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.

Sunpup went to rally today and he was pretty good actually once he stopped behaving like a gazelle on steroids. Hope everyone's pups are being good.. and enjoy the Easter sunshine that's coming 🤞

Have any of your puppies been attacked/bitten?

We're on bite three today :( a big off-lead male lab ran at, lunged for and bit on-lead-not-so-luckypup (she was yelping and absolutely terrified). The last one was in a public enclosed field, I asked the owner in there whether his dogs were ok with other dogs (as they were off-lead and the etiquette is don't go in if the off-lead dogs aren't dog friendly), he said yes, unluckypup got a bite on the nose (obviously won't take that chance again). The first was my partners fault as he walked her past a german shepherd without giving it sufficient space so he lunged, pinned her down and snapped at her.

At a puppy socialisation class today she loved all the puppies except the male german shepherd, her tail going between her legs every time he tried to say hi, so I'm sure these experiences have a lasting effect. I just don't know how much, and am so scared she will end up reactive. Is this what to expect as a dog owner? There are so many dogs around here that it's hard to avoid them, though she's made friends with some and plays really nicely. Feel a bit shaken up and nervous about it happening again :(

@Sunflowers765 ’gazelle on steroids’ - love that description!

@Unluckycat1 Poor UnluckyPup (not Luckypup today). No attacks on RiverPup, and fortunately 95%of the dogs he’s met have been friendly. In fact, I think he
s only met a few dogs that growled at him. Usually he wants to play with every dog, but I noticed he was cautious about a pup on her first heat recently - he almost backed away from her (didn’t like her perfume!,) (both dogs were on leads).

@Unluckycat1 poor poor pup. It certainly can have a lasting affect, I know one of my parents dogs was attacked by a Scottie at around 6 months old. Hated Scottie's for the rest of her life, but she was never reactive, more just shit scared of them.

Orange pup was attached when she was 4 months by a parson Russel. The owner had made a really big fuss of orange pup and her dog got jealous. Went to say hello then pinned her down and was gnarling at her while she was yelping. The silly owner did not act fast enough IMO but she had no physical injuries. After that she was a bit shaken but I went on the prowl for some friendly dogs and luckily found a very friendly cocker and lab and she had a play with them. She's been totally fine since then and this was over 2 months ago.

Do you keep unluckypup on the lead when walking? I use a long line still as orange pup just loves all dogs but I am aware that not all dogs will love her and she has not learnt to read no from other dogs, so an aggressive bark or growl, she'll run away and then straight back again!! The long line gives me some control over who she plays with, if friendly play I drop it and let them have fun. But it is very difficult as you sometimes just can't tell and even though all dogs give signals it can be lightening quick that it would be easily missed.

Have you met any dogs that are friendly with her? Or any friends with friendly dogs? I would try to kind of do some friendly play dates with dogs that you know are ok.

Oh poor wee unlucky pup. We've not been bitten but fluffpup is a big hairy beast so not an easy target.
Can we see another pic please? Has she grown into her legs yet?!

Poor unluckypup! Sounds like they have had some really horrible experiences. Coco hasn’t been bitten but has had some bigger/more aggressive dogs pin her down and be abit rough with her when running around which left her cautious of some large dogs. I think some dogs (esp off lead) are really bad with puppies and dogs on lead - I tend not to let Coco greet/play with many dogs when she’s on lead (and generally only with dogs she’s met with and got on well with before).

We are in Northumberland for Cocos first holiday which is like doggy heaven. She’s on her season still (2 and a half weeks in!) so am being v cautious with her, always on her lead and am using bitch spray to hide her smell when in populated places (which works really well for an hour or so) . She’s been brilliant, despite some rather explosive diarrhoea in the early hours today (not quite sure what triggered it) and did a 8k walk today with no issue. Tomorrow is her first trip to a beach…

Oooo @cocopuff. Where are you staying? I'm always on the lookout for dog friendly places and love Northumberland. It was my aim this year to get out and about with fluffpup more and have totally failed so far. I'm such a home bird and poor fluffpup has a very small (but lovely!) world.

Thanks everyone, it's so nice to have a place where people understand, even my partner who saw it happen thinks it's fine as she played with a friendly cockerpoo afterwards. I've read so much more about dogs than he has so have given myself the reactive fear.

