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.

what a great picture of Joshpup. As @BigBundleOfFluff says, he looks so proud.

@BeansOnToast32 thank you - Nugget is pretty chilled anyway but at the moment she is being a pain! Never indoors, constantly whining to go outside and barking at fresh air!! looks quite sorry for herself too but no other obvious signs of season! Wow 19 days!! I am not ready for that either!

@Nugg yes my pup was just starting to chill out and relax when her season hit. Then she was a right pain. I thought she might have been coming into season because a few weeks before she randomly started trying to hump my arm every night 😳 she had never humped anything before but it became relentless. I couldn't enjoy her company because if I tried fussing her she'd end up trying to hump every single time.

I'd say there's a good chance your pup could be coming into season soon if her behaviour has changed, either that or adolescence. I noticed tiny drops of blood where she'd been sat on the first day but then she started bleeding properly the next day and started to swell up a few days after that.

I wasn't prepared for 19days of bleeding either, I was constantly washing, even though she was always licking herself she still made a mess wherever she sat or laid. I had covers over the settee that I had to keep swapping and washing, same with her bedding and I had to get the little spot carpet cleaner out for the living room rug 😩

She got it up on the sofa herself too. She was very happy 😃.

I agree she’s certainly looking very JRT these days, I did think she would as her mom was JRT. She’s definitely got JRT energy 😂.

Just about to take Sunpup to his first agility lesson. In a field. It's absolutely pouring with rain. Really wish I could stay here and have a nice cup of tea....🙄🙄 I'm going to rename him Rainpup...

@AnotherBreakfast Sunpup has been on Orijen large puppy kibble. It's one of the top rated on all about dog food, but it is quite expensive. It's about £8 per kilo so costs us about £3.50 per day. I'm thinking of moving him to raw, which will cost about the same, maybe a bit more while he's a growing lad!

@JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam gorgeous Josh pup! Certainly looking very pleased with herself

@BeansOnToast32 oh god you have scared me! Orangepup has started humping this week, mainly my DD! She's just 6 months! I am not sure my DH could handle a season tbh, not sure I can either! Better some old sheets out and ready in case.

On another note, anyone any good tips for stopping digging in the garden? I am thinking of getting a sandpit just for her but I am thinking the cat will just poo in it and then orange pup will just scoff that up!!

Joshpup's coat looks amazing! I've gone to the posh pet shop and bought a small bag of symply puppy fuel to try... there were so many options and this was one of the less expensive options. I didn't know where to start. Am going to slowly mix in with current food and see how we go, try to wean him off of skinners...

@Orangebadger hopefully your pups season will be easier than mine, she had just turned 7 months when she came into season but started humping about 3 weeks before. Never again, she'll be getting spayed in a couple of months. I'd forgotten what a pain seasons are, my last dog was spayed after her first season and she lived to 12 so it's been a long time since I've had to endure one.

I thought a children's ball pit might distract your pup from digging but you probably wouldn't be allowed to keep it out in the rain. That or if your pup actually likes being outside, for a day or 2 as soon as you see her dig pop her on a lead and bring her in that way she might think "playtime ends when I dig"

My pup doesn't particularly care for being outside unless it's sunny, she will sit on a big rock and lift her face to the sun 😂 if it's cold, windy or raining she runs out and does her business before running back in.

@BeansOnToast32 what did you do about walking your pup while she was in season?

@Orangebadger I only did short 10min on lead pavement walks early morning/late night because I didn't want to risk any more, luckily there wasn't really anybody about then but I live in a very green area with loads of dog walkers with mostly off lead dogs. I just played with her loads at home with the ball, practiced some commands and gave her lick mats and stuffed kongs.

@Sunflowers765 How was agility with SunPup, or Muddypup?

@Riverlee it was cold wet and muddy! 6 of us standing in a field getting our dogs to put their paws in a board, run through a tunnel and put their noses on a plastic Pringle lid. There are times when you think FML and this was definitely one of them!! The instructor had full water proofs. I did not. 🙄🙄😂😂

Anyone else go into a new pet store and came out spending £70 on treats and toys?!

