Puppy Survival Thread - as we approach Fireworks night for the first time…

[Riverlee]

Apologies if someone has already started a new thread. Couldn’t see one when I had a quick look.

As it’s a new thread, why don’t we all (re-) introduce ourselves. Ie. Good excuse for more cute puppy pictures!

I have RiverPup, who is now a 15 weeks old black Labrador.

Two pictures of when we first got him, and more recent.

Glad he’s feeling better @Rowgtfc72 - must have been super scary.

is anyone’s puppy super shy? Took Coco to a new puppy class yesterday - only 2 other puppies and she was separated off from them by a blanket and she spent most do the time cowering behind my legs

@Cocopuff super scary. He's had some food and drink so parvo looking less likely but he's at the vets anyway at half 9 so will feel much better when he's seen.
Not done puppy classes but this last week he's come out from behind my legs to go nose to nose with other dogs we've met. He's 14 weeks now.

@Rowgtfc72 Glad he’s picked up, but also glad you’re getting him checked out.

@Rowgtfc72 thanks - hope the vet can give you some reassurance

Thanks everyone. Vet didn't seem in the slightest concerned- said he'd probably eaten something. He's back to bitey landshark today.
Had his third vaccination yesterday and went back when I got home from work as it had swollen up like a golf ball. Packed off with an anti inflammatory jab and a warning it could turn into an abscess.
Fingers crossed that's the end of vets till next year.

Blimey @Rowgtfc72 hope you have your pet insurance sorted!

@Citygirlrurallife he's a dachsund. Most definitely!

@Rowgtfc72 your poor pup has certainly been in the wars! Hope he recovers from the infection without an abscess.

Cocopup is being rather difficult at the moment (which is making me dread the teenage period) - doesn’t want to go in her crate, doesn’t want to nap properly, doesn’t want to walk (she can loose leash walk nicely in the house but refuses to practice outside, we have to use a harness for walks outside and she likes to take the lead/stop/ attack the lead as she feels fit). Really rather regretting giving in to all the whinging to get a dog as DH and the kids (who really wanted her) are barely around during the week and do absolutely no training with her/very little socialising of the puppy at the weekends so it still all falls on me. It’s making me really rather down and putting a strain on my mental health.

Sorry to hear about poorly pup Row, glad he’s on the mend.

Just a bit of solidarity @Cocopuff , I have been a bit low last few days and really resenting puppy. Had crisis talks with DH last night about how we need to up the training and nip certain things in the bud. We had kids friends over yest and he terrified them with nipping and barking, it was awful. I just feel really resentful of him at the moment, like why did I ruin my life getting him. But DH has listened and feel we have a plan. Tbh I need a line in my mind if these issues aren’t improving in a few weeks that I would consider rehoming. To me it’s not just playful mouthing and exploring, he really goes and bites at times and it’s mainly the kids, although he broke skin on my hand yesterday. And the barking makes me want to bash my head on the wall. Last couple of weeks have been a lot better but miserable last few days. Youngest is unwell and I’ve had no sleep so that’s part of it too.

@Cocopuff @Beginningless
Some solidarity here too! Our one has become a barking monster. This morning she was a complete hooligan, running around biting the sofa and barking.

Its lovely seeing her confidence grow but sometimes i miss the time when she wasnt running around chasing cars, barking constantly

It tends to be that I have a "what have we done" moment, while DP is feeling more secure, then I feel okay and reassure when DP is regretting all our life choices!

It doesnt help for various reasons shes stopped going to bed as easy and is barking at night / needing one of us down their with her.

Thanks for the solidarity @Colacoco and @Beginningless - it definitely helps to know that I’m not the only one finding this whole puppy lark rather relentless and hard!

Sunpup has nearly finished his puppy course but showed me up by being the only puppy not chilling on his mat while the teacher showed us stuff. He prefers to run to the end of his lead stand in the middle of the room barking. Unless I'm literally shoving a treat in his month every 20 seconds. Which in a 45 minute class is a lot if treats.
Also he's been really good with weeing outside until yesterday. Wee by the back door, opened the door for him to go out and he just stood there and wee'ed again!! While looking up at me as if to say where's my treat? Arrggh! Reminding myself he's only a baby dog and probably won't be weeing inside when he's a year old... just wondering if we'll ever be able to get rid of the plastic sheeting in the extension and get our flooring/ rug back .. 🙄🙄

Also DH is away with work tomorrow and Thursday so I'm on sole puppy duty. Gulp...