@Orangebadger thank you for the reassurance, I hope she bounces back too like orange pup did. No visible injuries so maybe it wasn't as vicious as it seemed? I do the same with keeping her on the lead and dropping it if she meets a friendly dog and it's oked with the owner. My longline is an awkward length, not really long enough that she can really run, so I don't tend to use it, but might invest in a longer one. No friends with dogs but she's met a some lovely dogs that she now seems to recognise so hopefully friendships will form 🤞

@Cocopuff ah how lovely! We're planning on having a holiday there this summer, I've heard it's brilliant with dogs :) Unluckypup is visiting a beach for the first time tomorrow too! (Whitby).

@BigBundleOfFluff pic provided :) though I have no recent leggy ones. If she's standing she's moving 😅

Other puppy pictures would be very welcome 🙏

Joshpup is gorgeous .

Happy to oblige with pictures.

Think we may have to get a longer sofa soon (for the dog who was never going to be allowed on the sofa!)

Here’s Coco and No 3 son on our walk today. @BigBundleOfFluff we are in Amble which I really like - loads of great walks from here and so many dog friendly eateries, including the pub across the road from us. Would definitely recommend!

And sniffing the flowers at lunch

You will have a great time here @Unluckycat1

Awww @Riverlee riverpup is gorgeous

@Unluckycat1 so lovely and leggy! Very jealous of the beach! We're in London, would love a day trip to a beach with Orangepup.

Will oblige with a couple of pics of my less than leggy pup. One solo and one about to beg the cat to play... never gonna happen!

Fluffpup smiling for you all.

Aww lovely to see the pups ❤️

Coco is so living her best life in that running pic 😅❤️

Labs are such good sofa snugglers @Riverlee That was never going to stay a dog free zone 😄

That scruffy little face 😍😍 @Orangebadger your cat's expression is brilliant too, only a dog would have the optimism to keep heading over

How pretty is fluffpup! I love goldies. Apparently loads of them meet up regularly round the corner from me, I'm desperate to see it in the flesh

Sunpup looking noble, and how he likes to enter the house!

Hi have been lurking but decided to hop on thread .

@Unluckycat1 that is one thing I am not looking forward to if it happens to me. Have Sandi Ann 11 week old Cavapoo and have been for a few socialisation walks , Sandi in backpack until her second jabs next week. On one of the walks we met a really big dog which I think was a staff and the owner was fighting to control him and he was well aggressive. I kept my distance and waited then calmly walked past and DH said hi pal to the owner. I thought oh god great on a first socialisation walk but she was not aware could not see but could hear the barking. That said I am off to do another walk with Sandi later and I really am looking forward to it.
Here is Sandi with youngest DD

Ah loving all the pics 😊 sorry to hear about the bite @Unluckycat1. What an awful thing to happen 😢 hope pup is ok.

Breakfastpup is 4 months old tomorrow. Getting better all the time - still struggling with biting but it tends to be because he is a bit fusspot crazing attention and wants cuddles or needs a sleep. This is how he sat when we drove to the pet shop the other day 🤣

Oh @Unluckycat1 poor pupper. we have been lucky, joshpup loves everyone and everything but she’s not encountered any grumpy dogs yet. It’s hard for us as she’s deaf so she has to stay on a tight lead near other dogs.

Joshpup is now 21 weeks old and has started to settle a bit. She’s not following me around quite so much anymore and she’s chilling out a bit.

@Riverlee can I please check what size is your new crate? I have an 8 month old lab who has outgrown the medium crate and I'm not sure if I should be getting a large or an xl one? I think large one will be fine for now but I want to buy one that will hopefully last him for as long as he needs it

@vestedinterests
We got the Kong xl size (from Pets at home), mainly because we didn’t want to buy the Large, and then in a months time have to buy XL. It’s much stronger with thicker bars then our previous crate.

A quick snap I took of RiverPup in his new crate for the first time.

@Riverlee thanks for confirming, will also get an xl one to save me from buying another one in a couple of months time

Pseudopup (9 month lab) has the same crate

All this chat of crates reminds me of an amusing episode from last week. On a Monday morning DH went down to take the puppy out to the loo and came back upstairs looking utterly freaked out - when he went down there the crate was still locked but no puppy was in there - Coco came trotting in from the utility while he was freaking out. Apparently the same thing happened on Saturday morning. He was worried that we had a poltergeist. Turns out he was simply being outwitted by a 7 month old puppy who had figured out that if he didn’t lock the bottom bolt on the crate she could open the door enough to squeeze out and have a nocturnal party 😂

Hello everyone, I have just got Vornpup 9.5 week old red fox lab