Puppy Survival Thread: surviving into 2022

[LadyCatStark]

The other thread is full and I can’t see a new one! Hope it’s OK to start one. I’m actually barely surviving puppyhood, actually teenagerhood, this week 🤬😡😭.

Please can I join? Just paid a deposit on this lovely boy.

@chocolatesaltyballs22 what an adorable fluffball!

@florafaunaforest I think a lot of the behaviour you are describing is very typical for the age. How much sleep is he getting during the day? When puppies get a bit nippy it can mean they are overtired or overstimulated. Can you enforce naps at regular intervals? When you say you punish him, what do you mean? I have no problem saying a firm no and stepping into a different room for a minute but I wouldn't punish him.

The barking could be excitement and eagerness to play rather than aggression. Your pup is very young and I would imagine hasn't learned proper doggy manners yet. As for only following commands if you have a treat in your hand, that is quite common and nothing to worry about IMO.

It can be very stressful to raise a young puppy. This thread is very supportive. You can usually find someone who has been through whatever you are going through. And just remember: this too shall pass.

@certainshepherdpups thank you - it's a relief to think it's typical for his age... By punishment I mean a "No" and being taken off the sofa / away from the person that he's biting. Of course we would never hurt him in any way! He on/off naps during the day, but is definitely more nippy around a lot of people or a new environment, so I guess it'll just take time. I'm hoping time around other pups will help his behaviour too.

I get quite stressed when I get "looks" or tuts from other people he passes in the street when he yaps or lunges in their direction (never from people with dogs though - they probably understand)!

Pup is out with her new dog walker today. Old one changed what she was offering and no longer doing ad-hoc walks so trying someone new. Walked off with her without looking back.

@tizwozliz that’s good! Confident little pup! No way I could subject a poor dog walker to Blahpup right now. He nearly had my arm out the socket this morning with excitement when we reached the bus stop because there was so many people to speak to!!

Well done tizwozliz, what a good pup!

That sounds like our walks Blah, he absolutely loves going out but his favoured style of walking is zig zagging across the pavement or path, jumping in excitement and would far rather be running than walking 😂 my arms hurt!!

Remember she's a teenager not a little pup now. Yours are just babies in comparison

Too true @tizwozliz. I’m hoping I can continue the walks myself as desperately need the exercise but if I get called into work I may have to give him over to some poor soul!

TerrorPup is definitely better than last week. No idea what it was but glad it passed quickly.

She's had a great weekend. Took her out shopping (SA dog life!), she was pretty good particularly in a farmer's market we visited. There was a dog treat company so she did take us to that stall and insisted we buy her a few things. Yesterday we did a breed meetup and wore her out to the point she fell asleep on the station platform waiting for the train home. This was the dog who not that many months ago lost her mind if she was people or dogs as she was so keen to say hi, so a lying down on a busy platform with people passing is amazing. She wouldn't be able to do that having not had a run around but still!

We don't really need a dog walker, but wanted a back up plan if there is suddenly any reason we can't walk her. This lady does boarding as well so good to get to know her. She's going out once a week with 3 other labs from the same family.

She's just got back and got a good report, recall was amazing apparently although she wouldn't sit for a photo. No surprises there, she's the same with me. I can get her to sit on cut tree trunks, benches, big rocks etc. sit nicely on the floor in front of me - no chance!

@TerrierOrTerror I keep telling myself these things will pass but he is just crazy. To the point that the usual people who would speak to him there have started just ignoring him or walking off. 😂 maybe that’s good though!

flora, that all sounds totally normal.

The treat thing- it is a good idea to randomise it. so administer the treat in a closed hand, where the dog can not see it. Sometimes reward, sometimes don't. The uncertainty is addictive and its own reward. It's the same psychological thingee that keeps people addicted to slot machines.

@chocolatesaltyballs22 AWWWWW. What is he?

@ABitBesotted he's a Cavapoo - mum is a Cavapoo and dad is a Miniature Poodle. He was the only white pup in the litter.

He’s just beautiful

@chocolatesaltyballs22 - he's gorgeous!! You must be so excited

We feel like we've taken a few steps back with ChenPup. He'd been doing so well with sleeping away from us - he'd taken himself off to his spot on the floor in front of the radiator in the kitchen at night time, so we decided to leave him there. He'd been absolutely fine, until last night when he went into DD's bedroom around 3am and woke her up - someone must have left the kitchen door open . She has a full day shift today so is very tired at work now, and when she came downstairs found he'd pooed loads in the hallway and kitchen - not an upset stomach and no barking to get out, he'd just decided that was the place to go. I was mopping and wiping at 6.30am, a great start to my working week

Well @florafaunaforest you are now no longer alone. Blahpup (17 weeks on Wednesday) has woken at 5 this morning for the loo and now howling. Just waiting for DC to wake up. He also spent yesterday ignoring me, biting my slippers and being put “on the naughty step” for it, chewing everything in sight and generally being a complete pain. I’m putting it down to teething. Three of his baby teeth have fallen out. It’s the only thing I can think of. Hope it will pass though because I’m not doing 5am every day.

to all who need it.

My pup also had an accident yesterday evening, having been fine for a couple of weeks.

She is biting chunks of plaster out of the kitchen wall every chance she gets.

@Blahblahblah40 oh no.... awful isn't it. My pup also ignoring me! 17 weeks is not fun. Although the waking is hopefully a short phase for you too, as my pup is now back to waking at his normal 6am which is a relief in comparison to the 3am starts...

Solidarity everyone - mine has woken up today as the devil dog, horrid rain too! Biting everything in sight, delightful new habit of digging up the cat poo and eating it, constant scratching at the door to go out, not listening to anything argh!!! Paid the teenager to take him out for a 10 minute walk while I drink some tea and get myself prepared for the day

@Autumn101 yep our pup loves poo too. Solidarity! He ate and rolled in fox poo on his walk yesterday and he has extremely fluffy fur. The awful weather today doesn't help anything - he's currently leaping around the muddy garden with joy. Why did I make the decision to get a new WHITE rug for the living room delivered today...?!

I’d keep that rug in its packaging a bit longer 😂

@florafaunaforest white....school boy error lol you should have gone for mud/poo brown!

Oh thank goodness @florafaunaforest. I’ve started just dealing with it as if it’s a baby, otherwise I’d just be too annoyed. The barking at 5am not so fun though… good luck with the rug, I have cream (had it before him) and will definitely be having it professionally cleaned once we have gone 8 weeks with no accidents and the weather gets a bit better.

@Autumn101 I’m actually jealous you have a teenager you can pay to walk pup!

Ha ha it’s a small price to pay!! He’s actually been brilliant with the dog this last week during half term - properly bonded with him and got to know him and puppy doesn’t bat an eyelid now if I leave the room when the teen is there, even managed a leisurely bath last night!