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.

@Citygirlrurallife Coco is pretty chill and sleepy in the evenings but that’s because she’s a nosy little thing and won’t sleep much during the day (maybe 3 hours max before 6pm if we are lucky). Our living room area is very much a lounge area and we’ve taught her the lounge is for chilling on a vetbed or bean bag (so funny when both she and DS1 decide they want to use it - she basically uses him as a bean bag extension) with a chew or soft toy. Training takes place elsewhere in the house. The Dog training advice and support group on Facebook has loads of guides and the “lounge is for lounging” one is good.

On recommendation today , brought a half-check collar, today to help with heel walking, as RiverPup can be pulley. They seem to garner mixed reports when reading up about them. What have people been advised?

@@Riverlee we were advised by our Bernese breeder to use a half check collar so he's always had one of those and we'll do the same for Rowdypup. The Berner has always been a very strong pully dog so he has a Rabbit Goo anti pull harness for walks which is amazing.

Rowdypup is now officially allowed to leave the house, so we'll be taking him on his first short walk today. I can't wait to see what he thinks! I've also booked him in at the groomers for a puppy pamper to get him used to the sounds and smells of the salon. All these things I couldn't do with our Bernese, as it was lockdown, so I'm quite excited about it all.

Oh I might check out the “lounge is for lounging”. He has been better the last few nights but that’s because I haven’t been stuck in recording sessions so have been able to give him daytime attention….need to rally the family!

I totally agree about teaching all dogs not to jump, we made it a priority with Haku particularly because he’s going to be a big dog and I don’t want him knocking people over or being intimidating but honestly I’m also getting a bit sick of all the local mini poodle crosses jumping up at me and scratching my legs and leaving mud everywhere because owners don’t think it’s as important to train small dogs not to do it. Def worse to have a big dog do it but I wish just everyone would make it a thing!

RiverPup gets overexcited at seeing people and likes to jump up. I make him sit first every time. It doesn’t help that people want to stroke him but I explain I’m trying to train and make him sit first. Most people get it, but a few look offended. As a dog trainer said to us, we purchased RiverPup for our pleasure, not theirs.

What a crappy day out there - any fun plans for puppy enrichment and entertaining?!

Planning on a few walks round the block. A mile a go. Diesel hates the rain, possibly because he's a sausage dog and low to the wet floor, but I enjoy a walk and he's learning if I'm out, hes out.
Also a sausage dog with lots of energy stuck in the house is a nightmare.

We lost our first tooth yesterday. He looked very surprised.

We use a harness, have always used them for previous dogs. He doesn't pull for me but does for dh but then I walk faster.

We play a few games inside on dreich days like this. All high energy though - my dog self regulates wonderfully so these are ok for me but approach with caution.

• bungee tug toy (the equivalent of a flirt toy for a cat). Run round the house like a loon.
• with food chasing with hide and seek. I make her sit and wait (we failed horrendously on stay so use wait!) and I run off and hide somewhere, then call. Rewarded with a treat when she finds me.
• orientation game. Sit on kitchen floor with a pot of their kibble allowance. Flick 1 direction and as soon as they look back at you, flick the other. For some reason she never gets tired of this and you can sit with a cup of tea.
• trick training. Tried weave, failed. Trying burrito dog - which would be a lie down, grab blanket and then roll. Absolutely failing on this as well but hilarious. Jumping through a hoop - ok at this. I have a lovable idiot so an intelligent dog could master this.
• hide and seek with a blanket. She loves trying to dig us out.
• teaching "tidy". I'm more successful with this with the dog than my children.

Plus all the usual like an ostrich bone, stuffed kong, lick mats etc. Ultimately though, I'm exceedingly lucky. Through no skill on my part whatsoever she is exception at matching her energy to mine. She did get a bit huffy when I was ignoring her last night bingeing on 'The Rig'. To be fair to her I was on my third episode in a row snd she maybe thought I was dead. She used her pathetic eyes and brought me a toy to play with, bless.

Some ideas: Loo roll tube with tissue paper with treats in it hidden in paper in cardboard boxes, muffin try with treats in it and balls covering the holes, sniffy mats, licky mats, teach tricks (paw, shake hands, spin, weave are all ones I’ve taught Coco on rainy days), indoor fetch with soft toys, practice loose lead walking indoors, find or with treats/food, food puzzles

@BigBundleOfFluff i call the orientation game “ping pong” - agree it can keep them going for ages!

Can you expand more on the orientation game? We have all the other things at our disposal and do them anyway but this sounds interesting and different.

