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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Puppy survival thread. Cold nights in the garden ... yeah...no

995 replies

MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 26/09/2021 04:07

The foghorn is sounding frequently and I suspect that's why I'm up enjoying the ambience of a foggy garden at 4am.

Hoping @BaconandAvocado is fast asleep and all the others with wide awake pups.

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TheBigMacDougal · 01/10/2021 18:36

@tizwozliz that looks lush! Love finding a new walk.

@opalescent we do use the crate for enforced naps through the day. I have meetings where he cannot be wondering around/underfoot so try to plan them/naps to coincide.

Also, I am in owe of those pups that settle themselves anywhere! Mac settles himself in crate with the door open after our morning walk and snoozes in there door open in the evening. I have no idea how long he’d go through the day as he has never seemed to just stop and sleep and if he does settle he moves as soon as we do, so no way he would get enough rest/sleep.

I am starting to encourage him to use his settle blanket or leaving longer to see if he will crash on his own. Hopefully over time he will.

I would say that with enforced naps and rest we don’t have too much annoying puppy behaviour though. So mouthing, jumping, being an arse has been less than what I feared. Maybe just concidence though 🤷🏼‍♀️

tizwozliz · 01/10/2021 18:47

We know bits of this walk from pre-puppy but I now have a whole different set of requirements when I'm planning a walk, mostly that we can't go very far and keeping on lead requirements to a minimum. We know lots of routes close to home around the 5k mark but too far for little legs right now.

ilovesushi · 01/10/2021 19:11

Garrrr! Just left DS home alone with pup and strict instructions to supervise her and not let her chew anything out of bounds. Got home to find my very nice headphones completely chewed up. He was the one that was desperate for a dog, yet spends about 2 seconds a day interacting with her. He gets stressed on walks thinking she will run off, he gets bored playing with her almost instantly and because she isn't as calm and snuggly as the cats, he doesn't cuddle her much. I absolutely love sushipup but I was more than happy with just cats and I feel sad I don't get to spend much time with them now as pup is so all consuming, Highs and lows of puppies - and children!

bargelights · 01/10/2021 19:21

We also had a lovely walk today. The puppy was made much of by many people and he did quite well at not jumping up on (most of) them. I’m looking forward to the time when he will be able to go all the way on this particular trail. It ends in a gorgeous spot. But he’s still too little for that.

bargelights · 01/10/2021 19:30

That sounds hard, @ilovesushi. How old is DS?

GuyFawkesDay · 01/10/2021 19:41

We had a lovely field walk too. It's a circular 35 minutes and I'll do it a lot once he can go that far. I have loads of lovely walks from 35 minutes to over 2hrs right on the doorstep and I can't wait to do them with him.

He wasn't so sure about the pheasants though, silly puppy. He looks so funny with his ears all flipping about

Returnoftheowl · 01/10/2021 19:46

I don't crate mine during the day, as he settles down in the kitchen anyway. We do crate him when we are eating dinner, and hope he takes a nap!

ilovesushi · 01/10/2021 19:48

@bargelights He's 13 so old enough to take some responsibility. It is so frustrating. I would have been better shutting puppy in the kitchen with a chew but that didn't sit well with me when there was someone else in the house.

cheeseisthebest · 01/10/2021 20:09

I share your pain about kids who desperately wanted a puppy then don't pay them much attention! The amount of times I've said you wanted a dog!
I would be making him pay for those headphones!

bargelights · 01/10/2021 20:10

That sounds really frustrating. 13 is a difficult age. Does your DS have any puppy-related tasks that he is responsible for? Maybe it would get him more on board if he is the one to feed her or brush her or something like that. Sorry if that is a feeble suggestion. Puppies can definitely affect family dynamics, both the human and canine/feline members of the family!

Lifeishitsometimes · 01/10/2021 20:21

Same teen situation here!

ilovesushi · 01/10/2021 20:31

Glad it's not just me! I think it's his age. When he was only fractionally younger he would play with any and all dogs for hours on end - my parents' dog, dogs met on holiday, neighbours' dogs, random dogs. A neighbour looks after a farm sometimes and she always takes him along so he can play with the farm dog there. All my friends with kids and dogs said the kids lost interest quickly but I really thought he would be different. DD is brilliant though. She is 11 and loves putting in time with the dog but more importantly gets that sometimes things need doing even when you are not in the mood.

cheeseisthebest · 01/10/2021 21:16

My 13 year old daughter is pretty good with pup but my 10 year old son can't be bothered much!

Original poster
MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 01/10/2021 21:22

I empathise with relatives who like the puppy idea but not the reality.

Pup came out for lunch with me and friend and was yelpy and barked +++ if I went to the loo, till to buy drinks etc. Having worried that he wasn't attached to me I am now wondering about too attached

Completely shredded his bed on the way to lunch as well

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Original poster
MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 01/10/2021 21:22

I empathise with owners who have relatives.....that should read

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BaconAndAvocado · 01/10/2021 22:15

ilovesushi I feel your pain!
My 13 and 14 yo DCs definitely need to pull their weight more with the puppy they badgered me for for years!

cheeseisthebest · 02/10/2021 08:53

My puppy has been mostly climbing on my head this morning while I tried to nap!

Original poster
MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 02/10/2021 08:56

We've got an issue with chewing. I'm sure he's teething but think he is going to destroy a lot before it stops

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MightyMeerkat · 02/10/2021 09:29

@cheeseisthebest

My puppy has been mostly climbing on my head this morning while I tried to nap!
😂 Mine used to do this. And then chew my hair. I was worried I'd end up bald 🤣
MightyMeerkat · 02/10/2021 09:31

@MakeMeCleanTheHouse

We've got an issue with chewing. I'm sure he's teething but think he is going to destroy a lot before it stops
Mine is 16 weeks and teething and is chewing like made too. She likes munching ice cubes, I think it soothes her gums a bit, so I use them to distract her when she starts on the furniture.
Original poster
MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 02/10/2021 09:36

Just given him a frozen carrot

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GuyFawkesDay · 02/10/2021 09:41

16/17 weeks here too, chewing everything. We have been freezing kongs and they seem to help, along with carrots, the rubber treat ball and everything else he can get hold of.

tizwozliz · 02/10/2021 09:44

I need to make a new batch of ice cubes, I boil a chicken breast and use the water for ice cubes and the chicken for training treats.

Lifeishitsometimes · 02/10/2021 09:50

That's a really good idea about the chicken breasts. I'm going to do that. Sick of being chewed and worse ..

I'm so tired. Not owing to pup really. She is sleeping well at night but I'm menopausal and seem to have got into a habit of waking at 4 or 5 and being awake from then. By 530 I've given up trying to sleep as I know she will be up at 615 for a wee and a poo.

TheBigMacDougal · 02/10/2021 10:31

Sympathies to those with chewers. Mac is 17 weeks and think he lost his first tooth last week. He actually seems less interested in his chews but think that might be because he’s bored of them and needs different ones. We have lamb braids, puzzles and beef tails but he’s not laying and going at them for long, just carries them around has a nibble and leaves them 🙄🤦🏼‍♀️

My DH was of the opinion that if the kids were older it would be better with the dog and they’d help out. The comments here tell me I was right to tell him that was bollocks. Our two are 4 and 7 and give him a fuss, throw a toy and give him his dinner occasionally and I can imagine even that will fade out.

DH has only picked up one poo and I know we’ve been through over 100 bags, so that’s a fun stat to keep track of 😂. At least he did the kids nappies I guess.

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