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

We have our surname, house number and postcode and phone number on tags

Legally there are rules of what you have on tags and without that information you can be fined. If you do KC classes you need this correct. We have surname, address with postcode and my phone number

We have last name and 2 telephone numbers.

We have first line of address, postcode, my name and phone number

@CockapooMadness black and white so much better than red and white😁

I'd completely forgotten about an ID tag on the collar. We bought a collar and lead set but the collar is massive. I've seen a Wainwright's blue tweed one I quite fancy though.

@MrsWhites our harness is just a little step into one at the minute but we'll probably just get a bigger stronger one.
Always had them with my jack Russell's. You just put your hands through, hold paws and pull over shoulders. I got pretty quick and so far pups not noticed it's on till its done up.

I’ve been stalking this thread for about 5 weeks since I got Paddy a now 13 week old Springer Spaniel (obligatory photo from his first night) and with the exception of being so incredibly mouthy he’s been lovely. Except tonight when my dad was playing fetch with him and he missed the ball and managed to get his hand and draw blood…. So much spare energy I’m looking forward to when he can go out for a walk properly, Saturday can’t come fast enough!

i brought a new collar and the tag I’d ordered arrived yesterday (ordered online). Our name (my sir name, not dogs name) postcode and telephone number on it. What happens, dh gets a new job today so phone no will be out of date in a few weeks!

@MrsWhites - we have a battle every time we put the collar on. I’ve resorted to putting some treats on the floor, and as his head goes down, act quickly. One of my plans for the next few days is try and sort this. If I find any good training videos, I’ll let you know.

@Liftconfused Paddy is so cute. We find RiverPup gets snappy most when he’s tired. We now put him in his crate when he turns into a snappy crocodile.

For your ID tags can I recommend you look at the Flexitags which slide onto collars. They're superb. No more getting home and realising your idiot dog has got it caught in the undergrowth and pulled it off!

Aww he’s lush!

@Liftconfused he's gorgeous!

Thanks for the harness tips!

What is everyone using for treats? We were just using kibble but he’s lost interest in it so getting him to come outside for a wee or praising him for staying down is getting harder, but equally if I use his favourite which is wagg training treats he goes nuts and can’t concentrate so I need to find a middle ground!

The dog pate which you cut up into small bits is quite good. We use the JR brand.

Might sound ridiculous but we cut up cheese or cooked chicken and I made him pilchard treats - all he loves more than the bags of treats and much cheaper too

@Liftconfused he is just gorgeous! My springer is now 10.5 months, they are awesome dogs!!

He was very bitey for a while, I would say probably better to not play high energy games in the evening/after dinner and just do calming activities. As you’ve probably found they can go from 0-100 very fast 😂 maybe brain games/puzzle toys - they are clever dogs so need that mental stimulation as well as physical to wear them out

Morning all, four days in and Twiggy is doing really well, slept 9.30pm - 5am in her crate with one wake up for a poo.l last night. We left the radio in the kitchen which seems to soothe her. One question - can anyone recommend a suitable tasty chew (she's 8.5 weeks) which she can be given as an alternative to our fingers / toes? Everything I've read says to offer a toy as soon as they start nibbling but she dodged the toy and lunges for our fingers! Her teeth are like razors so it can't go on! Pic for traffic

@Autumn101 thanks, that might be the key, he’s prone to post dinner craziness if his naps have been messed with!

Springers are great, they’re such characters!

@JessieEssex maybe try buying lots of different types so she can work out what she likes? LiftDog loves whimzees, in particular the toothbrush shaped ones but doesn’t like the same ones but in alligator shape… thankfully my parents ancient collie loves them, so it’s a bit of trial and error… he also loves when you pop a chew through the hole at the top of the kong because he can hold it easier and carrots. He loves carrots!

My pup won’t eat any wagg or kibble and lots of other treats.

Iv bought chicken liver and dehydrated it and cut it into small bits.
Some dog chicken liver paste I put in her kong.
She also likes Dried chicken fillet strips.

What brain games/puzzle toys are you all using?

@JessieEssex We have bought these. Pup seems to like them. Especially the giraffe for some reason she loves.

The animal shape ones are 3 for £1.

Yak sticks and buffalo horns seem to work with RiverPup. Difficypult to be vegetarian with a dog!

The only brain game we used is a slow eater bowl. RiverPup used to gobble his food down, probably because in the litter, it was a race to get it. It slows down how quickly he eats his food (which gives us a few precious moments to get something done when he’s distracted!).

I got mine from TK maxx (similar to picture).

@Liftconfused mine is prone to a post dinner crazy session too 😂 I put all his toys away now and give him a chew and 95% of the time he settles and snoozes all evening.

They are so much fun, he makes us laugh everyday. Seeing your pictures is making me broody for another one……..

Treats and chews can be really trial and error. Our little ratbag used to get something new for the first time, act like it was the best thing ever then never touch it again after I'd bulk bought a load of the things.

We had a Nina Ottoson slide and hide when pup was fairly young. She'd reject eating kibble out the bowl in favour of the puzzle game and always used to get really impatient when I was filling it up.