wolfcub no tips other than keep it up and out of reach.... my daughter has really curly hair and she was sitting on floor watching tv and pup couldn't resist it as she went past, think she thought it was a teddy! My daughters high pitched squeal soon made her let go though

@Wolfcub

Any tips for stopping hair biting. Wolfpup just had me by the ponytail and was trying to pull my hair off. Not the first time but if I'd been on my own this time it could have been quite nasty

How did he get to your hair? My first choice would be to not give him the opportunity to get at it. Dd2 is now wearing her hair in a French plait tucked under at the end, specifically so she doesn't have long things hanging as a temptation for pup. She could probably have a ponytail now tbh, but she feels safer with her hair tucked up. I've got a very short pixie cut but that's a bit extreme. Or keep him on the floor away from your hair.

MsAwesome he jumped up on the sofa straight onto my shoulder and got hold of my pony tail. All happened in less than a second from a standing start. If I'd stood up I'd have been scalped

He's also got hold of a bun right on top of my head before now

Gosh. That sounds like he finds it fun. I can't remember how old he is, but quite young I think? I would be telling him off every time he does it. So some sort of "ah-ah" and a (very) short time out, so he learns that it's not going to get him good things. And lavish him with praise for doing the things you actually do want him to do.

@Wolfcub no advice but I feel your pain. Billy also goes for my bun on too of my head. It just another reminder of how frizzy my horrible hair is 😭.

Nordpup is poorly at the moment. Poor thing is wiped out and can barely keep water down. The vet thinks it could be a reaction to her worming meds.

On the plus side we have huge progress with Ds and his fear today! He has spent loads of time sitting with her, stroking her and even letting her lick his ear! I was really starting to despair but this has given me so much hope!

@Nordstrom hope pup is on the mend soon!

hi im picking up our lab pup next week. we have a rescue lab whos 4 but we got her when she was 1 so ive never done crate training or toilet training. im really worried about lack of sleep! ( youngest child is 11 and older dog likes a lie in). do you get up every few hours to take your pups out at night or wait til they stir? any tips appreciated!

@Wolfcub That is naughty! Spudpup has done that to me once - I removed him from the room immediately and made it very clear with my body language that this was unacceptable with a capital U! I think you need to be pretty firm and instant with your consequences for that - out of the room, straight away. As you say, that could get nasty really quickly.

@Nordstrom Sorry to hear Nordpup is under the weather, but what great news about your DS! Gives me hope for the future too! DS is definitely getting a bit braver but we definitely aren’t at the stroking stage yet.

Spudpup did quite well at his class today. There was a bit of silliness, but I would say he was no worse than the other pups there, and he was the youngest one. And he did pretty well in the car as well, so that was good - he’s still not a fan, but the hysterics are gradually reducing. So I’ll take that.

@lu9months I am waiting for FawkesPup to wake me. It was three times first night, then twice then last night I took him out at 11:39, then it was 3 ish he woke me up for a wee, then again at 6. He had his breakfast scattered in his crate (won't sleep in it yet....that's a whole other ballgame with my velcro puppy) went to the loo afterwards and then settled back in the camp bed with me to sleep til 8am so I got a bit more kip.

He sleeps brilliantly in the day in bed in lounge or more often on my feet but nighttime he just wants to be on me. But it's only day 3 so plenty of time!

Oh @Nordstrom how worrying. Hope she recovers quickly

Hope Nordpup rallies soon Nordstrom.

lu9months Banditpup woke us up overnight, either to wee or just for reassurance. First couple of weeks were tough but ever since she’s been able to go for walks she’s slept through - usually take her out about 10pm and she’s generally sleeping til 7.

Thanks everyone. She has slept to much today and looked really pitiful. However she's rallied a bit in the past hour or so and has wolfed some rice and chicken, which is a relief.

