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.

@Orangebadger @BigBundleOfFluff you're right, it does tend to be people with the most extreme views that take to their keyboards to complain! I just didn't realise there were people who felt so strongly about dogs. Especially as IRL, since having a dog I've never had so many people stop to speak to me/the dog and have a nice chat 😊 it's been a really nice experience

@Isthislife yes me too.

The thread that I thought was bizarre was the one about what breeds of dog you hate. There was quite a lot of vitriol on there too from people who claim to be dog lovers. Greyhounds came off badly, poo crosses and labs, the flat faced breeds came off badly which surprised me less, but it's not the dogs fault, it's human breeding that has created their health problems. I mean there are plenty of dogs I would not own, but I genuinely don't hate any breed of dog, I like them all, I may have a particular soft spot certain breeds, like we all do, but I appreciate them all for their own qualities. It was the most bizarre thread.

😂 good for you!

I didn’t realise that some people had such problems with dogs, think I must live in my own little dog bubble 😂. I was wondering what you do when you leave your pup on its own? There is usually someone at home in our house nearly all the time. We’ve not really left him on his own as with it being winter we’ve not ventured out much but now we’re getting to the time of the year where we might actually have a life it’s not going to be possible for him to go everywhere with us. I’ve a feeling that he will howl on his own as he already does this when I pop out and DH and DS are in the house working upstairs. Only when DH or DS pop down to him will he be quiet. I leave him with a frozen kong or chew that should last a while but he’s not really bothered and prefers human company. We do have a crate but he only goes in it to sleep. We have got a hallway and kitchen where he would be safe (he’s still eating/chewing things he shouldn’t) but it’s hard flooring so is a bit echoey (also the neighbours to think about as she works from home too). So I was wondering what your set ups are? Do you leave pup to roam around or are they in their crate? I’ve seen there are cameras you can get that toss a treat out to them every now and again, does anyone have one?

I have the Tapo cameras. Got them as my smart plugs are the same range so just 1 app for everything.
I used to leave in her crate but she's never destroyed anything that isn't her toy so i don't bother anymore.
Looking at the cameras she watches us leave for a bit then potters and settles.
She's always been an independent spirit so I've just done it from the start - she used to whimper for max 30 secs which I ignored. I honestly don't know what I'd have done if she hadn't settled herself.
She only gets left on school pick up time for 30 mins a few days a week anyway.
Sorry nothing much useful there, but I do love the cameras. I can talk through them too but I mainly do that to annoy my children!

We put RiverPup in his crate with a frozen Kong. I try and do sone training, mental or physical before hand to exhaust. Once or twice a month, he wakes about 3pm, I have a mad 45 minutes with him, before putting him back in the crate before going to work. I’ve no idea if he howls because no one is in the house! He’s usually fine when someone comes in.

On Dog behaving badly etc, they say build it up slowly. Put him in, leave the room, then return a few minutes later, and keep doing this and extending the time. A bit liked Controlled Crying for dogs! I think there’s a good Mcann YouTube clip on this.

I have similar concerns with Sunpup. I am retired, my DH and DD work from home so there's almost always someone, usually all of us here! But occasionally we would like to go out!
It sounds silly but it's finding the time to practice leaving him! He's fine downstairs on his own if we're upstairs. But hardly ever completely on his own in the house.
To practice leaving Sunpup on his own for 5 /10 minutes I have to drag DH and DD out of their respective studies and make them stand in the road outside, which they're not very keen on 😂😂

I leave orange pup in the front room which has a child gate on it. Her crate is in that room so she can go in it if she wants. But she often sits on the back of the chair so can look out the window and often falls asleep there. We have left her in gradually increasing increments from around 10 weeks. Starting with 10 min. Now we are up to about 2.5 hours we can leave her and she is absolutely fine. We can see she just chews her chews/ Kong which we leave with her or sleeps. She's quite a independent dog though who does disappear to look out the front window on her own a lot while we are at the back of the house so she's been very easy to leave.

Oh I've definitely picked up on dog-disliking vibes when out and about. Unluckypup makes it quite clear she's super interested when people walk past (which is why I have her sat or laid down, away from the person etc, but she'll still be staring at them and wagging and wiggling etc etc) and so she gets a reaction, which is often a hello or an aww, but is sometimes a scowl. I was told she could come along to a scouts bbq last weekend, which was really lovely and I had her glued to me and sat down (we weren't there long) but while loads of people said hi, some parents looked visibly annoyed.

