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.

Oh, should have said our pup is 20 weeks so quite a bit older and we only started this three weeks ago, just keeping to the schedule the puppy trainer recommended.

That’s a good tip to give treats behind legs so he has to come back to you.

Riverpup pulls a lot as well so dc and I have gone back to basics - lots of treats, praise, etc, and high value treats. Cheese definitely worked better than whatever I was using a few days ago. Also, I find constantly talking to him to keep him engaged, or at least reminds him that you are there (today I was randomly talking about hippos. Don’t know why - I know he doesn’t know what a hippo is!). However, I do find walks frustrating and haven’t reached a point where I fully relax and enjoy them yet (much to my disappointment).

@highlandcoo Thank you, I'll give it a go! I bought a harness which arrived today which seems to have helped a bit. She only barked (and just a bit)on her last walk so I think it might be tiredness and frustration. Hopefully she'll grow out of it.
It's not something my last dog did when she was small. She pulled but she didn't bark.

Here's a picture of the little nugget (hope it works).

Oh she’s gorgeous! Hope things improve o the walks - let us know how she goes on.
We completed our first set of puppy training classes tonight .. a month off now till the follow up course. What a relief!
Highlandpup is thoroughly over excited by the whole thing to the point where I’m not sure how much good it’s doing us all.
However the tips and advice and theory are all excellent; it’s just the hour in the Scout hut with six crazy puppies (and we are the craziest) that’s doing my head in

A friend posted this on Facebook - thought you would all appreciate it.

Tiptoes pup is so pretty - those soulful eyes…

@Uponmytiptoes awww lovely nugget! What a cutie!

Tbh lead walking is not something we do that often. I just cannot bear walking down the street with Orangepup as the litter situation is so bad and all I end up doing is take crap out of her mouth! So I am currently jumping in the car and going to parks/ fields etc. where I am focusing on recall. Not going too bad, but I am very aware she is only 4.5 months so I have yet to face the teenager who ignores me! But also lead walking with a hound I imagine is very different to with gun type dogs who have a mission to get there. Hounds sniff everything! So we get the occasional pull but it's more me saying come on! Leave that alone, what have you got in your mouth this time?! My friend with a springer spaniel really struggled for the first 2 years, she was literally been walked by her dog! Now he's 2 he's much calmer and better on the lead. Lead training is bloody hard work!

@Orangebadger Definitely hard work! I have the same trouble with mine wanting to eat everything! It's like she walks around with her mouth open so she doesn't miss anything. And pulling dropped old food (it was an old banana skin this evening) and manky nature bits out of her mouth is ever so grim.

She's such a sweet girl though. She sleeps on my feet while I wash up ❤

Dpup is now almost 13 weeks. We’ve noticed in the last couple of days her wee puddles are getting big so I think we are starting to get some bladder control. Accidents in the house are reducing to one every other day now.
She’s definitely not a fan of being left on her own but we’re trying to do it in small doses for her. Once she’s house trained I will be able to leave her with DDog which I think will help-but at the moment I don’t think it’s fair to shut DDog in the kitchen when she’s previously had run of the house.

Forgot to add picture.

@Orangebadger ive been working on “leave it” command with Coco. She managed to by pass some grapes on the pavement today thanks to this - definitely worth a try with orange pup.

Coco had her groom this morning - getting body and tail right but still not quite there on her face I think

@Uponmytiptoes yes all the litter eating is exhausting!

@JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam gorgeous!!

@Cocopuff yes I have been thinking I need to start training to drop or leave. I think it would help too with the feet/ lower limb play that she just loves but is now even driving my eldest crazy. All other methods that we have tried have worked for a short time but then it starts again! Drop/ leave will hopefully cover many problems!

Puppy training day 2 tomorrow. This time with both my kids in tow( the youngest been 5 who has ants in his pants) wish me luck. Think that I'll need a stiff drink tomorrow evening!

@Cocopuff coco is just a gorgeous fluff ball!!

General question. How often do you wash your pups?

Good luck for tomorrow @Orangebadger

Coco is white so needs cleaning fairly often - we tend to stick her in a Equafleece if it’s cold to reduce the amount of washing and so it’s just a case of washing paws and chin/exposed bits. She goes to the groomer every 4-5 weeks though as the Lhasa apso is strong in this dog

If left ungroomed she would end up looking like this!

Cocopup looks lovely.

what sort of pup is Josh pup?

We bath RiverPup as and when. Ie. He smells, get muddy etc. Being a lab, we don’t have to go to the groomers.

Went to puppy class again today (6 month class). He was less frantic than before, but still ‘lively’. However did a lot better than the last class.

My retriever is double coated and doesn't get washed that often. She's finally got her second coat which are more guard hairs.
If she's particularly filthy after a walk I stick her in her crate with a towel. After a nap she bizarrely comes out clean - her coat does its job and once the mud is dry it brushes out.
That being said she's a lazy pee-er and doesn't squat properly so her fluffy bum is 50% pee and it doesn't smell great.

@Riverlee Joshpup is a JRT x French Bulldog (sometimes referred to as a Jackfrench).

An odd mix I’m told, but we have a 4 year old Joshdog of the same cross and she’s an absolute delight.

Yes so as expected puppy class was a challenged between a manic Orangepup who just cannot fathom why she is in a room full of HUMANS AND DOGS and she cannot say hello to any of them! I feel sorry for her as she is so social so this really makes no sense to her! And my 5 yr old DS who was, let's just say not very stationary! Not ideal taking him really but DH was at work, and again next Sunday.

Solidarity fist bump @Orangebadger - Coco also too nosy/sociable in classes and way better at 1:1. I haven’t even tried to take my kids to puppy classes - and they are alot older - as would be a nightmare getting them to do what’s needed and it’s challenging enough with a puppy. Orange pup is young and curious and it’s not a bad thing that he is. You take what they were teaching at class and try to teach it in a less distracting environment and see how it goes. It’s all learning as you go along - for all of you x

Yes I took 7yr old to one puppy class, thinking it would be good for her to join in the learning and despite preparing her that I needed to do the tricks with him during class she still cried when told I had to be in charge. At that time he was a total nightmare in the class, it took immense effort to have him not bark constantly! Needless to say I never took her again, but obviously when you have no choice what can you do.

I can also report that thankfully now he’s not the worst behaved boy in class so stick at it, they will get there.

I also meant to say that the collie we had with us for a few nights did settle and we had such a good time, thanks to the person who responded about the routine! Was a bit like kids, sometimes two is easier than one if they have a good influence on each other. Actually made us talk about another dog in future which I can’t believe given only a few months ago I was ready to give him back most days!

We brought home our 8 week old lab today... he's gone straight into his crate and gone to sleep since we got home...
thanks to those who posted on my thread with crate advice a couple of weeks back. Went for a 38" one and have made it cosy with a little bed whilst he is small.

@AnotherBreakfast He’s gorgeous!

What mischief has every’s pup got up to? Yesterday, I was mixing up some batter for Yorkshire puddings. Stepped away to get something, and RiverPup jumped up and tipped the jug over. Clearing up batter mix of the floor is not easy!

Sunpup is nearly 6 months old and is getting a bit better in doggie training class. But he can't fathom why he should stay still for a whole minute. He likes doing not sitting. And down is completely impossible for him. My previous lab even as a tiny pup would just lie there no problem ( very lazy dog, love her) but this one is bloody Zebedee. Really enjoyed hoops and whizzing round a barrel and through tunnels though. But I can't see him passing bronze KC anytime soon🙄