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

[MakeMeCleanTheHouse]

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.

Newboy is 14 weeks today and has celebrated by presenting us with a poo and wee free kitchen this morning 🙌🏻

Obviously a one off .........

[quote TheBigMacDougal]@GuyFawkesDay I know what you mean about preferring them. I didn’t want a puppy, I wanted a dog so the puppy bit is just a necessary evil to get the dog. I felt the same way about the kids and didn’t like the baby stage 🤷🏼‍♀️

I went out last night for the first time since we got him. Pretty sure I’m still drunk after 6 hours sleep and way too much wine 🥴 looking forward to a dog walk to wake me up in a bit![/quote]
Couldn't agree more with this! Definitely'getting through' the baby bit to get to the good stuff, and I was much the same with my babies!

I loved my babies as babies, but they are definitely more interesting as they get older. I'm looking forward to then being fully fledged adults (dd1 is 22, but didn't seem to be a fully functioning adult yet due to illness). That's the same with the puppy for me too. I love him as a puppy but I'm looking forward to having an adult dog, who doesn't need me to be training him every day (because he'll have the basics down) and can come on longer walks with me.

We went for a walk in the woods yesterday and he had a lovely play for ages with a very friendly dog who appeared out of nowhere without any sign of a person. The owner arrived about 5-10 minutes later saying "I've been whistling for ages and he didn't come back". It's a good job both dogs (mine as well as his) were friendly and compatible for playing!!! His dog is just over a year old and is "selectively deaf", so keep him in sight!!!!!!!!! Possibly even use a long lead until his recall is bomb proof. I can tell we'll have to go back to the long lead again soon, as AwesomePup's recall is less good than it was (still better than this other dogs though).

@MsAwesomeDragon yes I'm back to the bloody long line. I hate it! We get tangled around trees and bins lol and despite being a biothane one it still gets filthy! I can let her off in our local field when I know it's either empty or her dog friends are there as then she'll run around til she's tired then come back! I hope recall comes back soon 😩

@BaconAndAvocado that's great fingers crossed it continues!

@tizwozliz interesting article. We mostly use a rope ball that's attached to a rope as I find it easier to throw or play tug with. She has however had other balls on occasion, felt tennis balls and various bouncy rubber balls.

@Aria20 any recommendations for where to get a biothane long lead....I've got a cheap webbing one and it's rank. Permanently wet. Does the job but it's really disgusting!!

@GuyFawkesDay I got the "Toozey long training line" on Amazon. I've got the bright orange 10metre one.

We've got the same one as @Aria20. Except I think I went for the 20m (which is rather long!!!!) And ours is bright yellow. It's a nightmare in the woods, but I quite like it in open spaces.

It's good they are bright so people can see them but def still a trip hazard as my 3yo has been knocked over when pup has suddenly darted off!

We use these BALL

I think Makemepup has deteriorated in everything. Now waking twice a night and we were up at 6.40am despite a late night and busy day. Completely house trained...but he did both at puppy class and since then has twice peed in the hallway at home. His recall and Drop is not rock solid (it was) and he's bitey arsey and a bit frantic if not given attention. 😞 Last night I felt quite miserable till I'd medicated with two cocktails.

We did however travel on the train for an hour, walk for 30 mins and he sat in a restaurant (outside area) and was petted, met a 6 month old baby who loved him, didn't poo or wee (there is a god) or bark. I felt on edge throughout and was managing with food, drinks, regular strolls outside, dead animal parts etc... the dead animal parts is responsible for the toxic fumes expelled on the way home. It would have emptied a train carriage or they'd have thrown me off the train. Unfortunately for my son in law he offered me a lift. Big pup spawled on his back seat, windows wide open whilst he farted all the way home.

So at 6.40am I took him to the beach and he had long swims and a good walk. I've just done flitting and he let me leave the house without following and I sat on the stair for 20 mins whilst he slept on the sofa.

I might medicate again tonight as it certainly helped me

Sounds like everyone is having fun!

