Puppy Survival Thread: Surviving into Summer 2022

[tizwozliz]

Discussion of all things puppy, highlights and pitfalls, good times and bad, successes and failures

Previous thread here

www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/4496297-Puppy-Survival-Thread-muddy-footprints-into-Spring-2022

Teenagers also welcome

Hi @Autumn101 what is a ‘sniffer dog course’? That sounds like it would be good for our new pup.

My puppy was seven months old when we began a sniffer course, finding specifically scented articles in various places. It was by invitation only. You had to have passed the basic puppy course and the next level up.

Just looked up sniffer dog classes. Didn’t know that this was a thing, but can definitely see it being good for our nose to the ground pup. Agility can’t start until she’s one so hopefully this can start sooner.

Yes we ought to do basic puppy first, that’s a thought.

@DrBlackbird We do sniffer dog with our usual dog trainer who we started puppy classes with. She was just training when we first met so we were her test subjects! Now she’s fully qualified we’re doing the full course - started when he was 6/7 months. He’s a springer so very sniffy and loves it

Also looking forward to him being one for agility and flyball type activities

Thanks all, they are really great ideas. This morning I played the hide a treat under some bowls and mix them up game and then scattered some kibbles for her to find on our morning walk. She's snoozing now :)

We have quite a few puzzle games. Our pup went through a stage of only eating from them and not a bowl!

Favourite is the challenge slider as it's easy to load and easy to clean so I can put lickable stuff in like peanut butter. None of the puzzle games will occupy for very long but it's still something fun for them and gets them thinking a bit. Ada will still choose to do a puzzle or play a game for her food over just eating it from a bowl.

We do a lot of find it games too. I generally put treats in little packages, i.e. toilet roll inners so I can hide them under cushions etc. without having sprats on the furniture :-) She then also gets to work out how to get into the packaging.

Advice - do not wear men’s size sliders in the garden when the grass is wet. Was just in the garden with River Pup, turned to watch him, he was at my feet and I fell over, fortunately not on him. Ended up after a nice minute or so playing ‘rope’ with him though.

The sniffer course sounds good. River Pup has spent the last half an hour sniffing the grass, wall, flowers etc, and we were playing a ‘cat and mouse’ game - him stealthily heading towards the stones, and me saying No when he gets too near. Tried distraction - doesn’t work in this case.

Loving all the ideas for brain games - keep them coming! T-4 until we bring Haku home!

Well survived a week with Des now and so in love with him. We took him in the car in the crate and he was not happy so bought a car hammock seat and seatbelt harness and he’s now a happy pup on the school run. He’s charmed them at the vets and then fell asleep on the vet table.
Toiler training going ok but not keen on going out in the rain which is interesting at the mo!!!!
He is very mouthy though and boy his teeth are sharp. I have given him a cardboard box to chew along with Kyla bones but his fav things are still fingers and toes!!!
Think I will have to look at more brain games - a treat under a plastic cup keeps him entertained now he has twigged his kong…..

Can I ask a disgusting question? Pup wouldn't come in last night and was obsessed with something at the end of the garden, where it's a bit overgrown. Then, this morning she was very unsettled, went outside and puked on the patio and it was like she had puked up poo! I can only presume that she ate something last night. Anyone experienced that? Once she'd been sick, she was absolutely fine. Going to have to keep her on the long lead in the garden until DH can clear out that section of the garden at the weekend.

Picture of the cheeky poo eating pup

@mrsfeatherbottom Hes huge. How old is he?

Anyone else addicted to buying thin -gs? Went into tk maxx to buy housewarming gift and, inspired by puzzle toys, came out with a slo feeder bowl.

She's 7 months! Not sure how much bigger she'll get. I think the angle of the photo makes her look bigger than she is!!

@mrsfeatherbottom our pup is mad for cat poo-we have 2 cats & he manages to find it all the time & resource guards it like a prize possession!

Just read a good brain game - get a muffin tin & put a few treats in some of the holes & then cover all the holes with tennis balls, (luckily I recently bought a load so this is easy here), then mix up which holes the treats go in.

www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/indoor-scent-games-for-dogs/

Thanks @Autumn101

@buckeejit we also have two cats and a cat poo loving dog! The cats have started going in the flower bed round the front so now next door's dog is eating poo too!

Having a tough day with pup today. His split paw pad starting bleeding so he’s ended up having to have it stitched and bandaged up. No walks at all for a week then a further two weeks of on lead walks only until the stitches are out.

It’s day 4 and I have no idea how we are going to last! We’ve done so many games and training but the poor boy is just so frustrated and wants to run and jump. He won’t settle at all and we’re having to constantly watch him to make sure he doesn’t chew his bandage off.

Arghhhhhh just a rant but god this is hard! I also dread to think how his recall will be when he’s eventually allowed off lead, I think he’ll run for miles with zero listening to me 😂

@Autumn101 poor pup how did he hurt the paw do you know? Thorn? After a month on lead pavement walks in season mine was very very zoomy when first allowed off again - had to go back to lots of recall practice!

Oh no@Autumn101poor pup and poor you! I hope the time passes quickly and he makes a full and speedy recovery.

I took the pup to zoom around the fields today. He had a lovely time and so did I, though it rained a bit. I was pleased with his recall, though he needs a bit of a refresher course on "drop it"!

@Aria20 no idea!! The initial split didn’t seem to bother him at all, certainly not as much as the stitches and bandages are……. He loves snuffling around in the undergrowth and running through the woods so he could of done it on anything really. I’m thinking I will need to brush up our recall training, such a shame as it was fantastic when we were away the week before!!

@TheStirrer my cousin the vet advised against letting dogs/pups ‘chew’ cardboard boxes as in they end up eating pieces of the cardboard. This runs the risk of an intestinal blockage. Highly risky in a pup. I’d even read bad things about nyla bones for similar reasons.

Definitely watch out for toys with squeakers because so many dogs end up swallowing the squeaker bit. Feels like almost everything is bad to chew one way or another and you think, well what the hell can you let them chew!?

@mrsfeatherbottom all our dogs have always loved finding and eating snails and overgrown bits of the garden will be where they lurk. Might it have been that? Also dangerous for dogs as they can pick up lung worm from eating snails. We’re constantly on the alert at night now that it’s gone back to being damp. Was a relief not to worry with that hot dry weather.

@Autumn101 that is tough all round! Our dog had a split claw which also tore the paw pad and it was near impossible to keep her little bandage sock on! I'm sure the recall will still be there even it feels like you've gone backwards a step or too. Good luck with keeping pup entertained!