Puppy survival thread. Oct/Nov fireworks!

[sandwiches77]

New thread...

Hi all returnoftheowl invited me over to join. Our little girl is 12 weeks old and a German Shepard. She’s very timid little thing. It’s been over 10 years since I did the puppy stage so I feel like I’m finding my feet again.

I need one of these ball things. The waste paper bin (rattan) has taken a beating this morning, and so something else she can destroy is preferable!

We started pup classes last night and I was very underwhelmed (or actually ... overwhelmed). Big, noisy hall with 12 puppies and all their owners. And then the trainer tried to flog us various of her products and recommended spraying lemon water to stop persistent jumping up. I really wish I was brave enough to ask for my money back.

The Hole balls are great, we have a medium one but going to treat her to a large one for her gotcha day this weekend.

For the PP about fireworks, my view is neither option is ideal. I would have someone stay at home with your pup if at all possible. Definitely wouldn't leave them alone. If you do take them I would make sure they have a safe space inside and again someone close by at all times.

Sounds like a very poor trainer @Goawayangryman

@Dumplingpud gorgeous pup. I've always wanted a GSD.

@adoreyou personally I'd just stay home with him sorry. I certainly wouldn't leave him alone. If you decide to go do some desensitisation with him first www.linksvet.co.uk/blog/august-2019/firework-sound-desensitisation?fbclid=IwAR2UES06lsyAz1LiO9_4S3W0GwyjPvKX4eOzz0VBfGglpxqHm9YOG__2whQ

@Aria20 - I think we have a medium and it's fine. You can stuff more into a larger one I guess. Ada's not a serious chewer but she seems to give it a good chomp if I put a treat in there which is too large to fall out the holes and no damage yet. I'm not sure if the bigger ones have bigger holes, so might be more limited there? The medium I can put a single dried venison strip or a fish cube in there which means they're not just gone in a instant.

@Goawayangryman - were you aware there were going to be 12 per class? That's far too many. I'm not sure where you stand on asking for money back but I'm not sure I'd return either way.

12! There are 5 in our class but only 3 last time, it was lovely.

Yeah, I'm really pissed off with the training. I think I can kiss goodbye to the money! lesson learned - ask many questions. I'm soooo annoyed.

Hello! This is blue my 14 week old silver lab. Hoping I can join the thread. We have 2 other dogs but this is our first pure breed and first Labrador.

Definitely hoping I can get some tips to keep her happy, although the other 2 dogs and our DS are great at keeping her busy!

Well isn't she a beaut, @GumsAndTeeth ?! A soulful little face....

@Goawayangryman she’s a very gentle and loving puppy - not like my other two were, I remember them destroying everything in sight including my hands/ clothes. I’m sure as she gets a bit older and more confident it will happen. For now, my old girl Millie does a good job of keeping her in check!

She does have a crate and is fine when we are out the house but at night she likes to free roam so we have a gate on the kitchen and use puppy pads, she won’t wake us to go outside in the garden so there’s normally a bit of mess. Has anyone managed to find a way to get them to wake you up if they’re not crate trained properly? Or is it just something she may stop doing as she gets older and has better bladder control etc. She is great in the day, never an accident but for now I leave the back door open the whole day - something I may not be able to do much longer with the weather changing.

Lovely to see pictures of new puppies.

We received one of those balls and a Kong wobbler yesterday. The pup was in heaven with both of them.

Our last training class was supposed to be yesterday but the trainer cancelled it and postponed it until next week. I’m not sure we will bother. I haven’t been overly impressed with the class or the trainer.

Can I ask how people are finding puppy classes? None of my friends with dogs have used them and I moved away from where I last attended one. Last time I went of friends recommendations but it’s not an option this time?

I think it's difficult without personal recommendations, the puppy classes we went to were just ok and we went elsewhere for the next stages. On paper it was all good, no more than 6 per class, reviews were good, lots of talk about positive reinforcement but just didn't gel with the trainer and there were a couple of aspects I wasn't 100% happy with.

For our follow on classes I found the trainer as they supplied perfect fit harnesses and I'd been following them on social media so I got a good idea of what sort of trainer they were.