We had the chat this weekend. This puppy is dhs. I've had a puppy before - they are bloody hard work and you all have to be on the same page.
Absolute cock up with jabs and being allowed out for walks but dh has only walked him 4 times. He's been tired, it's wet, it's dark, the dog doesn't fancy it. Wouldn't trust dd as far as I could throw her so I'm walking the dog.
When I'm home I take him outside to pee regularly. He's beautifully clean for me. Dh and dd just look at puddles on the floor incredulously explaining it wasn't there five minutes ago.
If the puppy needs watching everyone scatters and is suddenly busy leaving him with me.
Strangely enough though, when we're all sat on the sofa, dhs puppy looks for me. I think he's a bit jealous!

Massive hugs guys. It sounds like a platitude but honestly honestly it does get easier.
It’s just me and my 2 girls so every walk, every pee, all training , everything is just me. (But in some way it’s easier as I’ve no one to be annoyed at) I’ve wanted a dog all my life and I’ve looked after adult dogs for weeks on end for my friends. I really thought I knew what I was in for. Well, I didn’t just cry everyday at the start, I WAILED. The worst was, I couldn’t even articulate what was hard, just everything.
But I’d say by about 14 weeks I didn’t want to rehome her and by 5 months I thought she was the bestest dog ever.
What helped me was a routine and crate for naps. That way I didn’t lose track of when she last peed and she wasn’t a tired snappy mess. It was an hour up/activity then a nap. Meant I also could get my work done! We are now at 7 months and I don’t need to enforce naps and she doesn’t pee every 30mins either. She’s great company now - she can still be a right arsewipe but she’s a goofball goldie and it’s impossible to be sad around her.

It’s not easy having a puppy, is it. You see all those glossy pictures on facebooks but the smiles of the owners hide the truth.

However, it does get easier. Our pup us twenty weeks old, and we’re now enjoy cuddles and play with him. It’s not plain sailing all the time and I still get very frustrated. I think it’s a combination of having to watch him all the time, and not being able to do everyday things when he’s around. As people say, it’s a bit like having a toddler around, which is a bit of a shock to the system when the (human) dc’s are now in their twenties and largely independent.

“Well, I didn’t just cry everyday at the start, I WAILED. The worst was, I couldn’t even articulate what was hard, just everything.”

Thats so true.

Thanks @Riverlee and @BigBundleOfFluff - you’re giving me hope!

Coco went for her first puppy groom this morning (she’s a Lhasa apso/maltese cross so grooming every 4-6 weeks will be a feature!) and she’s so soft and fluffy and nice smelling now! Took her for a drag in our local park (definitely couldn’t call it a walk as she stop/starts and has to be coaxed every few steps) and heard a little kid describe her as a teddy bear.

Coco looks lovely. With that lovely white fur, she’d be a good advert for a washing powder (although obviously you wouldn’t want to put her in a washing machine!).

Until my sil got a dog, I didn’t realise that dogs could have hair that needs cutting, or fur that moults.

We have a lab so are in the fur category. No moulting yet. I know when it happens it’ll drive my dh loopy. Actually, thinking about it, when does moulting start? (Off to Google).

It really is so hard. Altdog has been here four weeks now and I think I've cried more in the last two weeks than any time since DS was a tiny screamy baby!

I'm trying to hold on and remember that the puppy is the cost you have to pay to get the good, lovely dog (unless you rescue, but that's a while other kind of cost depending on how the dog's life has been so far).

Currently as I'm having to sit by the crate to settle the puppy who is having a tantrum about the sleep he's been in need of for the past 1.5 hours, the cost seems frankly prohibitive 🤣

You can tell I'm tired because that sentence structure is HORRIFYING!

@AltKat87 Can we have a cute puppy picture please? (even though he’s not being a cute puppy at the moment).

@Riverlee Here you go! The attitude on this one is astounding 🤣

His paws - they’re huge! What sort of dog is he?

He's a lurcher 🥰 mainly greyhound, whippet and staffy, but there's bullmastiff and collie in there too! He should be around medium-sized in weight (25kg or so judging by mum and dad), but likely a long/tall boy. Right now he's putting on 1.5kg a week and it seems to be all legs 🤣