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

[WomblingKnobhead]

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

OMG @pardonmytits what a morning!

Billy is all grown up sob. He cocked his leg for the first time on our lunchtime walk! Does that mean I get kicked off this thread??

Labs especially are still puppies until at least 18 months so I think you're welcome to stay @LadyCatStark

Ada is no longer growing before our eyes but she must be getting bigger as her harness is now a bit small. Need to sort out a replacement.

Christmas gifts have arrived, I plan to wrap them with a treat and she'll have a Christmas treasure hunt.

RE separation, we are under a behaviourist for this so can share what we have learnt.

TerrorPup was always a bit velcro, things go worse when she had to go in for a dental operation at 6 months but we started to remark progress. Then for whatever reason she went to bed one night (crate downstairs), started crying 5 mins later and from there we really struggled. Haven't managed to get her to sleep alone since (this was in mid July) and she absolutely couldn't cope with being left. When we did our first assessment with the behaviourist she was so anxious she would react if we stood up from the sofa. Our starting from the beginning was literally just standing up. Then getting across the room. Then out of the stairgate. It took nearly a month for us to get out of the front door. We're now up to around 5 minutes outside, it really is taking it gradually that is key. We had a couple of regressions after our holiday and then her second season, but she is so, so much more relaxed. Maybe one day we'll get our date night!

I’m sorry for those of you with puppy mishaps though at least you can see the funny side! @pardonmytits my pup once got his head stuck in a cardboard box. Of course I removed it right away but he was perfectly happy with it on his head. I regret not taking a picture!

Shortly after I posted yesterday, the pup stopped coughing completely. So I guess it wasn’t kennel cough after all. Quite a relief but the coughing remains a mystery.

He cocked his leg for the first time on our lunchtime walk! Does that mean I get kicked off this thread

I wondered when this kicked in! My first reaction (as a newbie) when I saw Freddy squat was to wonder if we'd been sold a girl pup

TerrierOrTerror - that's really helpful, I'm definitely going to give that a try. Fred has been at my son's house overnight and has not settled at all - crying, barking and an upset tummy. He knows my son really well, but I suspect he's been pining for me which can't continue to this extent.

pardonmytits - I probably shouldn't laugh, but oh my goodness!!

@SirChenjins Billy has just turned 8 months. The first time he tried it, he wobbled and had to put his foot down but he tried again and managed it 😂.

@tizwozliz glad I can stay! I’ve bought Billy his Christmas presents too and my sister is going to make him a stocking as she’s very good at things like that and her MIL has a machine that can embroider pictures and writing. They made DS’s stocking when he was 1 and he’s used it ever since 🥰.

That's so funny LadyCatStark . I wonder how they know to cock their legs - surely they can't be watching other dogs and decide to give it a go?

And on the cocking the legs front. TerrorPup does it. TerrorPup is a girl. It tends to go everywhere.

I have no idea! I’m 100% certain he’s never seen another dog do it. I love how intuitive dogs are. How do they know how to swim? How do they know to bury their chews? How do they know to do the gun dog stance when they’re stalking out a bird etc? They’re so clever!

Haha @TerrierOrTerror😂

My last dog never lifted his leg to pee. He was a rescue and had been neutered very young (probably too young) before we brought him home. I always assumed the two things were connected.

@LadyCatStark I am also in awe of dogs' instincts. When I watch my pup playing, I marvel at how many of his behaviours are hardwired for herding. If we happened to have a flock of sheep handy, I'm certain he would instinctively know what to do. Mind you, I could do without the habit of nipping our heels as though we were recalcitrant sheep!

Oh god is forgotten about leg cocking!!!

Today's new thing: gloves are not hands. They are biting toys that FawkesPup must bounce on the pavement like on a pogo stick to grab at. FFS!!!

@pardonmytits spaniels!!! Such a good story!!

Our old border collie herded everything on instinct. Amazing to watch. She herded us on walks.

FawkesPup is flushing game, and does the gundog poses

I always assumed dogs cocked their legs when their testicles had grown (in their heads) to the sort of size they needed more room or to be displayed whilst spreading one's scent...

(Bit like manspreading on the train but hopefully that is without scenting)

Long walk, cold swim. Merli unimpressed by water temperature and choppy waves and got out and ran off with his floatie in a definite "you're not chucking that in there again!"

I'm now speaking to DH. He's bought another camera for the living room which makes me wonder if he's anticipating a repeat performance 🤔 🙄

@WomblingKnobhead at manspreading comparison!!

I met a friend with her dog who is 18 months for a long, very cold walk! Pup has been asleep since we got home 2.5 hours ago lol. She had great fun bouncing around with him, although she did not want to share a stick she found in the undergrowth with him....I made her drop it and quickly walked on lol. She always seems to find sticks and want to bring them home but I'm always paranoid about the horror stories you hear of dogs getting their eyes poked out with sticks or jabbed in their throat. I bought her fake sticks and similar things to carry as she seems to like carrying them more than anything else but only a real stick will do

We appear to have hit teendom. Asked for "drop" today of a used disposable face mask. He just looked at me and carried on chewing 😩

He then blindly ignored my recall whistle to play with his mate.

@WomblingKnobhead, I think you’re probably right, Billy’s “dangly bits” have become a lot more, well, dangly this week. As a woman, they look bloody uncomfortable, I couldn’t be doing with them banging around my legs as I walked or ran!

I filled up a washing up bowl the other day with the idea that I was going to wash pup's feet in it when we got back from walks as they've been gritting the road we walk along. Didn't manage to get anywhere near washing her paws but it's her new favourite drinking receptacle since it hasn't rained to fill up her outside puddles.

@tizwozliz what is it about dirty puddle water? how mine has not contracted something revolting yet, I do not know. Plenty of fresh drinking water at home. But that's not good enough. Oh no.

Following intently, 9 week old working cocker spaniel here. We picked him up last week. He’s been sleeping exceptionally well, and we have mastered sit, but slightly worried about our current lack of recall in the garden

We’ve been doing “enforced nap time” in the crate, which I feel bad about but he won’t sleep outside of the crate as he gets FOMO and we have to deal with a bitey monster!

@Handsfullofholes welcome! Please post pic of gorgeous puppy for us all to coo over!

Spaniels have epic fomo. Mine is dreadful but he is the best snuggler.

If it helps we had no real recall til much later. They need to learn their name and we use "come" as the command. The good thing you always get a quick learner with a spaniel.

@Handsfullofholes I look back at those early weeks and the stress I put myself under to train him. 5 mins here and there and don't worry.

Evening in the pub with him asleep on the floor all through my steak and ale pie and a bitter. Result

@LadyCatStark I wonder about PoirotPup’s hormones sometimes. He hasn’t jumped anything and hasn’t attempted to cock his leg to pee or mark anything…. He’s 9 months now so don’t know if that’s normal or if it matters!

@MrsHerculePoirot I would count your blessings lol. One of my mums boy dogs marks everything!! I took him for a walk with mine the other day, we were only out 20 mins if that and he did 11 wees!! I counted! Mine did 1 wee lol. Literally every lamp post or patch of grass we passed he cocked his leg...by then end it was just a dribble but it was like a compulsion he just had to mark everything!

@tizwozliz mine would so do that if I filled a bowl up for paws...

Anyone else wish dogs could wear wellies?! It would make it so much easier to just take the wellies off outside and not have to try and clean muddy paws constantly...I swear my dog has furry slippers as her paws just seem to absorb mud and no matter how thorough a clean I think I've done still more mud comes out!