Puppy Survival Thread August part 2

[Aria20]

New puppy thread as August has been a busy month! Not sure how to link the other thread?! @MrsHerculePoirot @SweetLathyrus @Spudlet @MsAwesomeDragon @GuyFawkesDay @opalescent @ashmts

@MsAwesomeDragon I'm so envious of you I can't cope right now! I'd do anything for them to just chill. DW can't cope at all with the thought of them being upset (and I don't like it either) but I want to have our freedom back. Even just to pop to the co-op.

@MeredithMae would it help if one of you left and then the other of you separately? Maybe you both leaving together is too much if that makes sense? I’m no expert just chucking it out there! I’ve also read about going out the back door instead of front where you usually leave with them for a walk so they have less fomo?

It’s tough - I deffo felt trapped. We used rover to find local sitters and used them a few times and are starting doggy day care this week for the one day a week we’ll both need to be out working.

We picked up a camera yesterday so we can monitor what's happening when we're gone. So will start to leave for short periods, we have no real need at the moment but want to make sure we've cracked it before the need arises.

@MeredithMae have you tried playing music when you go out? And making sure they’re suitably tired before you go? I couldn’t cope with not being able to leave Billy for a couple of hours, as much as I love him!

Spuddog was a bit of a clingy type when I first had him. I found the following worked:
Crate training so he had a safe den
A DAP plug-in
The radio left on
A good walk beforehand
A Kong stuffed with the good stuff - peanut butter was a favourite, with biscuits stuck in
Starting with short times and building up

Good luck. We got there in the end, him and I!

I've not done specific crate training, he's always been ok to go in there but used to nap in there and now doesn't!
Sometimes it all feels overwhelming doesn't it. Something improves but something else happens.
Pup now gets so excited to see my son that he jumps and tries to nip him which my son doesn't like and gets a bit scared.

A good end to the long weekend here. We went to an archery shoot this morning, so she had a big field to run around in, lots of people to meet, a couple of dogs (although neither keen on playing with a bouncy puppy!), lots of new sights and smells (she was a bit unsure about the wind turbine next door but soon got over that). We did some excellent long recalls (although most of the time got a collie as well when i whistled!) and a bit of scentwork. Crashed and slept for the last hour and a half we were there. Then she's been super chilled all afternoon, I have done stuff that isn't looking after her without having to have someone else supervise her which feels like a big achievement.

Second 6 week course of dog training booked, changing where we're going as the timing of the follow on course wasn't great for us and there were a few aspects I wasn't keen on (e.g. use of long lines with collars), plus the time meant i think it would all have to be indoors.

I'm starting tomorrow, 6am wake up, walk then I'm going to have a shower etc whilst he has a chew, then breakfast and I am going to "leave" for work for a bit.

Kids and DH home, which they will be Thursday/Friday then Monday gradually we are all back. So by Wednesday next week it's just DH and dog. So I need to prep him about toileting the dog and getting toys and kongs etc ready. He will have an early walk and one about 4pm so hopefully this will help tire him out. If it doesn't work then I will have to look for doggy daycare....

Omg noxious dog trumps are
Killing me this evening. Of course he's fast asleep with his arse in a direct vertical line from my nose

I'm planning to use doggy daycare just so he is used to it. Having a normal working day in the next few weeks is a good idea. I've moved my office downstairs in the open plan living area and would live to return upstairs to my office. DH doesn't want me to because I've suggested taking Goofy upstairs when he's resting and DH doesn't want him to know upstairs exists 🤣

Yes SBDs here as well and deadly they are

Lots happening with everyone's pups! Elmpup went to a christening yesterday and behaved very well. She was absolutely shattered afterwards, must have been all the mental stimulation.

She seems to have gotten overtired now, hoping she'll calm down soon!

