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The doghouse

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Puppy Survival Thread: Surviving into Summer 2022

1000 replies

tizwozliz · 04/08/2022 08:11

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

OP posts:
Thread gallery
117
certainshepherdpups · 11/08/2022 14:44

I agree with @tizwozliz about putting your puppy on a lead @FuckingHateRats. The more that a puppy rehearses unwanted behaviour, the more ingrained it can become.

Welcome to the thread @Foxgloveleaf ! Do you have a photo of your pup?

FuckingHateRats · 11/08/2022 14:51

Thank you both. Do you think it's worth getting a longer lead so I can give her a big space to wander but can also make sure she comes back if I want her to? At he moment we have a fairly short lead.

Autumn101 · 11/08/2022 15:21

I would go for a long line - then she can have freedom to potter about but you can get her back if needed.

I put mine back on the lead going past other dogs for quite a while as I really wanted to crack a decent recall early on as he’s a bit of a pain on lead and needs to run!

Nugg · 11/08/2022 17:13

mrsfeatherbottom · 11/08/2022 11:53

I tried her with sweet potato before when I had some spare but she wouldn't touch it. She's just been sleeping this morning but that's normal for her. Hopefully it was a one off.

Another chew idea - tea towel or face cloth, cut up and plaited, smeared with cream cheese and put in the freezer - kept our pup happy for a while. She also lives a treat treasure hunt - little bits of cheese or sausage hidden around in yoghurt pots, cardboard tubes etc and she had to find them all - it wipes her out everytime!

Great ideas thank you! I'm home all week as wfh but she does start getting a bit bored at times. Is 11 weeks too young for a shuffle mat- I have visions of her just tearing it to shreds!

GuyFawkesDay · 11/08/2022 17:18

A 10m biothan long line will prove itself worth its weight in gold @FuckingHateRats mine still goes on one at national trust properties etc. They give freedom but under control!!

Mr FawkesPup has a suit and is far happier! Even with the heat, suit, chiller fan and cooling bandana is better than the sweaty plastic can't get through doors shin killer cone 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Puppy Survival Thread: Surviving into Summer 2022
mrsfeatherbottom · 11/08/2022 17:29

@Nugg - not too young for a snufflemat, I don't think. Although maybe supervise in case of chewing!!

FuckingHateRats · 11/08/2022 18:10

Thank you! Have ordered a long line lead now :)

Nugg · 12/08/2022 20:00

Good evening! Im going to order a snuffle mat, licky mat and a long line haha!
Received a yak chew and puppy sized antler today - she's going crazy over the yak chew. Im a bit squeamish so not looking too far into what it is...!

mrsfeatherbottom · 12/08/2022 20:39

Nugg · 12/08/2022 20:00

Good evening! Im going to order a snuffle mat, licky mat and a long line haha!
Received a yak chew and puppy sized antler today - she's going crazy over the yak chew. Im a bit squeamish so not looking too far into what it is...!

It's fermented and smoked yaks milk! A little stinky but not the worst!

Vie8126 · 13/08/2022 08:10

I’ve ordered a puppy antler too also got a really good puppy bundle chew toys from amazon for well under 15! He is so happy with all his new toys all seem much more durable than what he already had. Stopped chewing the dc toys and my skirting boards - for now!

FuckingHateRats · 13/08/2022 11:46

Today pup went BOUNDING into a murky pond - first time we've seen a real swim which was great, but I'm a bit :/ about the quality of the water. It's fairly grim.

Do I need to do anything? She's up to date of all vaccs/worming etc.

Puppy Survival Thread: Surviving into Summer 2022
GuyFawkesDay · 13/08/2022 13:04

Main thing is risk of blue/green algae in static water. Worth a Google. Can make pups very poorly.

Yak chews are great, though my weirdo doesn't like them as they come but LOVES them broken up and microwaved into what I can only term as doggy cheese puffs!

Poor FawkesPup on extra painkillers. His wound site is swollen more than the vet would like, we think he's got to it and probably don't too much around the house so its mission "keep the dog quiet" for a few days and he's back in the cone of shame. All meals are now in the Kong Wobbl, or frozen into the classic Kong or his snake to eek out the entertainment for longer and provide something more to do.

GuyFawkesDay · 13/08/2022 13:06

@FuckingHateRats you've got a semi-spaniel haven't you? Got news for you.....spaniels are basically hippos in furry disguises. Get used to the muddy pond/ditch/puddle wading!!!!