We slept downstairs with puppy for a lot longer than most people I think. He was 14/15 weeks when we left him all night, and even then "all night" was us getting up at 5am to make sure he didn't wee in the pen. We're at 6:15 now for getting up to him (he's 18 weeks). I still don't want to risk leaving him to wake us up, because I'm not sure he would make enough noise to wake me (I'm a heavy sleeper). I am probably too soft, but I hate to think of him waking up and being upset because we aren't there.

We've had thunder today, and pup didn't bat an eyelid. Happily continued playing fetch with DH in the living room. Good job, as there's more thunder forecast for tomorrow. Puppy class should be fun in a field in the rain.

Glad she's feeling a bit better @nordstrom

thanks all. do you have a baby alarm or have the crate in your room ?

He sleeps brilliantly in the day in bed in lounge or more often on my feet but nighttime he just wants to be on me. But it's only day 3 so plenty of time!

This is what Ada is like, a great napper - on the door mat, under a garden chair, armchair, vetbed etc - but really wasn't a fan of overnight sleeping. We slowly progressed from hand on her, to in crate but beside her to reassurance visits overnight to now just max one toilet trip at 12.5 weeks. I actually regret trying to push the alone sleeping so early as it just meant less sleep for me!

Hopefully she'll sleep really well tonight after puppy class. Like someone else mentioned, improvements in sleep coincided with being able to go out and about more.

@lu9months you really want to have pup beside you for the first days, so either crate in your room or you somewhere near the crate. We slept downstairs as I wanted pup to be able to walk to overnight toilet trips. If I had a ground floor bedroom I'd probably have her in with us but I'm not lugging a lab up and down the stairs in the middle of the night

@lu9months our pup came home at 10 weeks as she'd had surgery so I think being that bit older helped us avoid the worst of the sleepless nights... first night she woke up at about midnight and then about 3 and then 6ish. Second night only woke once about 3 and from third night she'd sleep until 5-5.30 then need a wee and poo but then nap in front room until 7. I think by 4.5/5 months she was finally sleeping until 6. Now at 6 months she goes out for last wee between 9.30-10 and sleeps until someone comes downstairs which could be anywhere between 6-7.15 depending on when my daughter wakes me up!!

I never slept downstairs with her or set an alarm, I was obviously lucky with her being that bit older plus I was quite strict, I settled the odd whimper with a simple pat/stroke for reassurance, no eye contact or fussing so she learnt in the crate with cover over means bedtime. She has a snuggle bunny comforter and soft elephant toy that stay in her crate so she can cuddle up to them and she still has the blanket she came with from the breeder although this has been washed since but still leave it in with her for comfort. We cover the crate with a sheet to avoid distractions or early sunlight waking her up and we discovered white noise is a must to block out early morning birdsong! Also give her a Lily kitchen bedtime biscuit after her last wee to tide her over until the morning.

We had Banditpup in the bedroom to start with, then we took turns sleeping on the sofa til she started sleeping through, we went from her sleeping in her crate in the living room to sleeping in her crate in the kitchen, to in the kitchen with the door shut (while we were still on the sofa). Now at 16 weeks she’s quite happy to go in her crate at bedtime and sleep there, she sleeps through and we hear when she’s awake on the baby monitor.

@Aria20 we're having B spayed at 6 months. Our vet advised it, I also rang another vets for a second opinion and they said the same. Our vet says the advice to have one season is outdated.

@lu9months we let B wake us up. She's 12 weeks now, at first it was at 3ish but now she's sleeping through til 5ish. Up and out for a wee and poo then back to bed til about 7.

@ThePontiacBandit that's great thank you.
At the moment I'm on the camp bed in the kitchen, with crate next to me. FawkesPup will chew in there and has meals in it. I'm working on level 2/3 "treats" next, which he only gets in the crate so he really wants to go in there. 2 with door open and then 3 will be later with door closed.

Right now I'm trying to build positive relationship with the crate and that trust with him. I'm hoping a snuggle puppy might help. I may then try moving his crate to the landing so I can be near and then do gradual move of the crate because I really want to be back in my own bed!!!