We're doing alright here, and I got a lie in till 730. Straight trhough from 9.30. I gave her two walks and a raw egg on her evening meal, plus a little supper snack just before bed to flush a poo and a wee out. The only other time she's slept so long is after a sunday roast.

I think I really should have listened more closely to the breeder's feeding recommendations though, in particular the bit about feeding gradually increasing quantities as the day goes on. It's taken me five weeks to realise this makes her sleep better. Duh! She's always a picky bugger at breakfast unless the food is laced with something tasty.

In less good news she has taken to barking in restaurants if people aren't petting her or giving her attention. She is an attention-seeker extraordinaire.

Hi all. Brodie the Dachshund is 14 weeks old and has slept all night in his crate since the very first night we had him. I slept in the lounge close by for about a week and then went back to the bedroom which is on the same floor. The last two nights he just won’t settle and cries/barks.

I won’t leave him to cry but also not sure getting up to him is the answer. Any tips? Wondering whether to go back to sleeping in the lounge with him for a few nights?

@MakeMeCleanTheHouse - I'm keeping my fingers crossed our extra wake ups are down to teething so I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too! We've never had rock solid recall or drop so nothing for us to lose there.

Training this morning and she was great at doing what she should once we got her attention, still very easily distracted however and totally deaf to whatever you're saying if something more exciting has grabbed her interest (and just about everything seemed to come under the more exciting banner this morning). Nevermind sexier than a squirrel, I can't even compete with grass and insects!

Little ratbag has just stolen and eaten a chunk of butter. Debating whether she should have dinner on top!

My dog has expensive taste.... took some small chopped up bits of left over steak in tonight's walk.... recalled every time sadly we rarely have steak so it's not something I can use daily!

Lol @Aria20

@PhoboPhobia I'm assuming this is in the night rather than settling? I'd try just letting him in the garden then returning him to his crate each time...tedious ....without conversation but just quiet reassurance

@tizwozliz hope this doesn't affect the poo! 😲

My lad living his best life

He looks very happy there @MakeMeCleanTheHouse.

AwesomePup is still vomiting at least once a day here. I've got him booked in to the vets on Tuesday as there were no earlier appointments, and it doesn't feel like an emergency like it did last weekend. We're also seeing red bits under his eyes like his bottom lids are drooping. He's always had that when he's been tired, but it's more often now, which leads us to think it's not really normal so might need a check.

DD bought him a new toy today, it's a monster from B&M which is fluffy and squeaky. He's absolutely delighted with it, but I think I might need to confiscate it to stop him reading the fluff 🤦

Eyes and red bits and vomiting really makes me think allergies but that is based on humans and not canine...

I have nothing informed to offer @PhoboPhobia but hope it is better tonight.

That's worrying @MsAwesomeDragon. I wonder if he's just irritated his stomach and it's taking awhile to settle.

It might well be allergies. Hopefully the vet will be able to get to the bottom of it. He has now killed his new monster. He made a hole in it so I removed the stuffing from inside. Now he has completely decapitated the poor monster. I think no more stuffed toys for AwesomePup.

I'm hoping it's just a bit of an irritated stomach. But it's about a week now so I had thought he would be better by now. It's only a couple of times a day, generally around lunchtime, so it seems really weird. He's on strictly rice and chicken as that's supposed to be nice and bland for his sensitive tummy.

@MsAwesomeDragon could be a chicken sensitivity!! Could you swap to turkey?? My loves to make holes in soft toys. I try to sew them back up to salvage them as she does love a soft toy best of all!

Chicken and rice are both know allergens. I've discovered my pup can't cope with rice. Chicken is ok but think it is a problem for a lot of dogs. We are currently.on a chicken 'meal' feed (bleeeurgh, Royal Canin, looks shiny, rubbish ingredients....) but moving away from it as she doesn't like it that much and having smelled it I don't blame her.

According to my friend who knows and to be honest she really does... Dogs are not obligate carnivores and will have a go.at most things, however she reckons they need at least 70% protein and the rest veg, carbs, etc. But not necesarily grains.