I'm feeling quite down today. I think I've messed up and don't know how to rectify it. I was very worried unluckypup wouldn't be socialised as we weren't out and about until 13/14 weeks (and she was too big to carry around), so whenever the opportunity to play with a friendly puppy or dog came along I took it. And she ended up very dog loving and confident. But over the last week she's developed a new style of play and I just can't bear it. She mouths loads, bites (I think without much pressure as no yelping) other dogs faces and legs, and today was growling when playing, jumping on the terrier, and just being way too much. The other dogs she plays with like this honestly seem to love it, going back for more when I take her away etc. which doesn't help. If she meets an older dog who asserts their boundaries with a bark she's very receptive and won't overstep their personal space. But when the dog/puppy is basically saying, more, more! she's practically manic. If I could turn back the clock I would have not let her play with other dogs so much as I feel like maybe this is her being overly confident? I tried to not interact with other dogs today, but there are so many around here, and she's made friends who we bump into, and then they're straining at the lead to get to each other. I'm finding it a nightmare and am praying it will get better with age.

@Unluckycat1 watching dogs play can be nerve wracking some times! But play biting rolling on top of each other with a few growls and barks is all part of it. I don't think you have made a mistake at all, puppies learn the ropes by playing with each other. Orangepup is full on with play, and as long as it's reciprocated that's fine. I think it's about the dogs been a good match. A more timid dog would probably not enjoy it too much, so then you can see and stop it. The only other thing is to let them play, and when you see it's getting a bit much, you stop it and go away. There a lot of info about dog play and signs that other dogs are happy or not with it, maybe have a read to make you feel a bit better. I really don't think you've made a mistake there though.

@Unluckycat1 I think that's perfect? She's already picked up which dogs are up for a bit of play and which are not. That's awesome?!

I'd take a confident dog that's up for a bit of fun over a timid one - I think! It took a while but we can just about walk past people and dogs - but if the other dog makes eye contact and seems up for it she will be straining on the lead too.

Makes me laugh when sometimes you see a gobby little shite rear up on their back legs barking the place down while we pass. She takes no notice of their nonsense and gets a treat for a successful pass by. And I always say "fluffpup, did you actually impart wisdom?"

At the start when she was into everyone and everything - if I spotted them in time we did a sit and look at me. If not in time I body blocked her. I'm not sure if it was constantly doing that (she's not that bright a spark) or just getting older that has meant pass bys get easier,

Hi all - been away from MN for a while due to real life. Cocopup is now 8 months, still not eating (this time due to what the vet thinks is a phantom pregnancy so abit mopey and sleepy) but otherwise doing ok. @Unluckycat1 my friend calls that type of play Bitey Face play - her dogs do it. As long as unluckypup is playing with a dog who is receptive to that kind of play all is good. Cocopup gets scared by it so she would tend to avoid unluckypup.

That's what worries me @Cocopuff some dogs definitely won't appreciate it. So far she has only done it with dogs who show strong 'I love it!' signals. E.g. last week she was really roughhousing with a puppy that was hugely up for it, while being very gentle and only sniffing and running with the one who wasn't. But I feel like this has come out of nowhere and I'm worried the more she does it the more she will want to do it, like how prey drive is said to get worse when a dog experiences the chase.

Thanks for the reassurance @Orangebadger and @BigBundleOfFluff maybe it's just me being a novice who's not able to read dogs well yet. It just looks awful, she has this long snout so can really get her mouth around other dogs various body parts, and when the growling was added to the equation yesterday I had a real 'is she showing aggression!!' panic. There are so many poor dogs that seem to struggle with dog interaction and I feel on edge trying to achieve the perfect balance between friendly and aloof so we avoid that. I think we need to practise more focus on me when out and about so that's the plan for this weekend. I'll crack open the squeezey cheese!

So the adventures of Sunpup continue... today we have agility.
Sunpup is hot as the sun is shining (for a change) so the minute his lead is off -does he sit in front of me waiting for instructions like a good dog??
No, no he does not.
Instead he tanks off to the end of the field and launches himself into the rhyne!! Returns covered in duck weed and to much laughter from the other dog owners ( whose dogs are sitting in front of them waiting for instructions like the good dogs they are. )
FML

At least he has good recall…

@Sunflowers765 😂😂 well sounds like he had fun and I presume and good bath after?

I empathise. I have been training Orangepup to recall with a whistle and the word sausages, with said sausage when she comes darting back! I would say approx 50-70% it works. Today we hit 0%. I was literally standing there whistling and calling and waving sausages. She just turned and looked and then ran in the total opposite direction. She must have done this at least 10 times! Thank god for the long line. But yes the other dog owners were laughing at me with their lovely obedient dogs bringing their balls back to them! I think it's official 7 months is here and I now have a teenager!