@Orangebadger Coco is well and truly into her season - we live just down from the local dog park which is used at all times of day so getting her out for a walk is tricky (esp as she loves that park and keeps return to nip out the front door every time it’s opened to go there). I’ve just purchased a spray to try to mask her smell so can take her for street walks more easily. She’s keeping herself quite clean but there are a few small drops of blood around. She was off her food for a week at the start but is now back to eating. Thank heavens we have a back garden! DH is taking this as an opportunity to try to teach her to play fetch with very mixed results 😂

@Riverlee i spend a fortune on line instead

Snuffle mats, food dispensing toys and puzzles are def coming into their own now - though her absolute fave is a cardboard box full of shredded cardboard with treats in - keeps her very happy!

@Orangebadger we’ve had no humping so far - just an out of sorts puppy in need of lots of reassurance. She’s quite a sociable little thing so the real issue is keeping her away from other dogs

🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️ we went to get breakfast pup a new harness and collar today after he chew/broke the cheap Amazon one I bought... so nice starting to get him out and about a bit more but he's so overtired now.... hoping he'll settle for a nice long sleep now this afternoon

@Cocopuff yes Orangepup is super social. Loves other dogs and people thus she remains on a long line when out, as impossible to get any recall when she wants to say hello! This will no doubt be a bit challenging when she's in season. I imagine fewer walks, and maybe just pavement walks tbh early morning and late evening.

I did meet a lady with her 9 month old black lab who also started humping a few weeks before starting her first season. I feel I need to get some more toys and puzzles for her in preparation for what might be to come!

@Riverlee yep! Spent &
£60 the other day on treats, chews and new toys! 🥴

Thanks for all the food suggestions! I've had an overwhelming time of it recently so haven't tried anything new yet but think (despite some improvement) that I will soon. I knew I wouldn't buy the very cheapest food, but am a bit shocked that no one online (not just here, but fb groups too) seems to buy food that's readily available in a supermarket. Who's buying it 😂 and why aren't they selling the more popular stuff?

@Sunflowers765 your description of agility 😆

@Riverlee yup, spent that in tk maxx the other day buying a (lovely!) coat and towel that won't fit puppy for months, if ever...

Question, do your puppies go on proper walks yet? And if so, at what age did they get the hang of it? As in, you put the lead on and actually walk rather than stop every few seconds. Very happy to let her sniff loads, but I mean full on bottom on the floor looking around for 5 minutes stopping. There is a brilliant field ten minutes away and I fear we will never make it there. There's a closer field two minutes away that takes 15 minutes to get to, if I pick her up several times along the way. She's 16 weeks today, very leggy, just not interested in walking. (Now running she likes, and when we drive to a great dog walking spot she lets off loads of steam, but it's mostly running or stopping, not much walking).

Thanks all for the season info! No signs at all yet, she's eating more if anything and this weekend has been super sweet and cuddly, she is usually but even more so at the moment. Complete change to last weeks ratbag 🤣

She's 10 months this week so it just be imminent!

@Unluckycat1 oh yes. I remember those days. When fluffy bundle was small she used to plant herself down and stare wistfully after people. I found listening to music or a podcast "my dad wrote a porno" is a good one helped with patience.
Whilst she no longer sits and stares at people she sniffs every feckin blade of grass and whatever is close to her. I try snd remember it's her walk and let her get on with it but it does get a bit waring in the rain!
Picture of said pup standing and staring at nothing in an empty wood at the weekend.

@BigBundleOfFluff love the photo description 😄
Yes, that's it, staring wistfully at every single person that walks past, I swear she would spent hours just sat outside the front of the house. I'm super patient and pro-sniffing time, but just wish we could go straight to the field two minutes away where she need not get terrified by buses and white vans and has a much higher chance of meeting dog pals (her favourite thing ever!). Today I lured her the whole way with a tube of cheese 🙈 it worked, but I know it's best to save the cheese for proper training.

@Unluckycat1
Have to say walking the dog isn't quite what I thought it would be. I had imagined long walks (I live in a beautiful area) with a well mannered dog with fabulous recall. I looked after fluffy bundles big sister during holidays and that's what we did. Instead I have a nosy dog that loves sticking her head through peoples hedges, people watching snd smelling other dogs pee. She's just a lot less self employed than her big sister. When it's sunny I don't mind to much but it's harder to be patient when it's raining. I think when it rains it brings out even more smells so it's just all very boring as an owner. I just try and keep remembering that she's a dog and that's what they do. Plus she's pretty awesome and tbh I like checking out other peoples gardens so.....