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Original poster

Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?

166 replies

LadyCatStark · 30/09/2022 08:12

Hi gain, I fell off the puppy thread a while ago but have been wondering how all the pups (now dogs I guess!) are getting on?

Billy is 18 month old now and is the most gorgeous, good boy we could ask for. He was neutered on Wednesday so has been feeling a bit sorry for himself as he wants to get back to playing in the fields and he doesn’t like his special collar (but completely freaked out at the cone the vet sent him home in!). He’s thriving on raw food and is super fit and shiny but he is a typical greedy lab and could happily eat all day long 😂. He totally failed at gun dog training but is a super star at agility and fly ball (although he is having to miss a few weeks while he recovers). The only bad thing now is that he’s decided 5:30 is time to get up in the morning 🙈.

It feels like those early days of wondering what the hell we’d done are a life time ago 🥰.

Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
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tizwozliz · 23/12/2022 20:19

We had a tree with no issues last year, we even managed presents under the tree but she's not running off any energy at the moment and it's all being directed into bad behaviour.

Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
GuyFawkesDay · 23/12/2022 20:22

Oh Ada!!!
FawkesPup buggered off chasing crows for 2 minutes again today. And he's decided pulling on the lead is fine away from familiar routes again.

The itching is infuriating, it's just so hard trying to get on top of it.

ilovesushi · 23/12/2022 20:35

Hello pups of 2021! Here you all are! So lovely to hear how everyone is getting on and see your beautiful dogs. I don't have any recent pics of our girl, lab/ goldie cross now 20 months old, but I will try and snap some over the Christmas holidays and post.

We are doing really well. She is probably the bounciest friendliest girl ever but she is learning not to greet every dog like they are a long lost best friend. She will never be the sort of dog to walk straight past another dog with her nose in the air, but at least she has some manners now!

Recall is good - never ever thought I would say that! We go on really long walks everyday all off lead and I am no longer a bundle of nerves that she will run off and not come back. The only time she stops listening to me is if she sees a deer then I don't have a hope in hell of recalling her, but I usually see them first and stick her on the lead.

We are doing agility and flyball. Loving both but especially the flyball mainly because the people are so lovely and encouraging and we have an absolute ball. We might start competing in the new year, so do let me know if any of you are doing competitions and we might cross paths!

Sushidog has had her second season and the plan is to have her spayed but I am prevaricating. I do worry about the risks but I know there are risks if you don't. Nothing's easy!

GuyFawkesDay · 23/12/2022 20:40

I mean, he has his moments but he's actually a doll, he's such a sweet, kind natured lad.

He's having another teenage asshat fortnight, which occur occasionally and required some back to basics but his recall is now pretty good, even when he does try to chase crows or pheasants. Most of the time he stops or recalls quickly.

Mostly though he just loves hugs. He's basically a large cat/lapdog

Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
Aria20 · 23/12/2022 21:10

@GuyFawkesDay have you tried piriton for him to help with itching from the grass. Mine also ate a segment of terrys chocolate orange and was fine. Little beggars!

GuyFawkesDay · 23/12/2022 23:01

They're sods aren't they??!! He's been on apoquel but it costs a small fortune at the vet. Piriton doesn't seem to do a huge amount. Recommended some revolting smelling ointment and touch wood since I stuck some on earlier he's left it alone. Probably the smell 😆 it's like old fashioned coal tar soap?

Aria20 · 01/01/2023 19:27

Anyone else's dog still have off days with recall? Mine is 2 next month and has had solid recall when just me and her for months in a variety of places.... the other day we went somewhere we have been a couple of times before with DH and the kids - it's a big field and safe for dogs to be offlead so let her off had a play then she started dicking around coming close then running off again obviously didn't want to leave - I had hot dogs and squeaky balls and she didn't care! DH rarely comes on the walks and was like how is this dog nearly 2 and still doesn't come back or listen! Obviously doesn't believe me that she's normally fine and today just me and the kids she was great recalled every time even turned away from other dogs that were running over to play with her!

TerrierOrTerror · 01/01/2023 20:31

TerrorPup continues to be great, I feel bad about my username! She's met friends babies and also spent a lot of time with our nieces/nephews this Christmas and done brilliantly. Recall is coming along excellently but our confidence in it is low so that is a goal for this year.

Our biggest problem remains separation anxiety (we are beginning to accept that whilst we may get up to a couple of hours she will never be 100% happy to be left for long) and dog neutrality. She just loves other dogs and will bounce around to greet - yet walk her through central London or have her in a cafe and she'll ignore them.

tizwozliz · 01/01/2023 20:59

Ada celebrated the new year by rolling in something stinky, so she was subjected to a bath when we got home which she hates.

Her recall is pretty good, it's not something we ever particularly struggled with though. I was a bit worried after two weeks of on lead walking only but apart from the mentioned rolling she's been really well behaved, although even the boxer we met yesterday decided she was too much for him to play with.

