Puppy survival thread. Nov. Read this and buy a hamster instead

[WomblingKnobhead]

Or a rabbit, or a goldfish, or a cuddly toy.

I definitely haven’t got the puppy 4 Christmas presents… plus treats, plus two presents for my parents dog, plus presents for the horse

….can you tell I don’t have children?

@LostFrog thanks for the reply.

He's not waking for the toilet, it's definitely company that he's after. My tactic had been plonking him outside so that he hopefully learnt that if I'm coming downstairs in the night the only thing that happens is the toilet. No games, no fuss, no conversation, no cuddles. He went because he could, not because he needed to, if that makes sense.

Set up is a crate, but when him being unsettled started we left the crate door unlatched so that he can get into the attached pen. Our house is very open plan and from day 1 he's been in the crate in the living room, so the idea behind the pen was to give him a bit of additional freedom while also preventing him getting to things he shouldn't!

Last night he was settled in his favourite spot on the floor so we decided to risk it and leave him there while we went to bed. He stayed downstairs for long enough for us both to get ready for and into bed, and then he was up in our room, settled in the corner and asleep before I was!

He barely moves and we don't know he's there so the temptation is there to just let that be where he sleeps for an easy life, but out bedroom is also the only room that is truly ours, our sanctuary I guess, and I'm keen to keep it that way. Stupid perhaps bit hey ho!

@Handsfullofholes 2 presents for ours (plus a new harness on order - that's a necessity, though ). I know that DM, DF, MIL&FIL, BIL&SIL, have all also bought for him.

@LadyShrek2k19 I think I would just shut the pen if that is where you want him to sleep. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have rooms you don’t want the dog in, ours is only little but even in future I don’t want him upstairs.

I've got AwesomePup a few presents. There's a deer leg, a large yak chew (he might get this on Christmas Eve when my parents are here), a chuckit and a tough frisbee thing. I am looking for a longer lasting chew though, as he can get through the largest yak chews in about an hour and they're expensive!!! The ostrich bone lasted a week before we had to remove it due to him chewing sharp shards off it.

@MsFestiveReindeer (took a while to work out who you are!) Billy’s buffalo horn is still going strong after months. It’s his go to for chewing too.

Billy has a set of agility equipment, 2 soft toys that we bought before he was able to destroy toy in seconds, A Nerf duck that you can pull back and it flies off for him to fetch, a doggy rugby ball (DS’s choice), a Friendly collar (not so I can let him run up to other dogs but so other dogs are more likely to run up to us!), a pigs ear and a pork roll and some doggy white chocolate buttons. He has more to open than me and DH! He even has special wrapping paper with dogs on 😂🙈😳.

For ages now when I've taken mine out to toilet in the dark I've had him on the long line. I don't know why I didn't do this before!

Oh and here’s a picture of actual Christmas morning!

That was to the poster who said theirs won't come back in.
I was never going to let mine upstairs but my god I've slept well since he's been in my sons room!

Ada has a couple of soft toys, 2 Kong type things, a new ostrich bone and a puzzle game. She's had some things already though as we're away on holiday and I forgot her Kong

Omg I think I need to get to the pet shop

I might get him a chew. All the chews say he needs to be 16 weeks but I am a bit , he is happily eating raw duck neck, chicken wings etc and I think he does need to chew, he is going for the chair legs at the moment!

Would be happy to hear puzzle feeder recommendations. They last approximately 30 seconds in this house cos he either works them out or knocks them over and the stuff spills anyway.

FawkesPup has a Kong wobbl, a tug e nuff toy for out on walks to help recall, some treats and a chuckit ball. Mainly because he's lost all the tennis balls or taken the fluff off them so these might last longer (I hope!)

@LostFrog - I'm sure a lot of the JR products chews, like lamb braids, beef bladder twists etc. say suitable from 12 weeks

@LostFrog Yes we have a very chilled out Christmas as standard but even more so this year for the boys arrival.

I am feeling very pleased with breed choice (British Bulldog) he is hyper when awake but loves big sleeps. I was up twice last night but he slept in a basket full of thick blankets and a big cushion and could be left- trying to mimic warmth from siblings. At 5am when DH was getting ready for work, I brought him up in his basket to the bedroom so I could carry on sleeping. Was bloody brilliant!!

I’m so looking forward to giving the pup his presents. He is getting a new rope toy, a stuffed toy/puzzle thing, some special Xmas treats, and a fleece blanket with his name monogrammed on it. I wouldn’t have gone out of my way to get a monogrammed item but the place I ordered it from offered it for free and I couldn’t resist. DH said, “You know the pup can’t read, don’t you?” I said not yet!

@LadyCatStark let me know how the nerf duck is I've been looking at that! Pup has a unicorn tug toy, a zebra toy and a new snake. I'm sure she'll be in heaven shredding all the wrapping paper and boxes though!

@LadyShrek2k19 def put pup on lead to go in garden for toilet at night so can't run off playing silly buggers! Can you leave an old top of yours in crate/pen so can smell you? Ours sleeps in my teen's room but this is downstairs, if his bedroom was upstairs pup wouldn't be up there. The only downside is when my son had a sleepover at grandparents pup whined for him for ages as obv used to company...

Ada tried to jump a cattle grid from a sitting start today Luckily no damage done (she didn't make it!) but think it was a minute or so of worry for the other half. I was dealing with a poo bag so didn't witness

@Aria20 I will do. I think DS will have more fun with it than Billy 😂.

God I am loving having lots of dog walking time on hols. It's just lovely. FawkesPup is being mainly a good lad but he stole some pizza tonight. Luckily it was a low fat one with very little cheese on but I don't think it'll do much harm. He's coped so well with people in/out the house and all the changes Christmas brings. He's been amazing really. I do bloody love his floppy eared stinky arsed self.

Done a stuffed holee ball today and it's brilliant!! He's so happy doing this. Manky old fleece strips, a small treat in each strip. 20 minutes peace and mental stimulation for the dog

Oo that’s a good idea @GuyFawkesDay
Thank you for sharing

@MsFestiveReindeer - I've found the yak chews really variable, the last Yakers brand one we had seemed really soft and Ada got through it in no time despite not being a heavy chewer. The latest one we have is a different brand and infused with turmeric and still going strong after 10 days (it's in a kong we mislaid and I eventually found it in the garden having been well chewed by rats, I cut it down and it makes a good holder)

We also have a Christmas holee ball and our GR is absolutely thrilled with it. Quite amusing when she is trying to throw it with her mouth, but has a paw stuck through the honeycomb structure...

Merry Christmas everyone. Our Christmas operates on Danish time so we ate and opened presents last night.

Pup was a bit vocal during dinner (roast meat is always something she wants to be involved in) but excellent during present opening. She didn't touch her presents until it was her turn for opening and was pleased with everything she got! Did her trick repertoire for my niece and nephew in Australia whilst we talked with them then chewed on her new ostrich bone until bedtime.

Hopefully a long walk today, although it sounds quite windy outside right now.