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.

@Deedippy what a gorgeous pup 😍

Have you tried leaving the room for a minute or 2 and then going back in the room and building that slowly by increments? Does it help if you leave a radio on? Or leave them with a chew/ Kong type toy?

Do you know what breeds your dog has in them? Some breeds are more known for separation anxiety than others. It may help your get more specific advice regarding that breed?

About leaving us alone while eating.. Highlandpup is five months old now and recently I've felt we are really getting there.. at last!

We've never fed him from the table or given him our leftovers. He only gets food in his bowl on his mat (I had to train DH really hard on that one as he was all for throwing him a yogurt carton to lick out etc but that was heading for disaster)

We started by telling him "Down" when he tried to jump up at the table and placing his paws back on the floor. After two tellings he was put in the hall for 30 seconds if he tried a third time, we then moved on to only one warning. THis went on for weeks and weeks. He also gets a stuffed kong on a mat in the corner of the kitchen while we're eating. Just for our main meal, not breakfast etc when he just has something to chew, but when we want 15 minutes peace to enjoy dinner he gets something tasty.

A few days ago he walked over and sat on the mat when he saw me serving our tea, waiting for his kong. That felt like such a breakthrough!

@Deedippy, your pup is adorable!

Radio or a TV. Kings stuffed with treats. His favourite soft toy and blanket. Nothing makes a difference. If he falls to sleep and we place him and he wakes up it’s constant whimpering and then barking.

Hes got some kind of terrier in him

Kong**

Morning all! Looking for your thoughts on my older pupper. She's 11 months now.

I think she's going through a fear phase?? She missed the 12 week one - she was also a right confident "cocky" madam.

It's small things. When she doesn't like the look of someone out on a walk she stops, pulls into the side and watches as they pass. No whimpering or anything like that but when it used to be 1/2 a week. It's 5/6 times a walk. I ignore and wait with her, then say let's go and we walk on.

I've noticed her getting a bit more cautious in the garden. This morning when out for her morning poo she bolted back in when the birds disturbed her. She was happy to go back outside when I went with her. I didn't make a fuss, just went calmly out.

Now in the sitting room she's on high alert. Ears pricked, staring out the window. I've moved round different sofas and she's followed me.

I opened a piece of Mail, the noise startled her and she jumped and pawed at me for attention.

She's always regarded as Amazon delivery drivers as suspicious- but that's just watching and a small growl. It hasn't escalated to a bark yet - she's not a woofer. That hasn't changed.

It's not a season. Am thinking just ride it out and ignore, not make a fuss of? Nothing "bad" has happened and she's been very very well socialised as a puppy.

Possibly a good thing that she's a bit more self aware but she was such a carefree puppy!

Is there any roadworks or additional noise outside that is making her anxious?

We have a dog boarders near us, and every so often, when outside, RiverPup will put his nose in the air and start barking, so we know that (female?) dogs are probably staying there.

As there been any incident which has started her? Once on a walk, a noisy van backed up near to where we were, and RiverPup was cautious of any car for the next walk or two, but it has settled down now.

Regarding the garden, can you occasionally throw a treat out to encourage he4 to go outside of her own accord?

Apparently there’s another fear period between 9 and 12 months so it could well be that @BigBundleOfFluff

Yup - I've done a big of googling and reckon this is their second fear period - we missed it the first time round!
Think just need to ride it out. Nothing "bad or odd" has happened. She's happy enough going for a walk and happy going out for a pee just I can tell she's not the carefree pup she was last week.
Like everything, it will pass!

We did an exercise at puppy class during the early weeks about fear where they put out various unfamiliar/strange noisy items and the pups were to get click and treat (clicker training) whenever they investigated something they seemed wary of, ie when they moved towards or looked at the thing. Clicker wouldn’t be necessary. Not sure same advice applies when older but we did it this morning when ours met a donkey and was a bit freaked out, he then went in a bit closer!

Thanks for the reply @Orangebadger it's nice to hear she's not alone in her behaviour. I've given up on wearing slippers and fluffy socks and long drapey cardigans for now, they're irresistible to her.

I hope puppy will feel less fearful soon @Pinotforone our pup is 13 weeks now so I don't have any real wisdom as she's our first and I imagine there's an element of luck to their initial temperaments, but she was scared to be alone at first, so we ensured she never had to be (doors open so if I'm working she can find me, sleeping on the sofa bed etc) and her confidence has slowly grown.

Thanks @highandcoo looks like I need to invest in a Kong! Did you get a specific puppy one?

