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.

@Gizlotsmum You might need to sign up your friends and family with this one if it's feasible . Have them all walk along a road armed with treats ,and meet your dog in the street as you walk along meeting one at a time , then friend insists dog sits before feeding treat and dispensing fuss . Is that something you could try ?

@Gizlotsmum teach the down command. And as suggested get friends to help you with sit and treats. I would say do it at home first and then move outside. Outside can be a lot more exciting!

I also have a ton of treats in my pocket when walking and when I see someone approaching I stop and as they are about to pass give her a treat and walk on. Has worked really well with people as she's getting much better and not having to say hello to absolutely everyone! Now I need to do this with dogs!

@Gizlotsmum . There are a few other things you can try as well as what everyone else has posted. I too have the most enthusiastic of greeters.
Teach a "wait". Easily done using treats, they get it quickly. I use wait before going out the door, feeding etc. it's all about impulse control. Also teach "look at me". Again to get them to check in with you first before doing something, my release word is "FREEDOM". Usually yelled Braveheart style.
Also you need to be always scanning the horizon, treat in hand ready for action. As soon as you see a potential encounter do a sit, treat, wait etc. If I'm too late then I body block a bit. Make yourself fun / interesting so their focus is on you, rather than anything else.
Sounds simple. It not for us. Time is calming Fluffpup down but walks at the start were awful for us.

Thanks for the ideas. We are working on down. He does watch and can do it for 10 seconds at home, we also have a wait for going out and in and for food but outside is too exciting. I think I need to be more aware and will try some of the other tips.

Don’t have a lot of local support but could get the kids friends to try it when they come round!

We had/have problems with jumping up too but it’s slowly improving with same kind of training others have mentioned. I think it’s being prepared like you say, for a while I was trying to manage him when he’d already headed towards people so anticipating them coming and diverting it definitely helped.

FluffyPup is much better when walking past people now. He must just gives them a brief look. It's other dogs which require more training!

Thanks for cat replies. Luckypup is still barking at the cat on the fence (not the cat's own fence, he especially travels across several gardens to hunch there growling and hissing at Luckypup 🙄) but does quiet down when I sit there with her, so I think I'll just have to add cat desensitisation to the training rota.

I was told that 'sit' is better to train than 'down' at puppy classes, and to try to get pup to do a sit command before they get any kind of fuss for a whole week to see good results. Of course IRL this hasn't happened, mostly because it's a busy house and the kids and guests forget or don't do it, and fellow friendly dog walkers always say 'oh it's fine' when she jumps up (which tbh I'm guilty of too with other dogs). But we're slowly getting there, and she has naturally stopped trying to jump at passers by just through me holding the lead short and stepping back.

Joining with puppy Mindie!

She’s 9 weeks so still awaiting her second jabs. I’m struggling knowing what to do with her before we can go out for walks! Feel a bit trapped in the house tbh. Have walked her around the block in my old baby sling 😆 but what else can we do??

Mindie is lovely. Mind exercises are more tiring then physical exercise, so start doing sit, lie etc.

RiverPup’s embarrassment of the week - weeing in the vets, twice on one visit! (To get kennel cough vaccination).

Awww gorgeous Mindie, is she a retriever @DebbieHarryIsMyMum ?

Just keep on taking her out in the sling to as many places as possible and take her out in the car to get her use to that.

@Riverlee 😂 I'm sure the vets are very use to nervous or excited wees at least.

We met a beautiful deerhound today in the park, just lovely but wow so big! He had his own sofa at home 😳

@DebbieHarryIsMyMum Awww Mindie looks just like my Fluffpup a year ago, she's a cream retriever too, well mine is an apricot one. They don't stay they size for long!!

Thank you for the new thread

hennipup us now 10 weeks old and we’ve been very busy socialising her, she sits happily in her dog buggy watching and absorbing stuff whilst being hand fed her meals by her slave.

Puppy blues are settling in a little, back to work tomorrow, I’m not looking forward to sorting out puppy, myself and older dog. What do people do with their puppies to tire them out before going to work?
My daughter is popping in twice a day to let her out, play etc and my other daughter is going to give her lunch, and lent her out etc so from that point of view she’s sorted.
I was thinking of leaving her with a kong when I go, then leaving licki mats ready for my pop in daughter to give her.

@Orangebadger i met my first deerhound a couple of weeks ago. Huge friendly boy, he leant right into me for a fuss ❤️ can't imagine the cost of feeding one 🙈

Welcome @DebbieHarryIsMyMum Mindie is lovely!

Luckypup is 5 months (24 weeks today to be precise) and weighed 16.8 kg at the vet's yesterday (where she didn't wee @Riverlee but that was definitely the exception rather than the rule - she normally does loads of excited/nervous dribbles 😬) I don't suppose anyone has enough dog experience to guess her adult weight? I'm still never sure if I'm feeding her the right amount.

@DebbieHarryIsMyMum Mindie is such a cutie 😍.

Welcome @DebbieHarryIsMyMum and Mindle. I found snuffle mats and getting Coco used to basic training, games to learn her name and toilet training helped those early days go by. And getting her used to things in the house (doorbell, hoover, tv, musical instruments, hairdryer etc) you can also practice loose lead walking.

@Luckycat1 wow - big dog. Coco is fully grown now at 5.4kg! My friends 14 week puppy is 3 times her size already …

interesting chat about dogs jumping up. Coco tries to do it instinctively but I’ve taught her to sit for petting/attention when people come in the house.

@Luckycat1 - I used this site when our pup was little

https://www.thegoodypet.com/puppy-weight-chart

She's two now but it got her adult weight pretty much spot on from her weight at 4 months. And she followed the same curve pretty consistently.

Thank you @tizwozliz looks an amazing tool. Sadly as she's a mongrel i don't think we can use it. I guess her final size is a game of wait and see.

@Cocopuff aw I bet you could scoop her up and carry her all day. The variation in dogs is really something.

They do have some mixes listed, I guess it depends whether you even know vaguely.

Our female lab was a similar size at 5 months and is now 25.5-26kg

@tizwozliz as far as the rescue knew, a mix of gsd, husky, lurcher, collie - and everyone we meet (including the vets) are convinced she's a saluki cross, so I'm guessing she won't be on the list 😅 but thank you for sharing your lab's weight, judging by that it looks like she might have a way to go with the growing!

This is Dolly our 9 week old cocker, she is beautiful and has absolutely stolen my heart.

To drain her energy I take her for little walks and sit on a local park bench with treats for her. It’s especially good near school finish times, she loves watching the kids. We also have a few friends with dogs who are fully vaccinated and go for a play in their garden.

Also cat toys are good fun, a toy mouse on the end of a stick and elastic works wonders. Though I don’t leave her alone with it. An empty plastic bottle can buy me ten minutes is peace too. Oven gloves are good for tugging games and protecting hands from sharp teeth.

I take her for walks in her sling.

Welcome Dolly. I love her markings.

Love her teddy! Where is that from ?

We’ve got an 8 week old silver Labrador. She’s just adorable!
only had her since Sunday. The crate is not going so well, during the day she likes to sleep on the carpet and at night she cries in the crate. Last night I cuddled her to sleep then put her in the crate. She woke up crying and barking at 1am and I did the same again. I know it takes time but any tips or suggestions as to how to do the crate properly ??