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.

Just checking in, we did our first lead walk out of the house and to say it was chaotic is an understatement! We just went to the next cross street and back but she was flooded by all the smells, sounds, cars etc. She saw two dogs and got a bit nervous and shaky, treats and sitting helped. She ran through a bush into a front garden and then started pulling back to get away from the lead. So I'm there on the pavement on my knees holding treats through someone's front hedge and trying not to just drag her out.

I can't get her to walk by my side, if she knows I've got a treat she'll jump for it and run across me.

She was an overstimulated mess when we got back, DD was lying on the sofa with her laptop, pup sailed through the air, crashed onto the laptop and bit her nose, poor DD.

She's sleeping now thank god.

She definitely needs more exposure to dogs, I suppose I can take her on a dog walk with my older dog now... but she runs for an hour off lead and just being out for an hour on lead will be too much for her. We've got puppy school on Wednesday so hopefully that will help

@BleakGarden that sounds hard work! I thought my morning was stressful!

Can you practice lead work in the house? You might have done that already. We’ve had one lead session in the house that was fine and then one in the garden where he just went bitey at the lead.

With the other dog, the family member can’t. I can over and back a couple of times a day. That feels so unfair on the other dog. How do others manage with a dog and a puppy?

@Lougle does Kate Olsen have a book?

Looks like she has some ebooks here

https://www.myservicedogandme.com/

Thanks all I was getting was stuff about the Olsen sisters!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=RDCMUCIwFo1w3H82sCeHEijsHx7g&playnext=1&si=M9bxvnjOfBRiwD4E

@Blackbinbag This is her YouTube channel.

@BigBundleOfFluff Perfect fit harnesses are great. I emailed the company to find out what size to buy Hazel, then bought second hand.

@chimichangaz you might find you get better results on the lead if you consistently treat (I use her meal) every time puppy is in the right position.

@BleakGarden start in the garden. I was taught lead in right hand, dog on left. I have treat bag on left, so that she doesn't come in front. Also, if she's jumping, try leaning lower with the treat (it hurts my back but it works). I use a bit of kibble every couple of steps. Now, if she moves out of position, I stop. She brings herself back into position, treat and carry on.

Thanks @Lougle we did a bit in the garden but perhaps not enough! I have yet to decide if I want both dogs walking on the left but I think I do, I actually haven't got the coordination for walking on the right now! I might need to think of a reinforcer that's not food, she's almost too food driven and loses her marbles for it!

Oh Hazel jumps in the air every few steps 😀 That can be worked on in time. The first step is getting her to walk beside you and look to you (for food) rather than being focused on her surroundings.

Thanks @Lougle I'll keep trying! She's jumping a lot actually so I might need to add it to my list of things to focus on.

We had success in the car, she fell asleep after a short whine! I needed a win!

My mum has offered to have the pup, with one of my teens for 2 days. They don’t live close so this is the only option. She has experience of puppies and has been staying here for a couple of days, so know his routine.

I can’t decide if it’s a good idea or not. On the one hand the break would be amazing. I have a medical appointment I was going to cancel but would be able to attend.

On the other hand he’s still so young (10.5 weeks) I don’t know if it’s a good idea for him to be away from me at this stage. My parents will be doing holiday daycare in future.

anyone got any opinions.

Today has been really hard work. Just a constant stream of interruptions, disturbing the dog. I’ve had a busy day at work and I’m tired and I couldn’t concentrate. Pup went in her crate in the afternoon for 90 minutes just so I could have some space. It’s not the dog that’s the issue, it’s the kids being home constantly distracting her.

I stupidly gave her a piece of raw trachea from the raw food shop, (fresh/ defrosted not dried) and literally before I could blink she had wolfed the whole thing down. So now I’m really worried, it said it was puppy safe and digestible but it was quite a big piece. Should I be worried? She had eaten her tea (I thought this would mean she would chew it nicely 🤷‍♀️) and after wolfing it down she then ate half a bowl of cat food before I could get to it 😱 literally, she was frantic. I know they eat a lot but seriously, really? She’s now outside with me and gnawing plants and sticks constantly. She’s being wormed on Friday, there’s no worms in her poo but could it be that?