I've been practicing sitting at my laptop in the kitchen as though I was working. Main issue seems to be that whilst Ada is happy to nap on her bed/doormat/cushion on the floor whilst i'm doing normal day to day stuff, if i'm sat at the computer she wants to be as close to me as possible. She dragged her cushion over yesterday and then tried to sit on it so she could lean her head on my legs, didn't really work for napping! I don't mind her being close, as i would like her to function as a foot warmer but need to work on her being happy at my feet!

@Wolfcub

Omg noxious dog trumps are Killing me this evening. Of course he's fast asleep with his arse in a direct vertical line from my nose

Here too! DH is getting them first, then they’re taking quite some time to travel across the room to me, presumably due to the density So I have an early warning system

I suspect the dog treats I got from Aldi do not agree with him 😬

FawkesPup is master of the SBD and I think the JR Pate is to blame. He HONKS if he's had it so I am knocking it on the head.

Going to stick with chicken for now as he's far, far more pleasant!

Lots of outside toileting and he's been a pleasure today (other than the nipping but hey, 12 w/o cocker spaniel 🤷‍♀️)

The lamb JR pate made Ada stinky but the salmon and chicken don't seem to have the same effect luckily.

RE leaving, I personally wouldn't be continuing with driving round the block if they are crying. My view is you need to build it up gradually - from literally one se one second outside of the door, not five minutes. We're currently working with a behaviourist on separation issues and any crying is a definite no-no. I guess they might eventually get used to it, but resigning themselves to being left vs being OK with it are two different things.

We start doggy daycare next week. Starting off with a couple of half days then building up to three days a week - eek! The lady seems great and has a good set up at her home with a small number of other dogs including a pup the same age as sushipup and also a working breed so I'm hoping they will have a great time playing together. Would love to hear how others get on!

Trying to cast my mind back to leaving our pup on her own. I think we went very very slowly as a previous poster said literally seconds to start with and built from there. It did feel like it would be impossible at first. We have left her now a couple of times for 4 hours and she has just gone to sleep on the sofa. Really good tips from @Spudlet.

We also took it in turns to be with her in the kitchen when she was very small and didn't have the run of the downstairs. Maybe that helped her bond to all of us but not be too dependent on any one person. Having said that she does always want me!

We’ve spent the past 3 months that we’ve had Billy trying, and failing, to get Billy to settle on his bed in the living room. I’ve noticed that after his walks, he likes to pull the fleece blanket that covers his crate off a bit and lie down on that for a rear and sometimes he even falls asleep. Tonight, I’ve found him a spare blanket and lo and behold, he’s been settled in the living room on the blanket for half and hour now 🙈. The blanket is so much less comfy than the lovely bed! They’re funny things aren’t they??

@tizwozliz DH found PoirotPup wouldn’t settle in the afternoons when he was on calls after a while. Think it was because DH was talking but had a headset on so appeared to be to no-one, or perhaps pup thought to him 🤣 I have a brilliant video of him running and launching himself at DH who was already standing up on his work call trying to avoid maniac puppy 🤣🤣🤣 he now works upstairs and PoirotPup naps downstairs…

I'm doing loads of flitting, he gets stressed if I go out the door but I go to the bin, to get the milk bottles, to me car, up the road and then come back. He's getting less worried now then a while ago.

He is a very 'chatty' dog though. Often makes low level noises like he's talking to me?! Does it every evening before bed. Not distressed. Lying down, chilled out but 'chatty' and I talk to him. Am I mad?!

Tomorrow we are going to try all going out for literally 5 seconds and then back in for treats and build up....

This dog has 3 beds downstairs.
This is the corner of the kitchen!

@GuyFawkesDay 🙈😂

They do love a corner 🤣😍

@LadyCatStark Billy looks huge laying stretched out like that!

@GuyFawkesDay mine seems to prefer floor too... why not a comfy bed?!

@MrsHerculePoirot That is funny with your DH on a work call.

We fly home late tonight so not picking pup up until tomorrow and I can't wait! I've missed her so much, SIL has sent lots of pics and videos but I can't wait to see her.... apparently she's been quite difficult so I don't think she'll volunteer to have her again. She's so good at home so I hope this hasn't set her back!