Puppy Survival Thread: muddy footprints into Spring 2022

[tizwozliz]

Discussion of all things puppy...

Previous thread here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/4451767-Puppy-Survival-Thread-surviving-into-2022

Teenagers also welcome

My new sanctuary is the field - I’ve booked it everyday!! DC finished early today so we took drinks and snacks, football for them and plenty of leftover roast beef for recall training. Pups is so much better when he can get a decent run off lead - he’s so fast and loves it. Now I need to work out when I’ll ever be brave enough to let him off on walks……

@GuyFawkesDay that all sounds really positive! Well done! They get there in the end hopefully 🤞🏼

He's fundamentally a poppet. The most affectionate, sweet boy. He's just a plank!

We have the same here. She has the brain of a chicken, is somehow convinced she would survive in the outside world without me but cannot bring herself to walk through a door that is even slightly closed in the house 🙄 I have to fully open it for her.

@LadyCatStark what a lovely pic of them walking along together nicely. Wish I knew of a reliable and nice dog to borrow lol.

We were accosted by two huge lively chocolate labs in the woods yesterday - luckily I saw them ahead before my dog did and got her on her lead or I'd have had no chance of recall as when they bounded over she was prancing around and would definitely have run off after them!

Happy National Puppy day everyone!

Exasperated with zoomies today. Once at 7am and once at 1:30pm. Running barking and nipping like mad. definitely my most hated thing.

@tizwozliz

Happy National Puppy day everyone!

Every day is puppy day around here!

We have a very nice neighbour with a sweet but rather badly behaved dog. She always wants our dogs to greet each other. I try to avoid it but today against my better judgement I allowed my pup to greet hers. He was thrilled, the other dog playfully lunged at him, and mine leaped into the air with all four paws off the ground in delight. Needless to say, this is not the way I want him to greet other dogs! It was really my fault for allowing something I knew I shouldn't have.

Please excuse the grimness of this question, but does anyone else with an entire dog notice smegma on their willy a lot? 🤢 it’s getting in his willy and leg hairs and making them crispy 🤢🤢🤢

He’s nearly 10 months. Still trying to decide between chopping 🥜 off completely or trying chemical castration first but the latter doesn’t seem to be a thing in vets near us…

He doesn’t hump things (yet), and other than being a typical teenage knob some days, we have no terrible behaviours, so I’m still reluctant to do it. But think we’re going to have to for day care by 12 months…

Yup. It's grim.

The more I think about it the more I am thinking it's 🥜 off ASAP.

@TheBigMacDougal yup and he splashes it all over the skirting boards, doors and bottoms of the walls 🤢 he doesn’t jump yet either but he makes a right mess!

*hump, he definitely jumps!

I had always planned to have my pup neutered, but now I'm not sure. He's 9.5 months old, truly delightful (most of the time!), with no real behavioural issues (at least not yet). I do want to wait until he's at least a year old if we decide to neuter him but I'm really agonising over the decision. My last dog was a rescue and the decision was taken out of our hands before we ever got him.

We spent a lot of time trying to decide whether to go with a male or female dog. Thanks all for validating my decision

Dog walker commented on how nice Ada walks on the lead today - nice to hear, especially as other bits of training aren't going so well right now.

Yep, it's two steps forward, one back isn't it? Dog has been a PITA in the garden this afternoon, barking a LOT and getting overexcited and silly....but lovely to walk and doing his training.

Can't have it every way it seems

Haven't had much success today with calm loose lead walking. This evening we had cars, joggers and bikes 😬 think golden git lunged at the jogger and bikes, cars seem to be less exciting now but it's still a nightmare.

@tizwozliz yep also very relieved to have a girl dog now lol!

Both relieved and grossed out to know it’s not just Mac and his junky trunk 🤢🤢🤢

I tried walking him today on just his collar, definitely need to relearn how to walk without a harness. He was choking himself at times. He walks lovely most of the time on harness.

Is anyone else super jealous of their dog in this weather? I’ve been out working and DH has been WFH and sent me this pic of Billy just sunbathing in the garden!

Yep. Dog has had a lovely walk, and is now flat out. Lucky dog.

I, however am dealing with moany sweaty teens in a classroom which lacks ventilation!!!

Hi everyone posted awhile back , anyway this gorgeous little boy is now home and had his first bath today! He's doing so well sleeps in his crate 10-7 ( don't wana jinx it!)
Has learnt sit and stay already he's just a little dream! He is weeing on the wee pads ( anywhere but🤦🏻‍♀️) but we decided that we would wait till his first vaccination before letting him in the garden he goes next week so he will be hopefully doing well with toilet training too very soon!
He's very nippy at the minute my 5 year old gets quite upset as his teeth are so sharp iv told her to say no firmly and distract with a toy is that what I should be doing? Anyone got any advice thanks all xx

Oh hello ickle Springer!!! Gorgeous!!
Frozen carrots, knotted damp teatowel in the freezer (or just knotted teatowel, mine still loves playing with them!)

@looneylou201 he's adorable! The nipping stage really doesn't last long, though it may seem like forever while it's going on. It's always good to have lots of chew toys on hand. Also frozen kongs are great for teething. I got into the habit of giving my pup a frozen kong every evening (filled with things like peanut butter, banana, yogurt, etc.). He's long past the teething stage now but he still has his kong each day because he loves it so much!

Also when young puppies get particularly bitey, it can mean they are overtired so enforcing a nap is a good strategy IME.

Hashbrown pup went for his 2nd jabs today. The vet said Labrador's, shortly followed by springers, are they breeds who seems to go through the most delinquent stages in her opinion.

How...reassuring

Any suggestions for a 14 week old puppy who isn't keen on walks? I have tried all the high value treats, taking a squeaky toy with me etc. On a good day we might make it 10 metres down the road, and then he just wants to come home. He generally likes the park - but HATES the 5 minute car journey there! I know he's only little, but also it's stressing me with the thoughts that we're never going to be able to walk or drive anywhere with him!