I make shampoo bars now becauseone is such a filth magnet

FuckingHateRats · 13/08/2022 13:29

She's a labradoodle / poodle cross.

She's bloody knackered after her exertions! Has slept all morning.

Autumn101 · 13/08/2022 13:35

@GuyFawkesDay poor old Pup, hope the painkillers work and the swelling goes down soon 🤞

@FuckingHateRats keep on eye out for any dodgy tummy/lethargy and as above signs of blue/green algae. If you have a water lover be warned any opportunity will be taken to get in and they will always sit it before you do 😂 With all this hot dry weather our usual water spots are pretty gross now so mine has had a lot of baths this week 🙄

Puppy Survival Thread: Surviving into Summer 2022
Autumn101 · 13/08/2022 13:36

See it not sit 🙄

FuckingHateRats · 13/08/2022 15:17

Btw, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who advised on the off/on lead question I asked the other day. I've ordered a longer lead but remembered in the meantime I have one of those retracting leads we bought and never used.

Since your advice I've been doing this: off lead most of the time but when we see a dog coming I call her and put her on lead. We then do a lot of work on 'stay with me' and working on ignoring the other dogs/not bounding over. Depending on the dog, she will ignore entirely or say hello if they're interested, and with other dogs who are keen to play, I've let her off for a bit.

This has made such a difference to our walks - you were all right in that she was learning she can sometimes ignore me. She's been much much better at coming the first time I say her name, and in the couple of interactions where I've let her off with the other dogs, she also comes back to me first time and doesn't need to be put on the lead to come away on my command.

It's made such a difference to both of us in such a short space of time - I've felt much less worried about the possibility of her not coming back, and it's reinforcing her recall in a positive way each time.

Thank you all!

Autumn101 · 13/08/2022 16:03

Well done to you and your pup, you’re doing brilliantly!!

GuyFawkesDay · 13/08/2022 17:12

Sounds like she's being brilliant! Be prepared for the teenage twat months where they forget ALL of the stuff you taught them. Just as you think you'll trade them on for a goldfish they start being better and then it's all up from there. I honestly was at the end of my tether when FawkesPup was about 8 months old

He's now a lovely lad, good recall and manners (mostly, still likes to jump up at certain people despite everything I have tried because they allow it and he loves a cuddle).

@Autumn101 that looks VERY familiar!! Made a new shampoo bar today which is seaweed based, hopefully will be effectively and gentle ready for mud season!!!

FuckingHateRats · 13/08/2022 17:56

Oh I know, I'm sure she'll be a wee dick when the time comes!

We've only been out on one walk this morning but we worked on the 'lie down' command throughout the day and she's so tired by it all haha. She's now reliably lying down on command in the house now.

Autumn101 · 13/08/2022 18:02

I might need some tips for shampoo bars @GuyFawkesDay - after a few washes this week and being in the sea today his skin is a bit irritated. Doesn’t seem to bother him however!

GuyFawkesDay · 13/08/2022 19:19

I think the sand and gravel doesn't help either!!

I'd love to let mine get wet but dissolvable stitches in his nethers, poor lad.

He's currently picking up BBC2 🤣🤣🤣

Puppy Survival Thread: Surviving into Summer 2022
tizwozliz · 14/08/2022 09:43

@FuckingHateRats - sounds like progress. It's also good to have them on and off the lead during a walk so they don't start to associate being put back on the lead with the end of a walk/fun.

We had an big road trip yesterday for a lovely day out. A short walk in the woods, lunch out and a swim in a lake. We had a few races to see who could get to the ball first, and it seems we're fairly evenly matched swimming speed wise :-)

Puppy Survival Thread: Surviving into Summer 2022
Puppy Survival Thread: Surviving into Summer 2022
OP posts:
Aria20 · 14/08/2022 10:23

It was ridiculously hot here again yesterday so we had short early morning walk and short evening walk but my god dog was such a pain in arse wanting to go out kept going to the front door woofing at me then lying there sighing! She had puzzle toys, lick mat, buffalo ear, lamb braid, short game in garden with her ball but even she was too hot and went inside voluntarily, did lots of training indoors with her but nothing was good enough! Today she's had a good run around this morning off lead but I know she'll be a pain again later. I don't like to complain about the nice weather but it's so restrictive- we can't go for nice days out with kids and dog as it's just too hot!

GuyFawkesDay · 14/08/2022 10:25

Yep. Mine is restricted to 15 minutes X3 a day til this time next week too. He's going to be such a pain in the arse!!!!

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