Puppy survival thread part 2

[Orangebadger]

Thought I would start another thread for all those puppy owners.

@Riverlee
@Unluckycat1
@Sunflowers765
@BigBundleOfFluff
@Cocopuff

Will have to look back to tag others as cannot remember all names.

@tizwozliz oh he’s gorgeous. Funnily enough, I said to DH on todays walk that Florapup is doing so well, but that will change when adolescence hits 😬

Oh wow, jealous of these pups with natural recall @AnnieSnap and @tizwozliz 7 months here and Unluckypup still only comes back if I make it worth her while, food, squeaky ball, wanting me to throw a ball again, or me just running like a loon — she can't resist the chance to run. None of those things is as exciting as a fellow dog though 😣

Aww @BigBundleOfFluff poor fluffpup. Did the swelling last long? Unluckypup is obsessed with bees so I really ought to have some medicine handy.

Is anyone sticking to the 5 minutes per month walks until fully grown guidance? Some walks/days I do, but I'm finding that unluckypup doesn't seem content enough if we follow it every day. We had a lovely circular walk earlier that was just over an hour (see pic). And at the weekend I took her to an outdoor event for hours which she really enjoyed (was fussed a lot) though she was not walking the whole time. It's so nice getting properly out and about with her, but I'll feel terrible if she ends up with joint problems because I've pushed the exercise.

We've always treated it as a guideline rather than a hard and fast rule. So most walks were about 5 mins per month, but occasionally we'd do something a bit longer and we'd often combine short walks with coffee and cake stops so we'd be out say an hour but only walking 20 mins. Nearly all our walks were off lead on soft ground at pup's pace anyway.

I too am jealous of all the good recall. Lost cause here really, I am still trying!
Because Fluffpup can be a bit of a knob going for a walk and is ultra lazy most of our walks are so so slow that they don't cover much distance tbh. I didn't do any running with her til she was after 1 though and she's upstairs by invite only so limited stairs. We play games in the house and garden instead. I don't think she's bored - she's certainly never destructive or felt the need to give herself a job. I do worry sometimes that she doesn't have enough exercise but if she doesn't want to walk she just sits down or lies down until I say "ok home!" And then she miraculously recovers to a lively trot. She goes to doggy day care once a week and judging by the photos runs around like a loon.

Florapup and her woolly brothers on only her second walk yesterday morning. She has been on four now and loves it!

Got to test Coco on her recall today when she decided to wander off to the men’s changing area in the men’s bathing ponds at the Heath! She did come back …. Eventually…

I did stick to the rule of 2 walks a day at 5 min per month until recently and now Orangepup just needs more exercise than that tbh and often I can't manage the evening walk as my DH works shifts, so kids dinner, bedtime etc. so now at 9 months I either take her for a 40-50 min walk in the morning and then another evening pavement walk when DH is around or 1.5 hours in the morning and that's it, no evening walk.

@Unluckycat1 I hear you with the recall! Orangepup was doing so well but now she's totally ignoring me again! I am guessing it's a teen thing, had to put her back on the long line the other day, but I have to say I was a bit annoyed with another dog owner. Orangepups recall had been good this day until then, then she saw a dog who reciprocated with playing and that was that, followed this dog. The dog and owner were on they way out of the park, Orangepup now decided to not have anything whatsoever to do with me! But the owner could see Orangepup following her dog and ignoring me but rather than stop for what would have been 2 min, if that, for me to get the long line on her, she walked out the park where obviously there's traffic with Orangepup following! Maybe I have no right to be annoyed, but personally as a dog lover I would have stopped as I would hate anything to happen to a dog that is following me onto the road. 🤷‍♀️

@Orangebadger I think you have every reason to to be annoyed. It’s such a mean spirited and dangerous thing to do 😡

I know that Florapup’s great recall won’t last when adolescence looms.

@Orangebadger why on earth didn't they wait?!? I've had plenty of dogs follow us around - but I wait until I can see the owner before walking on out if sight or crossing a boundary/ round a corner. Takes all of 30 seconds?!?

Bloody hell, @Orangebadger, how utterly selfish of that owner. I'd have definitely waited for you to get Orangepup back on the lead.

We've not religiously stuck to the 5 minutes per month as FluffyPup has needed more. But he's only walked on the flat as we're in a very flat coastal town, and at his own pace. It's never been massively longer either.

@Orangebadger I would have happily waited! How horrible to risk a dog getting hit by a car :( I think you're right to be annoyed, life would be unbearable if we didn't all look out for each other in small ways, that owner has missed the how to coexist memo.

Reassured that most of us aren't sticking 100% to the walking guidelines. Unluckypup does show signs that she needs more exercise. She gets destructive for one. And that's with enrichment at home and attention, interaction etc.

That’s extraordinary of the other owner @Orangebadger - I’d be unhappy too

We roughly stuck to the five minute rule as we were warned not to overdo the exercise with a lab, as they take longer to fully grow. Plus it was winter, so wet and freezing! Now he’s one, he generally has two walks a day, roughly 30-50 for each walk. I also try some mind games with him, or a play in the garden.

@Riverlee i hadn't thought about it like that but the lovely weather is no doubt part of why we stay out longer. Unluckypup seems perfectly happy and being out is so nice that we just keep going. We're taking it more easy today, I'm paranoid about her joints after reading another thread.

Riverpup was a little s*d on the walk today and kept pulling and lunging, and i’m surprised I’ve still got two arms in their arm sockets. Then got disorientated in the woods and took me a while to find my bearings. Belated Puppy Blues definitely hit this morning.

@Riverlee must be something in the air. Gizlotspup started barking at something in the distance ( he never barks on a walk) and then was a twat for a good portion of the walk. He has also started to get spooked at cars.. but pulls and twists into the road!!

FluffyPup was also a knobhead on his walk this morning. 🙄 I've got a waist lead as I've had shoulder surgery recently, so at least my arms are intact.

I can't work out if he's just excited because I had two weeks off walking him. Or he's just being a twat! 🤔🙄

In an act of solidarity Fluffpup was also an arsewipe on our lunchtime walk. I have a waist lead AND it's a bungee one. Less rage inducing.

What secret messages are being whispered about in the dog world? Britpup was the biggest absolute pain on her walk yesterday too 😂 whining, pulling and just generally driving me mad

Coco must have got the memo too - loads of pissing around and attacking her lead on her walk today!

Coco goes to stay with MIL on Friday for 2.5 weeks. Those of you who've had your puppies stay away from home for the first time before, how did it go? Any top tips on things to do to help them settle?

@Cocopuff hennipup has just come back from a week with her breeder whilst we were away, we took her own crate, bedding etc along with her own food and toys. No problems and she settled well

Hennipup is nearly 18 weeks and is teething! My arms have taken the brunt of it, she has lots of chews etc but prefers me!
walks are going well, I do stick to the 5 min rule as my older dog had joint issues (we stuck to the 5 min rule with him too 🤷‍♂️) just don’t want to take any risks.
She’s being a monkey at the moment having discovered that she likes the sofas and has realised she can jump on them and cushions on there to chew.

Thanks @hennipenni thats reassuring and what we were thinking of doing.

Ouch @hennipenni at hennipup using your arms for teething relief. Really hope the worst is over v soon!