Puppy survival thread. Oct/Nov fireworks!

[sandwiches77]

New thread...

@GuyFawkesDay this is partly why we don't let pup on sofa as when she was younger and used to get on there she'd occasionally growl at us when we told her to get off so we said no we're not having her on there at all don't want her thinking she owns the sofa lol. She now only jumps on it to look out the window if people go past which we are trying to stop as well as she's scratching it with her claws!

@GuyFawkesDay I wouldn't worry too much about play bowing etc she's prob trying to entice you to play. Maybe try to encourage her with a long toy instead so she doesn't jump at you. Or pre empt her wanting to play and get in there first and offer her a toy before she can do it to you but it's prob easier said than done as they always want to play at a time when you are doing something else!

Those with slightly older lab puppies, when did they learn to do stairs? (assuming they have). We're still having to carry pup down in the morning!

Merlin has done stair for weeks and weeks. I reckon if you didn't carry Ada she'd do them rather than not be downstairs. I used to hover a couple of steps ahead to intercept any 'fast descent' 😆 but he's up and down all the time.

She'll go up no problem, it's coming down again. She sits forlornly at the top of the stairs if you leave her, she's managed one step down from the top with the aid of liver pate.

My retriever never got over his stair fear, he used to crash down them at top speed but anywhere new I'd have to bounce the giant lummox down the first few on my lap til he decided to crash down the rest.

Hi. Not been on for a while but just noticed the discussion about not getting in the sofa. We have been bringing turquoisepup into lounge a bit during fireworks and she does occasionally make a try to come on the sofa and we tell her to get down on her mat and give her a treat for it. Is this what others do? Not really sure how else to discourage coming on the sofa.

In other news we got a flirt pole to work on impulse Control and she absolutely loves it. A little too much perhaps

@Turquoisesol how do you do that?

Going to have to chuck my sofa buddy off I think. Might invest in a house line as he's being a tinker at the moment. I can divert him from the jumping/biting into a sit and watch and DD8 can but the boys.... hopeless. They're just like each other. Am going to ask instructor at puppy school tonight about it.

Well it does work getting her off the sofa and if she is on her mat we occasionally Chuck a treat down so she hopefully starts to think the mat is the best place to be. But I am not sure how it works long term. I don’t want to be forever treating her for sitting on her mat. I am hoping she eventually just automatically prefer the mat and gives up on the sofa. But as she is my first dog I don’t know if this will ever happen. I am reluctant to tell her off as I don’t really think that’s very nice and not really in our ethos. I think the trick may be to catch them before they jump on to sofa and divert them

My puppy will sometimes try to get on the sofa when we are sitting there, though he doesn’t seem that interested if the sofa is unoccupied. We usually say, “Off” and have him sit/lie down on the floor or his bed. That usually works, but admittedly his willingness to comply with the “off” command is a work in progress, though our bigger challenge is jumping up on people rather than the sofa.

We have a small old wicker sofa in the kitchen which we do allow her on. And to be honest she doesn’t really spend much time on and actively prefers the floor. So I am tempted to just let it go. But I have a feeling the comfy lounge sofas she will like better

I use "off" command if she gets on the sofa but ideally I don't want her on it in the first place. Yes the key is definitely to distract before they get on which is fine if you are in the room at that exact moment as I can tell when mine is going to jump on to look out the window so I can distract and redirect before she does it. However, if I'm in the kitchen I can't see when she is going to jump on to stop her before - I know the key then would be not to allow her in the room if I'm not in it but that's not always practical if she can't be in the kitchen when I'm cooking/eating/doing something like play-doh with dd that she can't get lol then she is in the front room. She is better if the blinds are shut as she doesn't see anyone go past to jump up and look at but DH won't have window film up so it's just constant management.

Hope everyones weekends weren't too bad with fireworks. TerrorPup dealt with them much, much better than we were expecting. She was ok-ish last year (we bought her home the day the November lockdown was announced and all our neighbours had impromptu firework parties on her first evening home). However a lot of her anxieties around separation starting at 10 months old so we really weren't sure how she would be. But in general looked up a few times, barked at the ones she could see out of the window but snoozed the evenings away. She wasn't happy in the garden unless she was on a lead, but on a lead she was trotting round as normal.

RE sofas, we gave up on sofa access at around 8 months old. She will now sleep pretty solidly from 9am to 6pm with a Kong at lunch if she's on the sofa so I just can't argue with that!

In other news, taking this opportunity to remind you all to back up your phones. I had mine stolen on Friday and have lost 90% of the puppy photos and videos.

