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

No advice other than to say I'm like a ninja when I do the dishwasher. I have to do it super fast while pup is distracted. Same with opening the oven! What has my life become!! Lol

@Foxgloveleaf haha made me look through my pics as I knew I had one of our pup in the dishwasher when she was tiny. It's too tempting all the food smells. Leave it will work eventually or just take them out of the room when you are loading/unloading.

@Aria20 That's really lucky that you didn't have a chewer. Mizzblizzpup seems to love chewing the rugs. I've put old ones down so it doesn't bother me about them getting wrecked but I worry about her choking on all the stuff she rips off them. I'm thinking we might have to just trial her in the kitchen and see how we get on!

@mizzblizz my friend's beagle chewed her chair legs, skirting boards and pulled up the edges of laminate floor/carpets when left so I was very thankful the worst ours chewed was slippers, flip flops (we lost several) and a few kids toys that they warned about leaving out!

Any advice against chewing?

@Aria20 nope! No idea what it was! But no hidden treasures so far :)

@GuyFawkesDay I am going to google clicker training... my pup is good at fetching, intermittently letting me have the item back haha, sits, gives paw and has just about got "down", but throws herself on the floor rather than laying down calmly :)

I want to start focusing on walk related training now ready for the Big Day!

How old is your pup @Nugg ?

I remember when pup was really little smelling poo and we couldn't work out the source. She had pooped in her crate but it had gone through the bars and landed behind the crate - it was only when I pulled the crate out that I found it! Was just relieved I wasn't going mad!

Dishwasher ninja here too, I often get my DC to take him outside when I’m loading it up and play some fetch or something! It’s funny when I empty a clean dishwasher, he bolts over and when he realises it’s clean and no tasty morsels he does a huge sigh and plods off looking disappointed 😂

@Foxgloveleaf she's 12 weeks tomorrow 😊

@mrsfeatherbottom starting to wonder if it's outside now!!

@mizzblizz i used to sit with him next to the crate during the day to get him to nap. To be honest he’s never loved it during the day, no problem at night though. Touch wood we’ve been lucky that he hasn’t chewed anything when he’s been left (not done more than an hour yet though as he’s a bit of a Velcro pup!) - we have a stair gate and leave him out with a Kong or chew

@mizzblizz We had to leave our pup quite early on for a four hour stretch which I was worried about but it was absolutely fine. We left her in the kitchen diner with her pen door open in case she wanted to go in and just moved anything chewable out of her reach. We left her with a licky mat with dog peanut butter on, various toys to chew and the radio on and she was fine and napping on her mat when we got back. I was slightly worried about my table and chair legs but she left them alone. If you can move anything precious out the way you might be fine. It's great that she's tranquil when you've left her. I'd keep building on that!

Ours loves a good dishwasher rummage too. He also looks v cross when it opens and smells clean 😆

He's come free and very much enjoying ear scritches and face hugs again!!

@Autumn101 awww he is gorgeous!! How old is he? So you don't crate him in the daytime when you go out?

@ilovesushi that's brilliant that you had no chewing. I'm pretty worried about my table and chairs too but think we will just have to bite the bullet!

He’s nearly 9 months now but that photo I think he was about 4/5 months…… He’s loved the dishwasher since day 1 😂

No we only crate him at night and have on occasion left him out overnight too when it’s been warm. He has access to the kitchen and hallway and so far so good! He very rarely chooses to go in his crate during the day, he prefers to sleep on my feet or within touching distance

@GuyFawkesDay hurrah for being cone free!

@GuyFawkesDay great news the awful cone is gone.

loving the cute pup in dishwasher photos.

what is everyone’s choice of treat for puppies? I’ve been using tiny cubes of carrot (brilliant, but Im nervous too many might cause soft poo) and Lily’s kitchen cheese and apple which she loves, but they are ££ and I’m debating trying to bake some myself.

@Aria20 don't know how many days it's taken but I found the 💩 🤦🏼‍♀️ here's hoping the smell now goes otherwise there's more!!!

@GuyFawkesDay ah great news about the loss of the cone!

@Foxgloveleaf - we use JR Pate a lot for training treats. Our local petshop sells it more cheaply than buying direct from JR and sometimes has it on 4 for 3 type offers. Can cut into whatever size treats you want. It lasts a few days in the fridge but freezes fine too. Anco do a similar pate.

I've also baked tuna and liver training treats too which is cheap to do.

@tizwozliz thanks. Possibly a stupid question, but is it squishy? Could you have have it in your pocket?
I like the little biscuits because I can have a few in my various pockets.

@Nugg congratulations on finding your poo!

Yes, the pate is a bit squishy but it isn't totally soft, it keeps it's shape after you cut it unless you make an effort to totally squash it. You could put it loose in your pocket but I probably wouldn't.

@Foxgloveleaf the pate is squidgy but solid, almost rubbery? I cut it into tiny cubes and put in my treat pouch.

Dried sprats are another good option, mine will turn himself inside out for sprats!!

Cocktail sausages cut up small (slice and then quarter each slice)

Little bits of chicken breast. Cut up tiny as bingo prizes and add kibble to to treat pouch, the chicken flavour adds to the kibble.

Arden Grange Liver pate in a tube also a high value one

Primula cheese in a tube.

@GuyFawkesDay thank you, sounds good. Do the sprats smell? I’m trying to avoid that dog food smell permeating everything!