Well, my classes last night were crap! Although I have heard from others who have found (different) ones very useful and I'm looking for alternatives.

My plonker of a dog has just eaten a wasp. Watching for signs of airway obstruction. DUH!

@GumsAndTeeth, some people train their dogs to ring a bell when they want to go out. I tried that with our current puppy but he was agitated by the sound of the bell so I put it aside. We may try again though.

We've also been fortunate with our dogs in that they have slept through the night from quite early on without needing to go out. I think that is just the luck of the draw though.

@bargelights I think you’re right regarding luck. My other 2 dogs were sleeping through or waking up once at this point. Sometimes I get up and she has had 2 poos and a couple of wees, mostly on mats but like I say, she’s great in the day so swings and roundabouts.

I don’t think the bell would work here unfortunately, a 1 year old and 2 other dogs and I can see it just being chaos and her not understanding it at all.

We are starting training classes tomorrow, I think more for dog socialisation than anything tbh, I don’t want her to react to dogs/ people all the time on a walk.

sandwichpup seems to be over his sickness bug and eating again. We missed puppy class this week though because of his bug and trying to catch up using YouTube links the trainer sent us.

We are working on sandwichpup sitting to have his lead on and actually walking rather than jumping up and biting his lead pre and during his walk. Hard work though as sandwichpup does like to jump!
Here is sandwichpup "helping" DH while working from home

Well Billy’s first night away was a disaster! He couldn’t settle out of his crate and kept jumping on and off the bed, trying to ‘dig’ us out of our covers and licking our faces. I think he was trying to help! Every time DH moved, snored or (sorry TMI) farted, he had to start the rigmarole again! A particular highlight was him deciding 1am was the time to start chewing his yak chew on our bed. He wouldn’t settle in his crate either and barked which is unlike him and obviously we couldn’t let him bark while he settled as it would disturb the other guests. Our friends’ puppy was exactly the same. We crossed paths at 6am whilst walking them around the grounds both looking very bleary eyed!

During the day time though, his behaviour has be excellent. Today we visited Clarkson’s farm shop and Billy got himself a free sample of Eau De Cow Pat whilst we were waiting in the queue. It’s taken a lot of baby wipes, 2 baths and 4 shampooings with Fox Poo shampoo to get it anywhere near out 🙈.

Oh dear @LadyCatStark hopefully he settles better tonight... how long are you away for?

@Aria20 we were only away for 1 night so he’ll be glad to get back into his normal crate. He slept for 4 hours on the way home so is full of beans now and watching football with DH (the same DH who was ready for disowning him last night 😂).

@Dumplingpud

Can I ask how people are finding puppy classes? None of my friends with dogs have used them and I moved away from where I last attended one. Last time I went of friends recommendations but it’s not an option this time?

We didn't have any personal recommendations so we looked online and booked a kennel club puppy one. Which turned out to be a mistake as the trainer was vile.

I followed a lot of the guides on DTAS re training and found puppy classes tedious as it repeated them but we were weeks ahead. Poor for socialisation as Covid meant 5 in large hall and kept separate.... however she was a good trainer.

Toilet training..,again I followed DTAS which is basically take outside every 20 mins and praise when it happens. No response to accidents indoors. If they don't go in the 20 minute outing carry them and try again 5 mins later until it happens. No puppy pads or bells and no 'free access to the garden". It really is about training them to wait or indicate.

Pup still waking in the night and whines to be let out. Very long wee and poo, straight back to bed and asleep. He obviously needs it but I wish it would stop..,

I bought the large Holee and stuff with old pillowcase and kibble rolled up.

How nice of Billy to make your overnight trip 'memorable' @LadyCatStark 😁 My terror enjoyed a diet of cow pats and rabbit caviar on the moor yesterday.

@LadyCatStark my DH is ready to disown pup due to increase in barking! But apparently restlessness and extra barking is common during heat cycle and also adolescence so I'm hoping it will ease off in a few weeks!

I always think of the puppies and pets on fireworks night. I don’t have any pets but how in all conscience can people let off fireworks knowing animals may die of fright?