Puppy Survival Thread - for old and new pups

[Riverlee]

Thought I’d start a new thread as the old one is at its limit, for new and older pups.

please come and share your tales of success, woes, concerns and questions, and of course, photographs.

Awwww you good Mum. You did exactly the right thing. You can do lots of positive crate stuff tomorrow. Tonight is just about getting some sleep.

@Doodledangle i looked on the Rover pet sitter app and found her, it’s £25 a day.

Bertie is gorgeous! You did the right thing. Foxpup loved his crate, but I put the stinky vet bed from his breeder that smelled of his siblings in it. It absolutely reeks, but he likes it 😂.

lots of positive crate association. I never force him in. In the Easy Peasy Puppy Squeasy book, he talks about the den wizard who leaves amazing treats etc. I fed him in their the first few days, I still randomly scatter food and treats in there when he isn’t looking.

Doggy day care- I recommend looking at Borrow my Doggy website for when they are older. I was a borrower for a while, still technically am but on a break with pup. I looked after one dog once a week and another ad hoc. It’s £12 for the year. You look for people who want to walk/care for dogs with dog owners. Each time I met the dog and owner, they came to my house (they are both women), and then we arranged from there. I’ve had really positive experiences. It was supposed to fill my need for a dog without the commitment. It just made me want a dog more!

Okay, so todays puppy problem. Mabel has a new love of digging soil- oh joy! Before I could catch her this morning she was into the wet soil head first digging like a loon. I managed to catch her with a big towel that is now beyond filthy, my kitchen floor is a sea of mud and pup is a soggy mess. What is the best way to deal with a grubby soggy (+chewy obvs) puppy? I can't bath her multiple times a day!

The floor is obviously the easy fix, I can cope with that

🫣

Schnauzers do what Schnauzers do 😁

https://muddymat.co/product/muddy-mat-csb-g/cart.php?utm_source=MMYoutube&utm_content=MM+Search+Campaign&utm_term=MM+Search+Campaign&utm_campaign=C2&utm_medium=C2_AG1&gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwnOipBhBQEiwACyGLurcqFIFq9cwLy12pL203U31-w6Bwn6aIShkm6w0TC1XLwkg04GcFcRoCk6IQAvD_BwE

Muddy mats are meant to be good. I bought something that looks very similar from ALDI for £5.99 though. Next were selling the same thing for £16.99.

I'd go with a damp microfibre cloth to wipe her down. Or some pet wipes if you don't like that idea https://www.amazon.co.uk/Purpose-Cleaning-Deodorizing-ALCOHOL-Cleaner/dp/B08LMKFZNZ/ref=asc_df_B08LMKFZNZ/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=484920125166&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8705832964059947922&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045740&hvtargid=pla-1124380554676&psc=1

Micro fibre towels. They dry quickly and can be used a few times before they need washing.

@FeargalLandSharkey your Bertie is adorable. We are still searching for the perfect name for our pup. So many family members are vetoing our choices for random reasons, I need to stop asking them what they think 😂😂
Favourites at the moment are Benji, Bertie and Fergus.

Morris is a cute name for a little dog. Eddie. I love Hamish too.

Someone suggested this on a thread I made about fox pups name. Every family member gives each name a score out of 10. Add up the scores and the highest is the winner!

Thanks @Lougle @cockapup and @FoxRedPuppy

Well, 4 hours sleep til 3.30am this morning and then a fun hour spent between bed and garden due to the sniffing and circling. I really hope none of the neighbours happened to be up at that time because they'd have seen me trying to juggle umbrella, puppy, lead, pyjama bottoms (mine, obvs) IN THE RAIN.

Anyway, on trip 2 we had success and a wee!!!! Hurrah!!.
Bertie has had breakfast, a play, a drink and is crashed out in his crate again so I've had a shower and breakfast. He seems to be getting the treat thing too so hopefully he'll learn the connection between learning and lovely things happening.
Just doing the admin now with the microchip registration and insurance etc.
Vet today.
What are people's views on Lepto 4? Breeder was against it due to the number of deaths recorded after Lepto 4 as opposed to Lepto 2. IME vets don't tend to give advice they give information and leave the decision to the owner.

As she's so experienced I tend to trust her lifelong experience but it is a bit of a dilemma.

@FeargalLandSharkey my breeder was also totally against it, as apparently he’d had a dog that had a bad reaction.
I actually did have it done, and will keep up with it, mainly because we live in a “high risk” area if that makes sense- very wet farmland. Apparently stagnant water is a risk factor, and in my dogs’ opinions, the more stagnant the water the better 🤢In fact, their interest levels in general are directly proportional to how smelly something is…. All three have been fully vaccinated with no issues (yet!!) but I think it’s a divisive topic.

Our breeder's vet uses Vanguard Lepto 2. Our vet uses Nobivac Lepto 4. So we asked our breeder not to vaccinate. The difference is in the level of Lepto cover. Given that we're rural and there is a lot of farmland, it was worth it for us.

My breeder did lepto 2 but Vet said they do lepto 4. Vaccinations are tomorrow. I hope it won’t be an issue.

I never put a lead on to take pup to toilet. But I have a completely enclosed garden and it’s pretty small. I wear a big hoody and crocs!

Pup had her second jabs on Tuesday, we're now on the countdown to freedom! We did lepto 4 because we're in a semi rural, wet location. The common I walk in most often has lots of stagnant water dotted around in winter.

Pee accidents are getting much less frequent now, she is actually asking to be let out now.

Our older dog's mad barking at the doorbell is setting the pup off and it's all a bit much, so I've spent the morning playing doorbell sounds while scatter feeding and it's been miraculous! One of DC's friends came over this morning, pressed the doorbell and there was blissful silence! I'll have to do a few repetitions to get it to stick I think

@FoxRedPuppy I was told that they aren't compatible and Hazel would have to start again if she had been vaccinated with Lepto 2.

Great idea @BleakGarden . I was thinking of doing firework sounds, although given her reaction to the fire alarm, I'm not sure it's going to be a massive issue.

Argh! Oh no. I can’t face starting again and waiting extra weeks! Bugger.

I suppose then it’s a case of phoning different vets and finding what they do? I hate talking to people on the phone!

It might be. But it's fairly regional, I think. I was at the vets when someone phoned about Vanguard Lepto 2 and the receptionist said that she wasn't aware of any in the area.

I contacted our vet and they said they had treated significantly more dogs for Weil’s disease than they had had with reactions to the vaccines. We live in a semi rural, lots of canals and other watery places so decided to have the lepto 4.

I phoned the vet the breeder used and I’m going to take him there instead for second vaccine. I would say we are semi-rural, or whatever is in between semi rural and urban. Can’t think of much standing water.

I just don’t think I can do another 4 weeks at home!

I think that's a fair decision. We have rivers and ponds and lots of puddles, so I was happy to wait a couple of extra days to get her first vaccine with our vet. If she's already had one vaccine, then your choice is loading her with 3 vaccines in her early days or going back there. Is it a long journey?

It’s about 20-30 mins, not too far. I don’t mind. I’ve got the day off anyway.

We start puppy classes this afternoon. What a big girl!

I went with lepto 4 because we do lots of watery stuff, live in the countryside and the in laws live on the canal. I've not heard of deaths from it. My vet recommended lepto 4 given our lifestyle.