Oh dear @Sunflowers765 I can't help but laugh 😄 I guess quite a few of the puppies on here won't have experienced much hot weather.

At the start of the week one of my children accidentally dropped the lead and unluckypup bolted and very nearly caught a duck. I've been worrying over prey drive ever since as she honestly has never looked happier than after 'the hunt'. Bit of reassurance today when with the help of squeezey cheese she sat despite a squirrel being in the tree above us, and continued to sit as an unexpected dog walked past. It's very hard to know with her being a mongrel (and me being a novice owner) what her natural traits are and whether she has any hope of an eventual off-lead life.

@Orangebadger do you think there was fox poo about? It destroys recall training here

My previous DDog used to swim out into the river to get the buoys because she thought they were balls! I used to worry she'd get caught up in the ropes 😯😯 She was most annoyed she couldn't bring them back 😂
Sunpup has discovered that the sea, river and pond on the golf course are all great to cool down in. Straight in, swimming about. Bless him ❤️

Fluffpup is a winter dog. She was around when we had the really hot weather last July. She slept even more if that's possible as she's very lazy, I had a cool mat which she liked (but also liked to pee on) and I put a gazebo up so she permanently had shade in the garden and the paddling pool.
She couldn't walk much anyway because of her age but I'm in Scotland so morning and evening were ok temp wise.
I'm going to get a cooling collar for her this year. Her doggy day care have since built a large air conditioned shed so if it gets bad again I might send her in for that.
She's very very fluffy so hoping she'll moult plenty before then.

We got Sunpup in October. He's already crashing out on the floor rather than his bed to cool down and it's only been 18 degree tops! Hope we don't get a summer like last year! And he's not even fluffy!

@Orangebadger love the thought of you waving sausages😂😂
Sunpup is now oblivious to food if there is another dog to play with. I have said his name and literally put liver cake under his nose, and he's like, nope, I'm off, byeee!
I made the bloody liver cake for him as well, which was disgusting.. ungrateful hound

There are always lots of foxes here at night so I imagine it's more hormones but you never know.

Does anyone else's dog eat their own poo? Orangepup has taken to this on top of all other crap that she eats. She is somewhat discerning about it, she draws the line at runny poo, it has to be fresh and perfectly formed so I guess that's something! So now I have to stand at the ready with poo bags when she's in the garden to scoop it up fast!

My daughter asked me to describe Orangepup in 4 words... friendly, energetic, defiant and disgusting were my chosen ones right now!

Helloo, not been on for ages, pups all looking gorgeous.

@Orangebadger, we have not experienced eating Beginpups own poo, but a few months ago we had a lot of fox poo eating and two unspeakable incidents of eating our kids poo. One an upturned potty incident and the other my elder caught out and had to go in a bush. It was literally a slow mo moment as he swooped in for it and he looked soooooo happy. Puppy trainer told me that it happens as dogs evolved as scavengers but now poo from other dogs etc is so high quality with undigested nutrition from the good food they get. Who knows, it’s rank.

We are getting along mostly well at nearly 9 months, my main issue is how he needs to hold things in his mouth, apparently normal for retrievers. But in his case it translates as wanting to hold peoples clothes and body parts. It’s gentle and he doesn’t hurt but obviously alarming for people when he wants to put his mouth round their wrist, hold on to coats and scarves, he even mouths at the folds of clothing at crotches etc! He understands the command ‘no bite’ ‘leave it’ etc and lets go, and bless him, at home when he sees us coming downstairs, he runs off to get something in his mouth so he doesn’t get told off! I can see it’s just an urge and hope he gains more control over it over time. Any other goldie owners have this problem? @BigBundleOfFluff and I forget names of who else?

Yup I hear you on the retrieving. Even when she's asleep!

We keep toys everywhere. She feels the need to greet people with something in her mouth so there is even a toy by the front door.

And also yes on the clothes. I don't wear anything dangly but she will (gently) grab a small bit of a sleeve. She does respond to "leave it". We ignore and say leave it and she does. Still not quite broken the habit of her initiating it though. It's less frequent and just happens now when she's excited and forgets herself. I'd love to stamp it out completely but I think it's going to take months of ignoring the bad behaviour.

She's just started jumping up again which is annoying, guessing her teenage stage has finally hit.

Afraid I think it's another case of ignore the bad, reward the good.