I might set the kids the task of teaching him paw today

Also here is my handsome chap looking ridiculously photogenic this morning

@Citygirlrurallife
Twins! Thing morning my lass looking longingly out at next door neighbours football game.

I hope it’s ok to comment on here because I don’t actually have a puppy yet but am reading this in preparation!

Currently working my way through Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy and he is recommending having puppy upstairs in it’s crate to begin with. I had wanted to keep upstairs as a safe space for my cat so was planning to sleep downstairs with future puppy instead. It’ll be less comfortable for me of course but hopefully will work the same as puppy being upstairs.

Can I also ask for people who work - how much time off did you take? From reading this thread it does seem like a lot of people are at home with their puppies but unfortunately I’ll be in the office two days per week so am already thinking of daycare options (as small as possible) however I’m worried about training being held back a bit by this?

Thanks!

Just to add in case it’s not clear from my post above that I am planning to take time off with puppy I just meant it seems there might be a lot of people on this thread who stay at home whereas I will be going back to work.

Welcome @percypal . I work 2 days in the office and must say that it does slow training as I'm the only one consistent with mine! However there is always someone in and out my house and if she is left alone it's for 2 hours tops. Do you have someone else at home?

Iris is a cocka/cavapoo so really needs to be around people, she follows me everywhere and needs to be always touching me haha! What breed is it you're considering?

We still haven't cracked the crate training, she sleeps in DDs room but does sleep through the night mostly. If she's having a bad night, I sleep on the sofa, she falls to sleep on me, then gets on the floor when she's warm enough!

She can be a terrible pain in the backside however totally worth it, she's brought so much joy and love into the house.

Another puppy owner to be wanting to join. Pick our new addition up at the end of Feb. First time dog owners and totally terrified

Hi @percypal !

I 100% wfh, with a random show face day in the office every 3 months or so.

I took a week off and was heartily glad to get back to work as it forced me and dog to get into a routine. I did have another week set aside and a sympathetic dog loving boss in case I needed it but didn't.

Even though I wfh I do use doggy day care. It's just me as a single mum and I always wanted a contingency cover. She goes a couple of afternoons a week to run and play with her pals. It's not hindered her training at all. We both love it.

I would say for day care that your dog will need to be fully jabbed, with kennel cough - which means about 4 weeks after the second jabs. So make sure you have contingency in place!

Pics once you get pup please!!

Hello @percypal and @Deedippy . Hopefully from lurking you can see there are a range of experiences and while there are bad times, they do pass relatively quickly.

Lots of good game ideas, thank you. @Citygirlrurallife , it was my kids who taught paw one afternoon! As per advice of puppy class I have also taught ‘speak’ so he will give a bark on command - was supposed to help with training him NOT to bark with ‘quiet’, results on that are variable… Our pup enjoys a game from pup class where you throw a treat then just as he reaches it call back, treat and repeat rapidly, trying to get him recalling when excited. However he just anticipates the call and enjoys the game I think!

Funny how all our goldens are the really pale variety, I think the shade is beautiful…here’s mine having a wee snooze in the car! I really need to get him used to the boot now but we like him in the front!

A tired looking RiverPup.

My dh wfh when RiverPup came home thinking that would be sufficient. It wasn’t, I suggest 1-2 weeks, partly because they don’t sleep at first so you may be tired.

Training isn’t for Christmas, it’s for life. It’s a continue process. I wouldn’t worry too much.

we’ve always had the crate downstairs. I slept on the sofa for a while.

Welcome, by the way, to all the newbies, and don’t forget the first rule of this thread, post photos!

…but my photo didn’t post!

Wow look how big RiverPup got!!! Loving all the white goLdies

Welcome new joiners!

@percypal our dog isn’t allowed upstairs. We slept on the sofa (DH and I taking turns) until she slept through and then for a week afterwards - we now have a baby monitor so can hear her from our room if need be. She was sleeping through from 11 weeks or so.

I took 2 weeks off - I was working from home (part time freelancing) and to be honest didn’t work much at all for the first month or so due to the dog. You have to be able to take them out to the loo so so frequently to crack house training properly. I’d recommend getting a puppy sitter while she’s little as she won’t be allowed into doggy day care until she’s fully vaccinated. I’m now in a new job ( Coco coming up to 5 months) and my nanny is around on the 2 days I’m in the office - on my WFH days I walk her in the morning pre work and play games/train her in short gaps between work.

@ZiggZagg coco sounds v much like your dog re needing to be with people. Separation training is going v v slowly indeed…

@Citygirlrurallife

I know! The last picture I took earlier today. I’ve just dug out an early picture (approx eight weeks old? September) to compare.

Three more pictures.