We used a firm ‘off’ with Billy and ridiculously over praise him for going on his raised bed. I always tell him ‘bed’ so that he doesn’t just know what not to do but he knows what he can do instead. It’s starting to work as a couple of times at the weekend he started to hunch into a jump and then thought better of it. The trouble is, because he’s so big and likes to stretch out to sleep, the sofa is the most comfy option for him. We have to keep the living room doors closed when we’re not in or he will jump on and go to sleep.

I’m really proud of Billy today. I only had one appointment for work so I took him with me and afterwards we went of a long walk on Fleetwood beach. He saw loads of other dogs but instead of running up to them, he looked to me for permission. I called him away from a few who wee on their leads and he came straight away but he had a really good play with the most beautiful American bulldog crossed with something stripy. He looked like a piece of wood! And a few good sniffs with smaller dogs. He’s knackered now 😂.

Can anyone recommend any cheaper Nina Ottosson style puzzles? They’re so expensive for what they are and how long they last til they need the next level!

How do you get dried poop off fur?! There's a huge lump! he has the groomers tomorrow might be a job for thema

We have a few Nina ottoson puzzles and to be honest we don’t use them much. She finds them a bit frustrating. It does keep her occupied a bit but I don’t think she actually enjoys them

We love having Newboy with us on the sofa.
Speaking to DH last night, I wondered what we'll do when Newboy reaches full size and we both agreed we'll get a bigger sofa!

I'm ashamed to say I've given up trying to keep ours off the sofa, which I feel guilty about because i know getting on and off it is not good for her joints. We tried a ramp but this was ignored for bouncing on and off

@LadyCatStark we've got one of the dog puzzles (the one with the bones and the slidy compartments with doors). Expensive. Kept her entertained for about 5 minutes. Definitely not worth it. I roll bits of sprat into a toilet tube and a bit of waste paper - lasts longer! Freeze sprats into ice... it's all quite sprat based :)
Putting bits of food inside a plastic drinks bottle with no lid keeps her going for a bit.

Hey folks! We welcomed our second dog, rescue puppy at the weekend. Our other dog was a rescue at 18 months and she’s been pretty easy and is mellowing out into a very chill dog despite being a mix of two challenging breeds.

I knew we were in for it with a puppy but bloody heck he’s wild! He’s a collie/spaniel cross (our current dog is similar working dog mix so we are prepared for a lot!) and I just can’t imagine getting to a stage with him where he listens to basic commands. If a treat appears he is frantic. Paws up on everything and wants anything and everything in your hand.

Our older dog was a dream, knew basics, she’s always been polite around food and picked up lots of other tricks with ease which helped us bond with her.

I am hoping he’s just settling into our home and the routine will kick in and he will chill out but I feel at such a loss at the moment. Any ideas? He’s getting the exercise he needs for his age, we’re making sure he sleeps and using some snuggle mats etc to work his brain.

Well I went Dogfather with the sofa issue this evening. Definitely if DD sits on one side he jumps up and tries to bite herm think he's under the impression it's his 'spot'. So nipping it on the bud. Gave "off" command which he did eventually after barking at me, but tried to jump straight back on so I have been blocking him saying "no" arms folded etc whilst he has jumped and gone for ankles etc. My hockey goalkeeper skills came in very useful. Eventually he did a sit and I went full OTT children's TV presenter with the praise. After a few rounds of this over an hour he has walked off and was licking lips and head down which is submissive so loads of praise and cuddles and he's calmed right down and gone for a nap!! It was actually what we needed to do as he's definitely getting a bit teenage bolschy. Don't agree with force but I do like this technique of block access and repeat repeat repeat until they twig and then heap on the praise for the right behaviour. I don't mind him on the sofa but he needs to ask to come up by sitting and waiting or be invited up, not assume it's his place.

So....round one to me.

I've been feeling very overwhelmed with it this week as he is just not listening to other members of the family.

Puppy school will be fun 😩🙄

How old is your new puppy @Rollaroundtheclock? I would imagine he is still very unsettled and finding his feet in a new environment. Hopefully he will get on well with your other dog and follow her example.

@bargelights he’s 16 weeks so slightly older than most pups would go home. He’s been with his litter mates until now. Older dog (2.5) and him are doing ok, she had a stressful weekend with the fireworks so we’ve made sure she’s had her space although their interactions have been ok. She’s told him off a couple of times but in a measured way and he has responded well. We’ve had other rescues but not a puppy so this is slightly different territory for us.

The sofa...ah yes. It was going to be a complete no go zone but I really like a cuddle...
I've taken pup to the pub for lunch today. He barked angrily several times (feed me? walk me? entertain me???) . I wish I could stop that.