Puppy had her second vaccination today. She turned 13 weeks yesterday. I'm getting quite panicked about her lack of socialisation and having to be confined to the house and garden for another week. A dog was trying to say hi to her in the waiting room in a very exuberant manner and she was clearly scared :( does anyone have a reassuring story of a puppy starting their socialisation a bit later and being ok?

@Unluckycat1 I'm not sure the ones labelled for puppies are any different tbh. I have 6 now .. saves time when I'm stuffing and freezing them and they work a treat so for me they're worth the money.

You can carry her around to socialise her as long as you don't put her down I'm pretty sure? So could go in a dog-friendly cafe on your knee, be carried out to watch the bin lorry, and go to friends' houses etc. That would give her plenty of new experiences to be going on with.

She's pretty big and feels on the cusp of being ok to carry. I walk her in my arms a little way outside the house but she soon starts squirming. Driving to a dog friendly cafe could be good though, she loves to lounge on me, but definitely spills out beyond my lap. I can just picture a dog-hater being annoyed at her half on a chair 🙈 don't know why I didn't think of a friends house! thanks!

@Unluckycat1 i didn’t wear a dressing gown for ages and lived in old jumpers and joggers. Now can wear dressing gowns, dresses etc okay.

@Unluckycat1 what advice did your vet give about going out after the jabs? It's so varied online. My vet said I could go for pavement walks after 1 week then 2 weeks walk anywhere.

You could carry her, like others have said even if it's just down the street, the sound and smells are all part of socialisation.

Some vet practices have puppy social events, one near me does this every Saturday morning. This is sometimes ok after the first jab.

Also if you know any friends who have a friendly dog who is fully vaccinated and ok with puppies you could do to see them?

@Unluckycat1 we used a sling for Sunpup ( lab) it certainly helped when lugging him about! We went to all sorts of places!

@Unluckycat1 Also to comment on nervous puppy.. we've just done bronze course and a little spaniel there was so scared (maybe 5 months old) but the difference by the end of the course, 100% more confident. Just take pup to as many places as possible, but be guided by pup, eg places with a few people, not a high street on a Saturday afternoon! Build up slowly!

@Pinotforone coco was scared of everyone and everything in the beginning - she would cry in her crate/pen but if I sat nearby would be fine. She’s now still sometimes apprehensive and takes time to figure out if something new is safe, but super confident and playful. She’s happy to approach and play with different dogs, explore new places, doesn’t need to be next to me (when I’m being boring and working at home, she will take herself off to other rooms to explore or sleep). We’ve got rid of the pen - keeping the crate for now for night times. So it does get better, just give it time. She’s still not great at being left alone in the house so that’s the focus for the next couple of months to work up to leaving her alone for up to an hour.

@Unluckycat1 socialisation is whatever you make it. Have friends of all different sizes and shapes come round the house to meet her. Introduce the radio, tv, washing machine, hoover, blender, hairdryer etc. Take puppy on drives. Sit on a bench with pup watching the world go by. My dog trainer suggested sitting on the drive with puppy to watch the world go by, which we did a couple of times. In the time before you can go out walking puppy, play lots of training games to build up a good bond with puppy. I used a sling till Coco could go down on the ground - if puppy is too big for that, I’ve seen people with dogs in buggies….

Thanks so much for all of the getting out and about and socialisation suggestions. I'm going to try the bike trailer again (in pushing/pram mode) as she didn't like it first time and now i think i gave up too soon. As you can see she has ridiculous legs (I'm guessing the lurcher in her??) and isn't easy to carry for long 😅 but she does seem to need more than the house and garden.

@Sunflowers765 that's so reassuring to hear how effective the course was, we have some puppy training lined up but have just missed out on the current course so it will be after easter. I've found a puppy socialisation group too which I'm hopeful about

Pet shops or garden centres are a good way to get out. We put pup in a trolley with a piece of vet bed

Exciting week here! Breakfastpup is now accident free at night time 🎉 also seeing signs of needing more mental stimulation now and he's just had lunch from a snuffle mat for the first time without picking up said snuffle mat and running around the room with it. On the downside has been a pickle for eating things he shouldn't in the garden... so we've been practicing leave..
he has his 12 week jabs next week - any tips for it pls share

How’s your pups enjoying the snow?

JoshPup is quite liking it.

@Unluckycat1 that is the most ridiculously gorgeous pup. I can't decide whether the gangly legs or fluffy ears are the best feature. You need to keep sending us pics - they change so quickly at that stage.

@JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam josh pup has the loveliest markings, especially on his face!