@FoxRedPuppy do it! Have a break, pup will be fine! I would.

@thenewaveragebear1983 how big was it? I think it should be fine if it's fresh and not dried. As long as she continues to eat and drink normally and there's no vomiting or diarrhoea I wouldn't be concerned. My pup is completely frantic around food too, they love cat food because it's high protein.

@BleakGarden I’d say it was a couple of inches long, maybe the size of a half of a small chicken breast. It was a very meaty piece, she’d had one last week and had gnawed it for ages but it was less meaty, I wonder if this one was just more meat so she could wolf it down.

I just feel really stressed today. I could cry. Dh is home now so I’m going to escape for half a hour for a walk

I hear you @thenewaveragebear1983 today hasn't been great for us either... deep breaths, they are babies with tiny brains (I keep telling myself this). It will get better, I hope the walk helps

@thenewaveragebear1983 I think it’s fine if she seems fine, drinking, pooing etc.

Foxpup tried to eat the gravel and I’m sure I’ve seen some in his poo! And the bark chippings, and all the plants. My garden looks like a swarm of locusts have been through. He doesn’t eat the plants so much as bite off the leaves and stems and then runs around and drops them.

I’ve had a stressful day. At least today is nearly over, tomorrow is another day 😁

@FoxRedPuppy I'm sure a couple of days will be absolutely fine.

@thenewaveragebear1983 I feel for you! They are so fast, aren't they? It could be worms but it's more likely just enthusiasm for all the tastes.

@BleakGarden we started in the garden, just treating when she was on my left. Then I took one step forward and treated if she followed/stayed on my left. I find that if I am consistent with the treats for correct behaviour, she works out that it's all going wrong pretty quickly, and reverts to the last behaviour that got her a treat. Kate Olsen does a great video on this and the key take away for me was that heel walking is a complicated thing, involving many behaviours, and that you can only train one behaviour at a time. So you have to pick one and choose it. So it might be that at first, she gets treats every time she's on your left. No matter what that looks like. Jumping, ahead of you, behind you, whatever (but never let her pull you. If the lead goes tight, you need to stop until it isn't). Then once she's consistently on your left, you change what she gets treats for. It might be 'all 4 paws on the ground'. At first, she'll be thinking 'I'm on your left, dammit, give me the treat!' but she'll soon catch on that the treat comes when her feet are on the floor.

Hazel did really well with a loose lead walk into our village today. By that, I mean that she trotted beside me on my left, paying attention to me for treats, but jumping slightly every time I delivered the treat because she is very small and I'm quite tall. She's relatively far away on the lead, though (probably 2ft) so my next step is to change the criteria to only treat when she's closer to my leg. As soon as the treats are finished it all goes to pot, though.

@Lougle i am definitely going to try these walking tips 👍 Maggie has already cottoned on that lead = exciting walk on the front drive instead of boring garden. We’ve not even ventured past the gate. Yesterday she sat there having treats and just taking it all in. I think she will love walking, I can’t wait. Her jabs are Friday, how soon can she go out?

@thenewaveragebear1983 are they second jabs? I was told 1 week but another owner was told that her pup could go out straight away.

Yes second set, oh I hope it’s straight away!

Mine had Lepto 2 and was told two weeks after second jabs.

Hmm, I was told one week but looking at my vet's website it says 2. Bums.

Do you really want to go out in this rain? It’s been horrible here.

I'm keen that she experiences the sights, sounds and smells.

I don’t mind the rain. I’m very outdoorsy so I go walking anyway in all weathers! I love a muddy puddle 😁

2 weeks??? Oh no! I was really hoping it would be sooner than that!