Jumping up to give kisses is probably her biggest weakness but she doesn't do that out and about generally.

I managed to pick up some bargains in Sainsburys yesterday, Denzel's training treats reduced to 63p and a couple of toys that were under a quid. This snowman has a plastic bottle inside and has been a big hit.

Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
Idratherbepaddleboarding · 02/01/2023 05:54

@tizwozliz Billy would looooove that toy!

He’s had the best Christmas and new year with lots of food, attention from visitors, parties and rainy walks (he prefers being cold and wet).

His recall is great when we’re out in different places but he thinks the field next to our house is his and all dogs in it are fair game for play time so he has to go on his lead if there’s a dog we don’t know in it. We do see the same dogs there regularly though and he has 2 other labs, a few spaniels and 2 collies that he plays with regularly.

DS set this picture as my phone background and it makes me laugh every time I see it 😂.

Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
Aria20 · 02/01/2023 08:48

@Idratherbepaddleboarding he looks so tall!

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 02/01/2023 13:02

@Aria20 he was sitting in a dining chair to get closer to me when I was WFH which is why he looks so surprised as he doesn’t really fit but he is very tall and skinny, I call him a supermodel 😂 I’m very jealous especially as he never stops eating!

tizwozliz · 02/01/2023 13:13

Ada does these really nice tall sits if there's something she's really interested in, pheasants mainly, but in this case a remote control car. She slouches otherwise for photos. Need to teach a sit tall somehow.

Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
Idratherbepaddleboarding · 02/01/2023 18:26

@tizwozliz I’d probably just wave a hall around to get her to sit tall for photos 😂. Ada is so similar to Billy in looks, physique and shininess 🥰.

GuyFawkesDay · 02/01/2023 20:45

FawkesPup has pretty solid recall unless there's something food based involved, in which case he is totally deaf. This includes half rotten dead pheasants.

He had a bottle innard toy in his stocking, it was shredded by boxing day 🤣 but the leather ones have done better.

His major issues are still the spaniel giddy impetuous nature. Can be an absolute saint and walk to heel for 2 miles, can also be like holding onto a kite in a force 9 when he's got the zoomies on lead. Reckon he's got a good few months yet before we get the adult dog!

Still working on steadiness but yeah.....spaniel.

Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
Aria20 · 03/01/2023 08:42

@tizwozliz mine runs away and hides behind me if she sees remote control cars or drones in the park - she's very suspicious of them as they appear to be moving by themselves and toys shouldn't do that Grin

Aria20 · 03/01/2023 08:44

@GuyFawkesDay mine only walks to heel when she's really tired on the way home and has a ball in her mouth!! She will loose lead walk beside/slightly ahead of me sometimes or alternatively pull if she sees we are heading towards the park or she gets a scent!

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 20/01/2023 17:57

I had to share this super cute picture (sorry for the quality, it’s dark and he was trotting animatedly!). I went to the chippy for tea tonight and they forgot to put Billy’s sausage in 😵. It’s only at the end of our street so I took him back for it and he took the box off me and carried it all the way home 🥰. I know he’s going to want to go every day though now 🙈.

Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
Aria20 · 20/01/2023 18:16

@Idratherbepaddleboarding that is adorable

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 20/01/2023 23:27

@Aria20 he’s such a cutie, he always carries his shopping home nicely 🥰.

Aria20 · 21/01/2023 07:53

@Idratherbepaddleboarding mine would have ripped the box open inside the shop let alone get it home in one piece Grin

ilovesushi · 21/01/2023 14:38

He is a very polite boy to not just tear up the box and eat it there and then.

GuyFawkesDay · 21/01/2023 18:31

Oh Billy you absolute sweetheart! Mine would have torn into it there and then, typical spanner!!

FawkesPup is definitely improving and maturing, he is now really lovely to walk, heels when asked, waits for runners/cyclists etc to pass and recalls reliably off other dogs

Is the pleasant adult dog round the corner? One can only hope!

Puppy thread 2021 alumni, where are you now?
certainshepherdpups · 21/01/2023 19:07

Love that picture of Billy. Does he still try to take you to the pet shop to buy him a chew?

For those of you who have neutered your dogs, have you noticed any differences in their personalities? I'm still dithering about when or whether to have my dog done. I've heard some horror stories recently about huge changes in personality following neutering. My boy is confident and friendly, I would never want that to change.

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 21/01/2023 19:14

@certainshepherdpups yes he does, we went this morning in fact! They now have treats behind the counter and he stands with his paws on the counter until he gets one. Last week the lady forgot so he went behind the counter to tell her 😂.

Billy was neutered in September and he has become much more needy, he wants to be cuddled all the time. He was a bit shy around other dogs for a few weeks but I think that’s because he was still a bit sore and he didn’t want them to know (I guess because that would be a sign of weakness in the wild). He’s fine now but he does always get humped by entire males! He’s also got even more greedy (except when carrying his shopping!) but that’s labs for you 🙈.